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Clarence St. Cyclery Cup - NE
Sydney, Australia, April 3, 2004
Limit markers win men's and women's Clarence St Cups
By Karen Forman in Sydney
Limit marker Warren Scott won the 2004 Clarence St Cyclery Cup at Dunc Gray Velodrome tonight in a picture-perfect wheel-shove across the line after managing to hold off a strong effort by back markers Anthony Peden, Christopher Pascoe and Ben Kersten.
With the field scattered all over the place in their wake, under 23 rider Scott (St George Cycling Club) pipped hard working clubmate Steve Fitzpatrick and a small bunch of hard working limit markers, on the post. He told Cyclingnews the win had been revenge for not making the State team for the nationals for the first time in three years.
"I have been in it for the past three years and won a medal each year at the nationals, but this year I didn't make it," the 18 year old, who rode off 60 metres, said. "So I decided I had to win this as my vengeance and my team mates worked hard to help me."
It was a tough race, he said. "I was stuffed!" But it had all gone according to plan. He's not too sure what his plans are for the rest of the year, still feeling the disappointment of not being able to contest the nationals.
Fitzpatrick had ridden strongly on the front and had led out at the bell, but Scott was there on his wheel to taken the prize cup.
It was a similar story in the women's, which also went to a limit marker. Lucy Stewart of Canberra rode from a mark of 55 metres to take the honours ahead of Eve Hood (Parramatta) 75, Toireasa Ryan (Bathurst) off 85, Hayley Wright off 35. Scratch marker, Rebecca Ellis, who earlier in the night had clinched the women's keirin championship, was fifth.
One of the largest crowds seen at a NSW event for some time gathered at Sydney's Olympic velodrome for the Clarence Street Cyclery Cup and 2004 NSW State Track Championships.
It was a top night for Olympic kilo hopeful, former junior world champion Ben Kersten, who won both the Trek Bicycles International sprint final (beating Sean Eadie by a tyre) and the Trek Bicycles International Keirin, which showcased some of Australia's best: Kersten, Shane Perkins, Shaun Hopkins, former world track champion Sean Eadie, New Zealand champion, Anthony Peden and Greg McFarlane.
It was a dynamic result for the 22 year old Kersten, who has set his sights on clinching Australia a second spot in the kilo at the Athens Olympics - and then filling it himself.
"My whole focus this year is on the world championships in Melbourne and the kilo is the only race I will be dong," he told Cyclingnews. "I have to get a result there to go to the Olympics. I can't take Shane Kelly's spot, as he got a medal at the worlds, so I have to create another spot for Australia. That means top four. And then I have to prove that I am of equal quality to Shane."
That means he will be looking at a high 11, but given his current level of fitness, he's confident he'll be able to achieve that. "I am back living in Sydney now, in Paddington, with my girlfriend and I am training full time," he said. "I have been in Adelaide virtually since 1998 and in 2001 I was in Holland for the year. Now I am back to try to make the Olympic team."
His first year as a senior in 2002 was "fairly disruptive". He contested the Commonwealth Games in Manchester and the world championships and although he performed "respectably", said he didn't feel like he was "a good bike rider at all."
Then in 2003 an old knee injury flared up in the gym. This year, however, it's a case of "so far, so good. I am training twice a day, six days a week and I am focusing on the heavy stuff, not fast work, and going faster than ever," he said. "It will be interesting to see what happens when we begin the fast work. I have also been training and racing without any breaks. I don't care about anything except the world championships."
It takes, he says, four to five months to get back to world level from zero, but he felt he was building up every couple of months. He is so focused that he hasn't thought much about what he will do if he doesn't make the Olympic team. "I guess there's not much I can do after that," he said.
"I might go back to Holland and race some crits to extend my season. I tend to have long off-seasons otherwise."
Kersten had made his intentions clear right from the start. He looked to be in top form as he took a position midfield, allowing Victorian Shane Perkins and Parramatta rider Shaun Hopkins to hassle for the wheel of the derny. Perkins got it with Hopkins, Kersten, Peden Eadie and McFarlane following behind. Perkins led out with three laps to go. Kersten was looking over his shoulder, waiting to make his move.
But it was Peden, with two to go, who started the ball rolling. Hopkins was up there, with Mcfarlane on his wheel. Peden was still in the lead as the field hit the round corner to start their final lap and led out at the bell.
