Coach: Teenage star can be a world champion
On Saturday the Southland cycling community was provided yet another glimpse of what rising cycling star Marshall Erwood can produce.
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Julian Ineson believes Southland has a future Olympian and world champion cyclist in the mix, and he isn’t chucking out that line lightly.
It’s been a heck of a start to 2024 for Southland cycling young gun Marshall Erwood.
It has included a National Under-23 road title, despite at the time being just 18. He also picked up a silver medal in the elite men’s individual pursuit at the Oceania Track Championships. That was amongst a list of good rides at the event.
Erwood was beaten for gold only by New Zealand Sportsman of the Year Aaron Gate.
There is a fair bit of excitement from many around what’s in store for the former James Hargest College pupil.
Ineson is one of those in that camp.
He has coached Erwood since he started in the sport as a kid. Ineson had the unique experience of commentating when Erwood won the recent U23 road race title.
“When I say that he can go to the Olympics and be a world champion, I’ve always said I don’t say that lightly.
“In fact, I’ve hardly said that about anyone. But I truly believe all things being right, the environment being right, the commitment, and everything working in his favour, everything is on track to perform at the highest level.
“He’s certainly got the passion and dedication to do that… He continues to show he has got a bit of the x-factor really, and that’s been across the road and track.”
Ineson said Erwood had great support around him in Southland. That included through the Academy Southland programme led by Jason McKenzie and Carly Anderson.
So, what makes Erwood such a special talent?
“The day I started coaching him I said one of his redeeming features is his ability to be able to recover. You can have a pretty hard training session or race and he bounces back very quickly to be able to go out and repeat it.
“The sort of workload he can handle was evident at the Oceania’s recently. It was a massive workload to go right across the endurance events and back it up time and time again and end up on the podium, more often than not.”
On Saturday the Southland cycling community was provided yet another glimpse of what the rising cycling star can produce.
Despite his busy recent schedule, Erwood lined up in the Invercargill to Browns Road Race.
Erwood claimed both the honours for the fastest time and first home in the 38km handicapped race.
Midway through the race Neil Familton, Benson Boys, Ollie Keast, and Stewart Eggleton came together and led the rest of the field before finally being caught in the closing kilometres across to Browns.
The two scratch riders Hunter Gough and Erwood caught the break riders and mid-field bunches through the Spring Hills.
Moves were coming from the likes of Liam O'Rourke, Morgan Borrie and Fraser Hewett before Erwood put the pressure on the group and entered on to the back of grass track solo.
Ineson, who was the race manager and again commentating, said Erwood just loved the sport and it was great to see him take part on Saturday.
“Isn’t it great to see a kid that has just won the under-23 road nationals, just been up against world-class athletes like Aaron Gate, and he is now out at the Browns Sports Society. He takes it just as serious and gets as much enjoyment out of it.
“He just loves riding the bike and had a great day out there.”
Added to the special occasion was the fact Erwood became the first name on a new trophy which honoured his coach’s family.
The Browns Sports Society has just introduced a new trophy named the Ineson Family Road Race.
“It was very kind of the [Browns] sports society to do that,” Ineson said.
“It was fantastic to see Marshall get his name on it. I know the family is very proud of the fact that his name is the first name to go on to it.”
Ineson himself won the first Browns to Invercargill Road Race some 35 years ago and all up won it on three occasions.
He has remained involved as an administrator and commentator since.
But Julian’s father Tony’s connection with the grass track cycling at the Browns Sports Day stretches back much further.
“Dad is now 83… He would be more like 70-75 years of involvement with the sports society as a competitor and then an official.
“We were very humbled by the fact they did that for the family.”
Erwood also went on to win the Ray O'Connor Memorial Grass Track Race on Saturday.
The Southland teenager’s next assignment will be the New Zealand Track Cycling Championships starting on Saturday.
Following that Erwood’s focus is likely to switch back to the road in preparation for a stint riding in the United States. He is scheduled to depart in May.
Invercargill to Browns Road race results:
1st and Fastest Time: Marshall Erwood
2nd: Morgan Borrie
3rd: Hunter Gough
4th: Liam O'Rourke
5th: Fraser Hewett
6th: Ollie Keast
7th: Neil Familton
8th: Stewart Eggleton
9th: Ben Wyatt
10th: Derek Tan
Congratulations to the ineson family having the new shield named after them.Tonys name seems to have been there always.