World Masters Track Championships - CM

Manchester Velodrome - Manchester, September 15-21, 2002

Preview: Some hard predictions

By Geoff Stoker

September sees this year's Master's World Track Championships in Manchester, England. Most of the 2001 champions will return to defend their titles and there will be some new faces.

Masters championships are different from other championships because every year some riders change age division. This makes it a little more difficult to predict results and it's always interesting to see someone just starting in a category racing against a rider who has established themselves in that category.

It would be too difficult to mention all the riders going to Manchester so here is a preview of some of the established talent and some of the new talent to keep an eye on.

Atte Koskinen from Finland and the German Otto Altwick are both first time in the 65-69 year category. Both these men have a great track record in the 60-64, winning medals in their disciplines. Otto should be hard to beat in his specialty, the 2000m pursuit; he's still able to ride around 2 minutes and 30 seconds for the distance. Atte the flying Finn should be really competitive in the sprint and the 500 metre time trial. The points race could go either way depending on the speed of the event.

Englishman Dave Le Grys is always competitive in the sprint events in the 45-49 year category and this year should be no exception. It's hard to believe that an athlete can get faster as they get older but watch Le Grys – one of England's best coaches seems to have found the fountain of eternal youth. Dave will be defending the sprint, and time trial crowns then teaming up to try and win back to back team sprint titles.

Pursuit king Ian Hallam will be back in the 50-54 division and rumours are that he is right on form. Hallam is a pleasure to watch in a pursuit with his extremely smooth style and the speed he has is just inspirational. Although the pursuit is his pet event Ian is really competitive in all four disciplines, and won medals in all four last year.

Steven Alfred has trained really hard this year and is reaping the rewards. Steven has been ultra-consistent in 2002 winning many rounds of the US national velodrome challenge sprint events in the elite category. Riding the US national championships in Colorado, Alfred caught the attention of all the masters riders around the World by qualifying in an amazing 10.33 seconds. Steven is entered in the sprint to try and win the rainbow jersey for 2002.

The 40-44 year category should be tight in all four disciplines. US rider Al Whaley, last year's time trial champion will return to defend his title. Whaley will also ride the sprint, an event he has won in the past. In past years whaley has battled out the sprint title with defending champion Geoff Stoker from Australia.

A new rider to the masters this year in the 40-44 category is Shaun Wallace from England. Shaun is new to the masters but not to the world championships – he has finished on the podium in the professional pursuit more than once in the past.

The points race should be great as well with two English riders fighting for the top spot. Wallace has a great record in the points as does his countryman Russel Williams. That one will be close.

Marayama, the Japanese former champion in the 35-39 category will return to try and regain the title he was unable to defend last year. Marayama was injured just prior to the championship last year while competing in a Keirin race in Japan. South African Wikas Esthausen won the title with a great ride in the final. Wikas will also be in Manchester to try and take the title back home and I am sure he has room in his wardrobe for one more rainbow jersey.