Eadie, still sporting the beard which gained him so much media attention two years ago, was hard on his wheel and Kersten flying down the outside to cross the line first. Peden was second and Greg McFarlane third. The time for the 200 metres was 10.501.
It was Eadie's first race for a year and he was happy. He has spent the past 12 months recovering from a knee injury which refused to heal until he spent three months "on the sofa, getting fat".
"I had a partial tear of the left quad tendon," he said. "I did it doing leg press in the gym. I didn't have to have surgery but it was very frustrating. I had been in really good form but I couldn't do any gym work with the injury. I kept going for a while, saw every man and his dog, then realized I had to have a rest. I put on 3kg and got fat - and then lost all my muscle and went down to 92kg. My race weight is 100kg."
He's still at the AIS and is doing is best to make the Australian team for the Athens Olympics. "There is still a probability. I just need a good Sydney World Cup, an excellent Worlds and all hell in Athens," he said.
After that? "We'll see."
He expects his biggest competition to come from Australian Jobie Dajka and the French rider, Arnaud Tournant.
The first of the remaining NSW titles to be decided tonight was the under 19 women's keirin championship, won by Hayley Wright from Balmoral Cycle Club in Queensland, with Skye Lee Armstrong from Parramatta Cycling Club second and Jennifer Loutit from the ACT.
Meanwhile a tactically ridden NSW Elite Women's Keirin Championship final was battled out between two Rebeccas - current junior world champion Rebecca Borgo and elite rider from Parramatta Rebecca Ellis. Borgo took the derny wheel, setting a slow pace with Ellis on her wheel and Elizabeth Georgouras of Bicisport next to her.
With the pace steadily increasing , Borgo, who rides with the NSWIS, was looking a likely winner on the front. Leonie Aisbett was in third wheel. But then the derny pulled up and Borgo was leading out, as she did when she won the junior world championship, looking behind her at the bell. Ellis, however, was on her wheel perfectly positioned to take the win.
The NSW Elite Men Derny Championship of 10km/40 laps was a crowd pleasing spectacular, featuring six riders and six motorbikes. It was all about tactics. NSWIS rider Chris Sutton powered out to the front at the gun and pretty much stayed there for the duration of the race. Christopher Pascoe was in second wheel, Phillip Stokes in third. There wasn't a lot of movement in these early laps. Stokes swapped turns with Sutton in and Pascoe.
With the pace up at around 60km per hour, Sutton was still out the front, Fitzpatrick on his wheel, tailed by Warren Scott and Christopher Pascoe. And just when spectators thought it couldn't get any faster - it did. Sutton's father and coach Gary clocked his son up past 70kmh with three laps to go. With two to go, Sutton and Fitzpatrick were fighting for the lead but it was Sutton who was the most deserved winner at the finish.
"It was hard," Sutton said. "I really wanted to win it. I love the dernys, I love the speed of them. I was confident that I would do well, it was my second year in a row."
The win will stand him in good stead to the national championships at the end of the month. He is hoping to make the World Cup team for the Sydney event in May. "I am still working at the moment, so I won't be doing any individual events, just the pursuit and teams pursuit."
Sutton has two months left to finish of his carpentry apprenticeship with Andrew McGee (brother of cycling stars Brad and Rod) and Grant Law in Wollongong, then heads to Italy in June to join the AIS under 23 squad. "It will be my first trip overseas, I have been holding off until I finished my apprenticeship," he said. "I can't wait."
He's planning on training and racing full time for a while and is targeting the road worlds at the end of the year. "I am willing to do anything to get a berth at the World Cup," he said. "I love the track but I think the road is a better option for me."
