Jockey Australia Australian Madison Championship - CN

Vodafone Arena, Melbourne, Australia, December 21, 2002

International stars and world champions make for hot racing in Melbourne

By Malcolm Sawford

Germans like it hot
Photo: © Kathy Watt

After a hot and sunny day in Melbourne, the temperature inside Vodafone Arena was noticeably warmer than it has been for any of the carnivals previously held at the near new facility. The warmer conditions were terrific for spectators and riders alike, with sizzling times recorded in all events.

The program leading into the feature Madison kicked off with a Match Sprint between reigning US Sprint Champion Jeff Lebauve and Jason Niblett, one of twelve World Champions competing in the star studded carnival.

The local rider took it up to his huge opponent in both heats, leading out and forcing Lebauve to dig very deep to claim narrow wins. The US star will be competing in the Tasmanian Christmas Carnivals before spending two months training in Adelaide with the AIS Sprint squad.

Other riders to impress in the support events were Tommy Nankervis, who outclassed the strong B Grade field to win both the Scratch race and Elimination; and Jessica Tanner, the only female rider in the Invitational Under 17 events, with a fine third place finish in the Motor pace.

Olympic Gold Medalist in the Madison, and one of the favourites for the main event, Brett Aitken last rode his track bike in April; it has been left unpacked in its bike bag ever since! The lack of use may have contributed to a broken spoke that put him out of contention while in good position in his first race of the evening, the Aces Elimination.

With Olympic partner Scott McGrory unavailable, Aitken was 'forced' to settle for the second best partner in the world, ex-pat Aussie now Belgian Matthew Gilmore! Both riders are previous winners of the Australian Title; Gilmore with Six Day legend Danny Clarke, and Aitken a three-time winner partnering Stuart O'Grady, Dean Woods and Stephen Pate.

Brownie and Renshaw
Photo: © Kathy Watt

Aitken nominated Graeme Brown and Mark Renshaw as the ones to watch. Renshaw is another former winner of the event, and Brown had won everything in sight at the recent Sydney Cup after a good year on the road with the Panaria team. The German team of Erik Weispfennig and Stefan Steinweg, former World Champions in the event, were out to become the first internationals to take out the Australian Championship, while the NSWIS had two other strong teams among the 14 team field.

Nine months off the bike was hardly ideal preparation for Aitken, but after his misfortune in the Elimination both he and Gilmore impressed in qualifying for the Kieran final. Aitken took out the final with a great sprint, while Brown and Renshaw showed their form in the Wheelrace final with a 1-2 finish, with Brown also victorious in the Elimination.

The opening laps of the 50km were raced flat out, and Brown and Renshaw showed their early dominance by placing 1st and 2nd in the opening sprint, and placing no worse than second in the following 6 sprints!

The first to go off the front after 35 laps raced, in an attempt to gain a lap, was Japanese rider Yoshii Kouji and his Swiss partner Markus Kammermann. Despite opening their advantage to half a lap, the wind up for the sprints coming every 10 laps soon saw the bunch back together.

With 70 laps completed, Brown and Renshaw had opened a huge advantage, already 20 points clear of their nearest rivals. Someone was going to have to take a lap to have any chance of overhauling the leaders, and the next serious move from Weispfennig, seemingly sparked by his displeasure at the closeness of Brown during a routine change with Steinweg.

Brown was quick to counter, and over the next 20 laps the attacks came thick and fast, with Aitken/Gilmore and Silver medallists from the Junior World Championships, Jonny Clarke and Chris Sutton going clear to fight out the points at 120 laps to go. Once again Brown was quick to protect his lead, but a strong counter attack from the German pair saw them quickly open a lead of half a lap combining with the pairing of Luke Roberts and Brown's new Panaria team mate Brett Lancaster.

Germans on the attack
Photo: © Kathy Watt

Just after the half way mark, the two leading teams caught the back of the field, and the German pair went straight to the front to keep the pace high in an attempt to stop Brown and Renshaw, who had launched a belated chase, from also taking a lap.

After another 5 laps of solo chasing however, Brown caught the back of the pack, and was once again in the lead with their huge points advantage. Wasting no time, Weispfennig jumped away again and in an awesome display of power and teamwork, the German pair took only 8 laps to gain their second lap.

