TRACK CYCLING

World Champ pips Wellington's George Jackson for Laykold Cup

By Nick Warren

Junior scratch race World Champion Campbell Stewart (Palmerston North) out-sprinted George Jackson (Island Bay) for victory in the Laykold Cup, the capital’s premier track cycling event, held at the Wellington Velodrome in Hataitai on Sunday February 28.

Stewart is the latest in a long line of high calibre riders to have won the 88 year old cup, Commonwealth Games medalist Graeme Millar and Olympic medalist Gary Anderson to name but two. The 17 year old won two gold medals at the 2015 Junior World Championships in Kazakhstan, and the under 19 scratch race at the National Championships in Cambridge in February.



With such a big name lining up for the 10km Laykold Cup race, the highlight of the day’s racing, tactics were always going to play an important role. The first half of the race was run at a fast but even pace, making it difficult for riders to attack. With nine laps to go Nick Warren (Miramar) jumped out of the pack to gain a 60m lead, however his escape lasted only three laps before Stewart pulled the field back up to him.

Going into the final two laps it was all together but on the back straight Dan Waluszewski (Silverstream) made his move. Stewart had him marked though and, with under 17 rider George Jackson tucked on his wheel, sped past him with 200m to go. Jackson tried to come over the top but couldn’t match the speed of Stewart. Waluszewski held on for third.



In the women’s event, Sophie-Leigh Bloxham retained the Poneke Plate, winning the 6.5km Scratch race surging ahead on the last lap ahead of Kapiti’s Grace Saywell and Lisa Hunkin (Vogeltown). Bruce Cook (Eastbourne) took out the Masters Stayers’ Cup 8km Scratch with a fine sprint after an attacking race over Jonathan Leonard and Aaron Anderson.

In the junior Wheelrace Grand Prix, a 4.5 lap handicapped event mixing under 13s, 15s and 17s, Boston Bright took a fine win with Josh Turnbull in second. Bright and Turnbull had worked well together to overhaul the front markers and stave off the chasers, Louis Hodgkinson the best of the under 17s in fourth behind Dylan Reid.

Full results from the Laykold Cup Carnival: https://goo.gl/ObPK66





Photography by Emmet Riddle.