Results
Event 1. CNSW Derny Championships Heats 7.5km - (30 Laps) Heat 1 1 Christopher Sutton (St George CC) 2 Phillip Stokes (Penrith Panthers CC) 3 Brett Johnstone (Bicisport) DNF Andrew Carter (Bathurst CC) DNF Luke Cridland (Southern Cross CC) DNF Ross Harding (Southern Cross CC) Heat 2 1 Steve Fitzpatrick (St George CC) 2 Warren Scott (St George CC) 3 Christopher Pascoe (Dubbo CC) DNF Brenden Savage (Canberra Cycling Club) DNF Phillip Dixon (Bicisport) DNF Michael Popplewell (Manly Warringah CC) Event 1. Tandem Flying 200m Time Trial Heat 1 1 Kial Stewart (Canberra Cycling Club) 10.844 2 Anthony Biddle (Canberra Cycling Club) Heat 2 1 Lindy Hou (Clarence St CC) 12.458 2 Janelle Lindsay (Randwick Botany CC) Event 2. NSW Junior U/19 Women's Keirin Championship Heats 2000m Heat 1 - Competitors 1 Hayley Wright (Balmoral Cycle Club) 2 Amanda Spratt (Penrith Panthers CC) 3 Eve Hood (Parramatta CC) 4 Ruth Oxlade (Marconi CC) Heat 2 - Competitors 1 Jennifer Loutit (Tuggeranong Vikings CC) 2 Skye-Lee Armstrong (Parramatta CC) 3 Jackie Kejda (Illawarra CC) 4 Naomi Adams (Dubbo CC) Event 3. NSW Elite Women's Keirin Championship Heats 2000m Heat 1 - Competitors 1 Rebecca Borgo (Illawarra CC) 2 Elizabeth Georgouras (Bicisport) 3 Leonie Aisbett (Parramatta CC) 4 Sarah White (Bicisport) Heat 2 - Competitors 1 Rebecca Ellis (Parramatta CC) 2 Lucy Stewart (Canberra Cycling Club) 3 Toireasa Ryan (Bathurst CC) 4 Jessie Maclean (Canberra Cycling Club) DNS Tunde Berryhill (Parramatta CC) Event 4. Heart Starter Scratch Race Sprinters 1 Ben Kersten (St George CC) 2 Anthony Peden (New Zealand) 3 Gregory Mcfarlane (Bankstown Sports CC) 4 Shaun Hopkins (Parramatta CC) 6 Andrew Taylor (Dubbo CC) 7 Sean Eadie (Bankstown Sports CC) REL Kial Stewart (Canberra Cycling Club) Event 5. Heart Starter Scratch Race Endurance riders (Men/U19Men/Masters) 1 Christopher Pascoe (Dubbo CC) 2 Warren Scott (St George CC) 3 Steve Fitzpatrick (St George CC) 4 Peter Fitzpatrick (St George CC) 5 Michael Lewis (Hunter District CC) 6 Christopher Sutton (St George CC) 7 Rodney Mcgee (Parramatta CC) 8 Andrew Carter (Bathurst CC) Event 6. Heart Starter Scratch Race Div 1 (Men/U19Men/Masters) 1 Phillip Stokes (Penrith Panthers) 2 Brett Johnstone (Bicisport) 3 David Browne (Bicisport) 4 Anthony Bennett (Lidcombe Auburn) Event 7. Heart Starter Scratch Race Div 2 (Men/U19Men/Masters) 1 Keith Oliver (Parramatta CC) 2 Bruce Masson (Hunter District CC) 3 Mark Wood (Hunter Dist. CC) 4 Tim Rice (Sydney CC) Event 8. NSW Junior U/19 Women's Keirin Championship Repercharge 2000m 1 Skye Armstrong (Parramatta CC) 2 Naomi Adams (Dubbo CC) Event 9. NSW Elite Women's Keirin Championship Repecharge 2000m 1 Leonie Aisbett (Parramatta CC) 2 Toireasa Ryan (Bathurst CC) Event 10. Clarence Street Cyclery Cup Handicap Repercharge 1 1 Peter Spencer (C.A.T.S.) 2 Duncan Crosby (Bicisport CC) 3 Tyler Mclachlan (Sth. Cross CC) Event 11. Clarence Street Cyclery Cup Handicap Repercharge 2 1 Luke Cridland (Sth. Cross CC) 2 Grant Fraser (Central Coast CC) 3 Michael Lewis (Hunter Dist. CC) Event 12. Stars Of The Future 2 Lap Handicap 1 Kirsty Mills (St George CC) 2 Emma Sprouster (Lidcombe Auburn CC) 3 Angus Tobin (Bathurst CC) Event 13. NSW