August 22/12 8:38 am - UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships: Day 1 evening session

Posted by Editoress on 08/22/12
 

Canada Sixth on Opening Day of Junior Track Worlds

Four world records were broken on an exciting opening night of the 2012 UCI Juniors Track Cycling World Championships in Invercargill, New Zealand tonight.

It was the first time in Juniors Worlds history that four world records have been broken on the first night, with the slick track at the Stadium Southland Velodrome living up to its reputation as one of the fastest sea-level circuits.

Leading the way were the Russian pair of Daria Shmeleva and Lidia Pluzhnikova, who broke the world record in qualifying in the women’s team sprint and lowered it again to a stunning 34.155s in winning the final over hosts New Zealand.

Shmeleva was part of the Russian team that won the gold medal in a world record at home in Moscow last year, but was delighted with the performance after the long travel from Europe, arriving only two days ago.

“No words can describe how I feel. I cannot believe it. We have travelled such a long way to be here and this feels very good. The track was very fast and I enjoyed it,” Shmelev said.

Not to be outdone, the outstanding Australian women’s team pursuit combination of Georgia Baker, Taylah Jennings and Kelsey Robson smashed the world record in winning the 3000m final in 3:24.372, more than a second faster than the previous mark set by their compatriots at Italy in 2010.

“We raced to schedule in the qualifying but we were quite nervous out there before the final because while we knew we could go faster, we did not know if New Zealand were thinking the same,” said Jennings, a two-time world champion last year in Moscow.

“The track was really fast out there tonight and the ride felt really smooth and so fast.”

The other record went to Australia in the final of the men’s team sprint, but their elation quickly turned to dismay when they were relegated back to second behind Russia after they changed out of the zone on the first lap.  Mexico managed to edged out hosts New Zealand by half a second to claim the bronze.

Report by Ian Hepenstal, BikeNZ High Performance

Team Canada Report (courtesy Rob Good)

Australia, Russia and New Zealand teams led the way as racing wrapped up this evening at the Velodrome.  Very hot temperatures greeted the racers, which usually means some very quick times and the sell out crowd were not disappointed.

The Canadian Women's Team Sprint duo of Kinley Gibson (Edmonton) and Audrey Labrie (Montreal) had a great afternoon of preparation and lined up against the team from Trinidad.  The Canadians had a very respectable ride and had a great start, with both riders getting off the line very strong.  The exchange was completed without hesitation and the sprint to the line was done perfectly.  A sixth place in qualifying for the team and a nice way to start the competition.

Thursday's events will see the entire six rider team from Canada participating on the track.  Spirits are high and the prospects for personal best rides are a real possibility.

Results