Once again a lap up on Brown/Renshaw and Roberts/Lancaster, and two laps clear of all other teams, the leaders rode at the front trying to keep the pace too high for any attacks. When the pace eased after the sprint at 20 laps to go, Renshaw seized the opportunity and powered away. Steinweg was a little slow to respond, and the two teams fought out a pursuit match. For the first time the German pair appeared to be struggling, but gave it everything to keep their only competition in sight.

The Australian pair were closing in on the bunch with the Germans still 50 meters behind when a nasty fall took out Luke Roberts and Kouji. Race officials displayed the red flag and neutralised the race just as the two leading teams lapped the field again. After racing resumed only 12 laps remained, and despite one last effort from Renshaw the result was beyond doubt; an elated Weispfennig and Steinweg taking out the Australian Title.

Brown and Renshaw had to settle for the Silver Medal a lap down, while Lancaster rode the closing stages alone to clinch the Bronze Medal with his partner unable to continue after his fall.

Despite the absence of the AIS endurance squad, and the no show from US Madison Champions Jame Carney and Mike Tillman, the quality of racing was superb. Brown claimed it was a harder race than the two World Championship Madisons he had ridden, and the depth in the field was such that no team lost a lap - despite the 50km being completed in 1 hour 12 seconds!

Photography

Images by Justin Britt

Spectators watch high on the MCG bend
Matthew Gilmore and Eric Weispfennig rolling along at the start of the Madison
Matthew Gilmore awaits a change of wheel during the Madison as the crowd look on
Matthew Gilmore hand slings Brett Aitken into the race
Winners Stefan Steinweg and Erik Weispfennig sling it in style
Erik Weispfennig on the attack
Graeme Brown and Mark Renshaw interview
Madison winners (L-R): Stefan Steinweg and Erik Weispfennig receive the trophy from Mr Brad Milnes (Jockey Australia)
Mark Renshaw leads Graeme Brown in the Jockey Australia Wheelrace
Jockey Australia Wheelrace podium (L to R): Mark Renshaw, Graeme Brown and Matthew Heath

More images by Kathy Watt/Watt Shotz Photography

Chris Sutton leads the pack in the Aces Elimination race
Andrew Shannon displays a stylish position in the Scratch race
The B Elimination field begin to crank up the pace
Graeme Brown rides smartly at the head of the pack in the Aces Elimination race
Graeme Brown pips Luke Roberts to the line to win the Aces Elimination race
Tommy Nanvervis outsprints Laurie Noonan to win the B Grade Scratch Race
Serious faces all round in the Clement Tyres Scratch Race
Looks like Leigh De Luca has heard a great joke from Matt Gilmore in the Keirin
Leigh Egan stamps on the pedals on the bell lap in the Keirin
Grame Brown salutes the crowd after winning the Aces Elimination
Frank Cipriano finished in 2nd place in the C Grade Elimination
The frontmarkers do their best to hold off the other bunches in the Wheelrace
Tiffany Godfrey and Brigid Farrell at the head of affairs in the Women's Motor Paced race
Ian Smith in the B Grade Scratch Race
The Jockey Wheelrace Podium - Graeme Brown (1st, M), Mark Renshaw (2nd, L) and Matthew Heath (3rd, R)
Brett Aitken wins the in a tight sprint in the Keirin, ahead of Leigh Egan and Todd Wilksch
Jeff Labauve from the USA defeats Aussie Jason Niblett 2-0 in the International Sprint Match
An anxious field in the Lockwood Security Elimination race
The Junior U17 Motor Paced event
Matt Gilmore wins the 1st heat in the Keirin
Matt Gilmore salutes the crowd
The bunch all together in the Men's C Grade scratch race
Rob Licciardo at the front in the C Grade Elimination
Sigrid Pitken follows the derny bike
Jeff Labauve narrowly wins over Jason Niblett in the International Sprint Match
Jeff Labauve leads Jason Niblett at the start of the Sprint
The riders all get a good push at the start of the final in the Keirin
The backmarkers receive a helping hand at the start of the Jockey Australia Wheelrace final
Tommy Nanvervis appears to be doing it easily in the B Grade Elimination
Tommy Nanvervis leads the field using a rear wheel that could well hypnotise the opposition
Graeme Brown comfortably comes over Mark Renshaw in the Wheelrace
Tiffany Godfrey wins convincingly over Brigid Farrell in the Women's Motor Paced event
Catherine Allen launches herself at the line in the Women's Scratch race, ahead of Kylie Howlett and Rachel Rademaker
The field all together in the Women's Scratch race
Things become frantic on the bell lap of the Women's Scratch race
Mark Renshaw assesses the task ahead of him in the Wheelrace

