A small but strong Victorian contingent crossed the continent to contest the 2013 Australian Masters Track Cycling Championships at the Speedome, in Midvale (Perth, WA) last week.

The weather was hot and the track fast all week, and with some strong interstate competition, the Victorian riders performed well with all medalling in at least one event.

Highlights included:

Jessica Laws (Lavington Panthers CC) winning three gold in the Scratch, Sprint and 500mTT and one silver in the Pursuit, with a new Australian record in the flying 200m and being awarded overall Champion of Champions for the Women’s Masters 2 category.

Lisa Hanley(Carnegie Caulfield CC) smashing the field to win gold, with a new World Record (yet to be ratified) in the Women’s Masters 3 category pursuit.

Chris Hickey (Brunswick CC) winning gold in the 1km TT with a gutsy ride, and also coming away with two bronze in the Scratch and Sprint, with some great tactical racing in the Men’s Masters 2 category.

Robert Reid (Latrobe City CC) having a great, strong ride to win gold in the Men’s Masters 2 Pursuit and also coming 5th in the Scratch race.

Lou Pascuzzi (Carnegie Caulfield CC) finishing off the week in style with a strong ride in the Men’s Masters 3 Category 750mTT to win Bronze, after coming 4th in a tough sprint competition.

Sharon Gordon (Warragul CC) having a successful first ride at the Championships to win Bronze in the Women’s Masters 1 category 500mTT.

Image courtesy of Cycling Victoria

Time trials concluded the final day with many competitors getting extra encouragement from friends and family, giving an extra push to round out their week. The “Champion of Champion” jerseys were awarded and the atmosphere was bubbly with lots of happy riders.

There are many stories and personal bests from these championships. We have seen some exceptional efforts and sadly can’t capture them all. It has been a great “Australian Championship” and 1 story captures the feeling.

Meet Jayne Pain. She took out the time trial Gold with an outstanding time of 40.97 for the 500m Masters 4. She has come from England and been in Australia living in Sydney for 4 months. She said “Its fantastic meeting old friends from the Manchester worlds and new ones. I am looking forward to the sausage sizzle at the end.” She is hoping to immigrate and she will fit in to Australia just fine.

From Cycling Australia Justin McMullen, Vice President of Cycling Australia and Masters Commission Chairman commented: “It has been very pleasing to see so many WA riders entered in the championships who we have not seen previously and our hope is that having experienced the thrill of Australian championship racing they will return again and again regardless of the location.”

“Its been an extraordinarily well run championships. There is no doubt that when such and experienced group of organisers get together to present an event the quality is very high. And at these championships there has been no exception. A very big thankyou to Cycling WA and track Cycling WA”

With the rain set to drizzle and the humidity up, Thursday's Sprints at the Midvale Speed Dome in Perth were world class.

Rebecca Wheadon from RCCC finished second in the women’s masters 2 division, and with her string of great results is a contender for the Champion of Champions trophy, decided on a points basis.

Paralympian Paul Clohessy has been involved with the track for 11 years and says “the recent refurbishment is a great step and I look forward to racing the time trial on Saturday.” Paul will be competing in the Masters 3 Category and that includes previous World Champion Matt Poyner.

Masters women 5/ 7/9 sprint championship, thee lap event after a series of eliminations WA ran 1st Suzanne Challen (ATTA) 2nd WA Heather Sanderson (ATTA)

John Dixon (Track Cycling WA and 65yrs old) won the men Masters 8 division sprints in the Mens masters 10 Denis Robinson (76 yrs old) took out the event.

Masters 4 saw a strong performance by Greg Bastian (Northern Districts CC). This grade is for 45-49 year olds and is the biggest field of the Championships with 17 competitors. It is well represented by all states, but 11 are for the home state and cheered Greg onto a strong victory.

Geoff Stoker (NSW) won in straight heats today and it was an expected performance.

Friday is a rest day and our Interstate Commissaires will be visiting Rottnest Island to assist in the Time Trial for both the UWCT and the 2013 Woodside Tour De Perth .

The action will resume on Saturday with the Time Trial events and the presentation of the final trophies and the hard won “Champion of Champions” jersey.

Sprint Champions:

The second day of the 2013 Cycling Australia Masters Track National Championships at the Perth Speedome was just as exciting as the first, with twenty gold medals decided.

Alison Dyson (Peel District Cycling Club) had a race to remember, after taking several turns at the front she sped from the rear to pip her eight competitors. This Scratch race included Jen Paine (British champion) and yesterday’s winner of the Individual Pursuit Liz Young.

In the men's team sprint, Greg Stoker teamed with Greg Allbon and Gavin White to give the Australian record a good nudge on their way to winning gold in the 135 combined ages category.

The women’s team sprint open category was a close contest with Renee Covington (Bathurst CC) and Jen Paine (Willesden CC) defeating Rebecca Wheadon (Roues Chaudes CC) and Susan Challen (ATTA) by 1.183 seconds.

Ken Benson, commentator and long-time WA rider noted "It has been enthusiastic and competitive scratch and points racing - its definitely not a roll around!”

Highlight of Thursday racings will be watching NSW multiple world Masters Champion Geoff Stoker on the track and sprints all day for all divisions.

Day 2 gold medalists:

MMAS1 10km Scratch Race Jack RICHARDS Balmoral CC

MMAS10 5km Scratch Race Denis ROBINSON Track Cycling WA

MMAS2 10km Scratch Race Stephen STORER Cats CC

MMAS3 20km Points Race John MURAZAK HPRW

MMAS4 20km Points Race Graeme ALLBON Randwick Botany

MMAS5 5km Scratch Race Patrick MARCUCCI Norwood

MMAS6 5km Scratch Race John ZIVANOVIC Kilkeny CC

MMAS7 5km Scratch Race Malcolm CLASOHM Whyalla

MMAS8 5km Scratch Race John DIXON Track Cycling WA

MMAS9 5km Scratch Race Glen ION Murwillumbah

WMAS1 5km Scratch Race Clare MANDENO Sydney Uni Velo

WMAS2 5km Scratch Race Jessica LAWS Lavington Panthers CC

WMAS3 5km Scratch Race Janelle SMITH Southern Tasmanian CC

WMAS4 5km Scratch Race Alison DYSON Peel District CC

WMAS5 5km Scratch Race Susan CHALLEN ATTA

WMAS7 5km Scratch Race Heather SANDERSON ATTA

WMAS9 5km Scratch Race Charlene SMITH Logan City CC

Masters Men 750m Team Sprint  Gavin WHITE Randwick Botany/Graeme ALLBON Randwick Botany/Geoff STOKER Bike Barn Parramatta

Masters Women 500m Team Sprint Renee COVINGTON Bathurst/Jayne PAINE Willesden

Image courtesy of Cycling Australia/Tony Lendrum