Oceania Track Championships - CC

Melbourne, Australia, November 23-26, 2006

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Day 3 - November 25

Reporting by Mal Sawford in Melbourne

Oceania women's individual pursuit championship

2005 world champion Katie Mactier last rode at Vodafone Arena at this year's Commonwealth Games, and claimed the gold medal in front of her home town crowd, and fresh from a win at the Sydney World Cup was a unbackable favourite to take the gold medal ride off against New Zealand's Alison Shanks.

Mactier didn't disappoint, bettering her World Cup qualifying ride to record a 3.36.497, almost four seconds clear of Shanks who nevertheless shaved two seconds off her recent fourth place ride in Sydney. With the World Cup win having already qualified her spot for the 2007 World Championships, Mactier could have been expected to relax a little, but was as focused as ever. "I would never say I felt relaxed" she said. "I only get the chance to race the track a couple of times a year, so I'm always nervous, and I always take it seriously."

While happy with her time in the final, she told Cyclingnews that she had concentrated on controlling her start, after being less than satisfied with her pacing at the World Cup and in the previous day's qualifying ride. "My coach John Beasley and Greg (Henderson), my boyfriend really help me get focused and control my start. I have a habit of starting to hard, but if I control it correctly I know I can bring it home fast."

Australia's Amanda Spratt was too strong for Malaysian pursuiter Uracca Leow in the bronze medal ride off, finishing almost seven seconds clear, but both were well of Mactier's impressive time.

Oceania women's sprint championship

In an all Australian medal round, Kerrie Meares showed no signs of her high speed crash at last week's World Cup, taking the win in two straight rides from Kristine Bayley. Bayley took it up to her more experienced team mate, however, leading out the first heat strongly, with Meares scraping home by less than half a wheel as the pair charged to the line together.

The second ride was more straightforward, with Meares controlling the pace from the front, and Bayley unable to come off her wheel. The bronze medal match saw Kaarle McCulloch beat Laura McCaughey in two rides in a battle of the young speedsters.

Oceania men's keirin

Mark French demolished the track record at Melbourne's second indoor velodrome on the opening day of the championships with his personal best time of 10.168 in sprint qualifying, and after winning that event was a clear favourite to back up with a win in the keirin.

Another local rider out to impress in front of his family and friends, French cruised to a heat win and then made short work of the final, holding off Malaysian speedster Josiah Ng and Joel Leonard, with a pre-planned burst of "full gas".

Despite his good form, French echoed Mactier's sentiments, saying "I'm never, ever satisfied. I can go faster. In Moscow [at the second round of the World Cup] I'm aiming for a 10.0 or even sub 10!" When asked if he was worried he might have peaked too early, he was adamant that he had not. "No, I have a lot more to prove. I can go a lot faster. My goal has always been the world champs, and Marv [Martin Barras, Australian track head coach] has told me I'll have an eight week block to prepare for it after Moscow."

Once his racing was over for the night, French was able to relax and enjoy himself. "I was a bit tense in Sydney, but I love racing in Melbourne. Tonight was a good thing; it's my style of racing, not just a bunch of handicaps! I can come and do what I'm good at, and give the crowd something worth seeing."

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Amy McCann

Katie Mactier waits in the start gate before her winning ride.

Results

Oceania junior women's 6km scratch race
 
1 Philippa Hindmarsh (Australia)
2 Esther Pugh-Uren (Australia)
3 Chloe Hosking (Australia)
 
Oceania men's keirin
 
Heat 1
 
1 Mark French                                 10.72
2 Joel Leonard
3 Mohd Rizai Tisin
 
Heat 2
 
1 Josiah Ng                                   11.16
2 Jason Niblett
3 Cam Mckinnon
 
C grade scratch
1 Brett Perez
2 Dean Stewart
3 Ryan Pontelandolfo
 
Oceania women's 3000m individual pursuit
 
3-4 final
 
1 Amanda Spratt (Australia)                3.48.014
2 Uracca Leow Huay Sim (Malaysia)          3.54.818
 
Oceania Men's Kierin
 
Final
 
1 Mark French (Australia)                    10.544
2 Josiah Ng (Malaysia)
3 Joel Leonard (Australia)
 
B Grade Motorpace
 
1 Tyler Wright
2 Michael Downing
3 Andrew Stewart
 
Oceania Women's Sprint
 
3-4 final
 
3 Kaarle Mcculloch (Australia)               12.413  12.499
4 Laura Mccaughey (Australia)
 
1-2 final
 
1 Kerrie Meares (Australia)                  12.657  12.880
2 Kristine Bayley (Australia)
 
Aces Elimination
 
1 Travis Meyer
2 Cameron Meyer
3 Thomas Palmer
 
Open women's scratch
 
1 Netasha Pearse
2 Nicole Whitburn
3 Esther Pugh-Uren
 
Oceania junior men 10km scratch race
 
1 Glenn O'shea (Australia)
2 Thomas Palmer (Australia)
3 Jack Bobridge (Australia)
 
Women's front markers 1000m handicap
 
1 Michelle King (25)                       1.12.159
2 Esther Pugh-Uren (35)
3 Lauren Hooper (50)
 
Women's back markers 1000m handicap
 
1 Tess Downing (Scr)                        1.11.34
2 Kaarle Mcculloch (10)
3 Belinda Goss (Scr)
3 Laura Mccaughey (Scr)
 
Oceania women's 3000m individual pursuit
 
1-2 final
 
1 Katie Mactier (Australia)                3.36.497
2 Alison Shanks (New Zealand)              3.40.338
 
Sprint Derby
 
1 Shane Perkins                              11.172
2 Kial Stewart
3 Gary Ryan
 
Open women's keirin
 
1 Kaarle Mcculloch                            12.59
2 Laura Mccaughey
3 Amanda Spratt
 
Open men's scratch race
 
1 Travis Meyer
2 Thomas Palmer
3 Adrian Hansen