Junior U/19 Women's Keirin Championship Final 2000m 1 Hayley Wright (Balmoral CC) 2 Skye Lee Armstrong (Parramatta CC) 3 Jennifer Loutit (Tuggeranong Vikings CC) Event 14. NSW Elite Women's Keirin Championship Final 2000m 1 Rebecca Ellis (Parramatta CC) 2 Rebecca Borgo (Illawarra CC) 3 Elizabeth Georgouras (Bicisport CC) Event 15. Handlebar Tavern - Aces Keirin 2000m 1 Kial Stewart (Canberra Cycling Club) 2 Andrew Taylor (Dubbo CC) 3 Jonothan Hamlin (New Zealand) 4 Alexander Sommer (Bicisport) Event 16. Trek Bicycles - International Keirin 2000m 1 Ben Kersten (St George CC) 10.51 2 Anthony Peden (New Zealand) 3 Gregory Mcfarlane (Bankstown Sports CC) 4 Shane Perkins (Victoria) Event 17. NSW Elite Men Derny Championship Final (10km) - 40 Laps 1 Christopher Sutton (St George CC) 10.56 2 Stephen Fitzpatrick (St George CC) 3 Warren Scott (St George CC) 4 Phillip Stokes (Penrith Panthers) Event 18. Bankstown Districts Sports Club - Sprint Derby 1 Jonothan Hamlin (New Zealand) 2 Kial Stewart (Canberra Cycling Club) 3 Shaun Hopkins (Parramatta CC) DNS Gavin White (Adelaide CC) Event 19. Platform 1 Resturant - Sprint Derby 1 Shane Perkins (Victoria) 2 Andrew Taylor (Dubbo CC) 3 Paul Bayly (Bankstown Sports CC) 4 Alexander Sommer (Bicisport) Event 20. Trek Bicycles - International Sprint Heats Heat 1 1 Sean Eadie (Bankstown Sports CC) 2 Anthony Peden (New Zealand) Heat 2 1 Ben Kersten (St George CC) 2 Gregory Mcfarlane (Bankstown Sports CC) Event 21. Aces Enduro - Motor Pace - 15 laps 1 Peter Fitzpatrick (St George CC) 2 Christopher Pascoe (Dubbo CC) 3 Steve Fitzpatrick (St George CC) 4 Warren Scott (St George CC) 5 Phillip Dixon (Bicisport) 6 Christopher Sutton (St George CC) 7 Michael Lewis (Hunter District CC) Event 22. Tandems Derby 1 Kial Stewart (Canberra Cycling Club) Anthony Biddle (Canberra Cycling Club) 2 Phillip Dixon (Bicisport) Tyler Mclachlan (Southern Cross CC) Event 26. Elite Women / Junior U/19Women Scratch Race -12 Laps 1 Hayley White (Balmoral CC) 2 Skye Lee Armstrong (Parramatta CC) 3 Rebecca Ellis (Parramatta CC) Event 27. Enduros Points Race sprint each 5 laps - 20 laps 1 Rodney Mcgee (Parramatta CC) 2 David Tanner (Parramatta CC) 3 Michael Lewis (Hunter District CC) 4 Phillip Dixon (Bicisport) Event 28.Trek Bicycles - International Sprint Final 3 / 4th Final 3 Greg Mcfarlane (Bankstown Sports CC) 4 Anthony Peden (New Zealand) 1 / 2nd Final 1 Ben Kersten (St GEORGE CC) 2 Sean Eadie (Bankstown Sports CC) Event 29. Division 1 Scratch Race - 15 Laps 1 Anthony Bennett (Lidcombe Auburn CC) 2 David Browne (Bicisport CC) 3 Grant Fraser (Central Coast CC) Event 30. Division 2 Scratch Race - 12 Laps 1 Michael Popplewell (Manly Warringah CC) 2 John Buckton (Randwick Botany CC) 3 Michael Leach (Bankstown CC) Event 31. Womens Clarence Street Cyclery Cup Wheelrace Final - 5 laps 1 Lucy Stewart (Canberra CC) 2 Eve Hood (Parramatta CC) 3 Toireasa Ryan (Bathurst CC) 4 Hayley Wright (Balmoral CC) 5 Rebecca Ellis (Parramatta CC) Event 32. Mens Clarence Street Cyclery Cup Wheelrace Final - 7 laps 1 Warren Scott (St George CC) 2 Phillip Stokes (Penrith PanthersCC) 3 Keith Oliver (Parramatta CC) 4 Grant Fraser (Central Coast CC) 5 Peter Fitzpatrick (St George CC)
