TRACK CYCLING

Young Southland cyclist adds to medal haul on home turf

By Sports Media NZ

Rising star Corbin Strong continued to assert his dominance on the track with a second gold medal ride at the Age Group National Championships in Invercargill.
 
The Southland rider followed his success in winning the under-17 individual pursuit in a new national record with the sprint honours at the SIT Zero Fees Velodrome.
 
Last night he held off a spirited effort from Wellington’s George Jackson (WLG) to claim the best-of-three final of the individual sprint.
 
Strong, who was top qualifier in 11.48 seconds over the flying 200m, managed to hold Jackson off on the line. Southland’s Ewan Syme beat Thomas Garbett (West Coast North Island) for third.
 
He followed that up with a silver in the U17 scratch race over 7.5kms but was overshadowed by Dylan Simpson (West Coast North Island), who produced one of the rides of the night.
 
Simpson took the lead with two other riders about a third of the way into the race but while they dropped off, he was able to maintain the gap from the chasing group with a great show of strength and determination to secure the popular win. Jackson finished third.
 
Records continued to tumble on Friday, with Southland masters rider Brendan Akeroyd breaking his national masters 2 (40-44 years) 3000m individual pursuit time by 4.5 seconds, in 3:34.028.
 

Corbin Strong (Southland) and George Jackson (Wellington) head for the finish straight in the U17 sprints final at the Age Group Track National Championships in Invercargill. Photo © Eugene Bonthuys

Meanwhile, 84-year-old Peter Grandiek again proved there’s no such thing as ‘too old’ in slashing 4.158 seconds off his national record in the masters 8+ (70-plus years) 2000m individual pursuit.
 
More than 220 riders from around the country are taking part in the championships which conclude on Sunday.
 
Other results:
Masters 5 (55-59) 2000m IP: Grant Tyrell, (WBP), 2:25.541, 1; Neil Familton, (SLD) 2; Graham Bunn, (WBP), 3.
Masters 4 (50-54) 2000m IP: Andrew McKay (AKL), 2:29.334, 1; Peter Ashworth (AKL), 2; Mark Hopkinson, (AKL), 3.
Masters 3 (45-49) 3000m IP: John Stewart (WCN), 3:39.788, 1; Dean Peterken, (WPB), 2; Brett Slater (AKL), 3.
Masters men 2 (40-44) 3000m IP: Brendan Akeroyd (SLD), 3:34.028, 1; Andrew Lienert, (SLD), 2; Derek Tan (SLD), 3.
Masters women 1, 2 & 3 5km scratch race: Cat 1 – Kylea Gough (SLD), 1; Michelle Peterson (CTB), 2; Raelene Grinter (WBP), 3. Cat 2 - Karen Fulton (TAS), 1; Erin Criglington (SLD), 2; Lyn Peterken (WBP), 3.
U15 boys 2km scratch race: Mitchel Fitzsimons, (MSC), 1; Laurence Pithie, (CTB), 2; Max Williams, (ECN), 3.
U15 girls derby final: Jenna Borthwick (MSC), 1; Mya Anderson (WBP), 2; Isabella Roulston, (MSC), 3.
U17 girls 5km scratch: Sammi Ogle (CTB), 1; McKenzie Milne (WBP), 2; Jessie Banks (CTB), 3.