Images by Kathy Watt/Watt Shotz Photography

Brent Dawson leads the pack early on in the Madison
Mark Renshaw about to handsling Graeme Brown
Graeme Brown puts his head down as he receives his last bit of help from Mark Renshaw
The German duo of Erik Weispfennig and Stefan Steinweg swap turns
Erik Weispfennig and Stefan Steinweg performed their handslings to perfection
Brett Aitken and Matt Gilmore weren't firing on all cyclinders
Luke Roberts and Brett Lancaster almost take each other out
Kouji Yoshii handslings his Swiss partner Markus Kammermann in for a turn
The Jelly-Belly pairing of Ben Brooks and Brent Dawson finish eighth
Graeme Brown gives it everything in a last ditch attempt to square up with the Germans
An elated Weispfennig and Steinweg take out the Australian Madison Championship

Images by Cyclists International

A rider changes gears between events
Erik Weispfennig gives his Gold medal to his son for safekeeping
Local riders Leigh De Luca, Jonny Clarke and Warren Knevitt relax before the Madison
Madison handlers receive their pre-race instructions from Chief Commissare Karen O'Callaghan
Madison handlers ready for action
Matt Gilmore gets a quick wheel change
Stefan Steinweg models the sponsor's product
Swiss star Markus Kammermann hydrates himself before the 200 lap Madison
US Sprint Champion Jeff Lebauve signs an autograph for a champion in the making

Results

Australian Madison Championship, 50km
 
1 Erik Weispfennig/Stefan Steinweg (Ger)            27 pts
 
One lap behind
 
2 Mark Renshaw/Graeme Brown (Aus)                   54
 
Two laps behind
 
3 Luke Roberts/Brett Lancaster (Aus)                16
 
Three laps behind
 
4 Jono Davis/Leigh Egan (Aus)                       30
5 Brett Aitken (Aus)/Matt Gilmore (Bel)             23
6 Kouji Yoshii (Jap)/Markus Kammermann (Swi)        22
7 Stephen Wooldridge/Rodney McGee (Aus)             19
8 Brent Dawson/Ben Brooks (Aus)                     16
9 Chris Sutton/Jon Clarke (Aus)                     10
10 Sean Finning/Richard England (Aus)                2
 
International Sprint Match
 
Best of 3 Heats
Jeff Labauve (USA) defeated Jason Niblett (Aust) 2-0
Heat 1: 11.349 sec
Heat 2: 11.658
 
Keirin Final
 
1 Brett Aitken (SA)
2 Leigh Egan (Shep)
3 Todd Wilksch (Hor)
 
Aces Elimination 	
 
1 Graeme Brown (NSW)
2 Luke Roberts (SA)
3 Brent Dawson (NSW)
 
Jockey Australia Wheel Race Final
 
1 Graeme Brown (NSW)
2 Mark Renshaw (NSW)
3 Matthew Heath (Foots)
 
C  Grade Scratch Race
 
1 Matt Pope (Geelong W)
2 Colin Morris (Foots)
3 Rick Talbot (Wgl)
 
B  Grade Scratch 		
 
1 Tommy Nanvervis (Car)
2 Laurie Noonan (Bwk)
3 Matthew Heath (Foots)
 
U17 Junior Motor Paced
 
1 Daniel Thorson (Shep)
2 Ashley Braszell (B/S)
3 Jessica Tanner (Shep)
 
Women's Scratch
 
1 Catherine Allen (Bbn)
2 Kylie Howlett (Art)
3 Rachel Rademaker (Bbn)
 
U17 Scratch
 
1 Gerard Murphy (Lga)
2 Michael Hill (Shep)
3 Daniel Thorson (Shep)
 
C Elimination
 
1 Colin Morris (Foots)
2 Frank Cipriano (Car)
3 Rob Licciardo (Car)
 
B Elimination
 
1 Tommy Nanvervis (Car)
2 Michael Ford (Car)
3 Sam Witmitz (Wng)
 
Women's Motor Paced
 
1 Tiffany Godfrey (Geelong W)
2 Brigid Farrell (Car)
2 Rachel Rademaker (Bbn)