Scottish track championships

Meadowbank Velodrome, Edinburgh, August 9-11, 2002

Rain curtails championships

By David Menzies

Rain on two of the three days of the Scott & Paterson Scottish Track Championships meant many of the championship races could not be completed.

Following on from the tremendous success of Scottish Track Cycling at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester where Scotland doubled its overall track medal haul and took it's first Gold ever, the championships being held at Meadowbank Velodrome were supposed to showcase the talent of now and the future with championships for all ages from under 12's to the elite. Instead the large number of spectators attracted following the recent successes were reduced to watching rain fall on the track.

In what little racing was completed, James Taylor (City of Edinburgh RC) took the 1km time trial emphatically with a time of 1.9.89 beating Martin Lonie (Europcar RT) by over 1.5 seconds who recorded 1.11.42. The bronze medal was taken by defending sprint champion Graeme Steen (Team Velo Ecosse) in 1.12.68.

The City of Edinburgh RC successfully defended their Team Sprint championship beating Glasgow Couriers in a repeat of the 2001 final. Team Velo Ecosse beat Edinburgh RC in the bronze medal ride off.

The Women's 500m TT was successfully defended by Emily Forde (Team Caledonia) in a time of 39.68 with Kate Cullen continuing to show her promise to take the silver medal in 40.05. Bronze medal went to junior rider Jane Leask in 41.39. The pursuit only got as far as the qualification round where Kate Cullen was fastest in 4.11.92, over 3 seconds faster than defending champion Emily Forde who recorded 4.15.20. Forde had earlier recorded a new Scottish 200m flying start record of 13.48 during the open sprint qualifying round.

In the junior competitions, Stephen Robertson (Glasgow Couriers) beat Stuart McManus (Glasgow Wh) 2-0 to win the Junior sprint while Jane Leask beat Kirsteen Lawrie 2-0 to take the bronze. Robertson and McManus will also contest the pursuit final when the rescheduled championships take place.

The most exciting racing of the weekend was in the Youth categories where underdog Kevin Barclay (Edinburgh Racers) showed tremendous technical ability in the sprint to overcome the speed of Shane Charlton, running out winner 2-0 in the final. In the fight for the bronze medal, Ross Mitchell beat Thomas Mackay (Both Edinburgh Racers) 2-0. In the 500m TT which was a demonstration championship the tables were reversed with Shane Charlton romping home in a new Scottish record for under 14's of 38.96 ahead of Kevin Barclay who recorded 40.95.

Events still to reach a conclusion include the Pursuit where Chris Isats (Musselburgh RCC) will meet Martin Lonie (Europcar RT). The sprint has reach semi final stages with fastest qualifier James Taylor due to meet Graeme Steen and Marco Librizzi due to meet Stefan Collins.

In the Veterans pursuit, Graham Barclay (Fife Cycling 2000) will meet Robert Maclean (Team Velo Ecosse) in the final with Andy Laing (Musselburgh RCC) and Ivor Reid (CyclingScotland) competing for Bronze.

The remainder of the Championships will now be held on the evening of Friday 6th September starting at 7.30pm.

Results

Junior Sprint Championship Final
 
1 Stephen Robertson (Glasgow Couriers)      12.80    13.14
2 Stuart McManus (Glasgow Wh)
3 Jane Leask (Team Caledonia)               14.43    14.88
4 Kirsteen Lawrie (Elgin CC)
 
Women's 500m Time Trial Championship
 
1 Emily Forde (Team Caledonia)              39.68
2 Kate Cullen (Edinburgh RC)                40.05
3 Jane Leask (Team Caledonia)               41.39
4 Kirsteen Lawrie (Elgin CC)                45.41
 
Youth 500m Time Trial
 
1 Shane Charlton (Kingdom RT)               38.96
2 Kevin Barclay (Edinburgh Racers)          40.95
3 Thomas Mackay (Edinburgh Racers)          45.32
4 Ross Mitchell (Edinburgh Racers)          45.40
5 Ross Wilson (Edinburgh Racers)            47.97
6 Allister Ewing (Edinburgh Racers)         49.87
7 Patrick Galbraith (Edinburgh Racers)      52.06
 
1km Time Trial Championship
 
1 James Taylor (City of Edinburgh RC)     1.09.89
2 Martin Lonie (Europcar RT)              1.11.42
3 Graeme Steen (Team Velo Ecosse)         1.12.68
4 Stefan Collins (City of Edinburgh RC)   1.12.93
5 Ivor Reid (CyclingScotland)             1.13.70
6 Stephen Robertson (Glasgow Couriers)    1.14.13
7 Alastair Taylor (Musselburgh RCC)       1.14.75
8 Nicky Hall (City of Edinburgh RC)       1.15.52
9 Andrew Skeen (Edinburgh RC)             1.15.99
10 David Nisbet (Glasgow Couriers)        1.16.55
11 Malcolm Ward (Glasgow Couriers)        1.16.80
12 Chris Adamson (Musselburgh RCC)        1.17.62
13 Mark Colquhoun (Glasgow Couriers)      1.18.18
14 Darren Howitt (Pro Acta Expressa)      1.19.36
15 Stuart McManus (Glasgow Wh)            1.19.44
16 Matthew Smith (Edinburgh RC)           1.22.10
 
Youth Sprint Championship Final
 
1 Kevin Barclay (Edinburgh Racers)          15.60    14.98
2 Shane Charlton (Kingdom RT)
3 Ross Mitchell (Edinburgh Racers)          15.78    16.28
4 Thomas Mackay (Edinburgh Racers)