Familton set new NZ record on way to national track cycling title
The 2000 Sydney Olympian and three time New Zealand Commonwealth Games representative Fiona Carswell won two national titles on the second day of the Vantage Age Group Track Cycling National Championships in Cambridge.
Around 220 riders from around the country have assembled at the Avantidrome to contest youth and masters age group titles over four days of competition.
Carswell turned back the clock, competing in the keirin and 500m time trial, taking both titles in impressive fashion. In the keirin, she picked her moment with two laps remaining to come around the outside for a dominant win. Later in the time trial, she collected her second gold, just missing the world record by 0.144 seconds. All four Carswell family members are competing this weekend with Fiona joined by husband Tim and children Jack and Jess.
In the under 17 grade, Kaio Lart impressed in the sprint, setting a New Zealand record of 11.060 in qualifying and outclassing his opponents every step of the way to claiming the national title.
Canterbury’s Jenna Borthwick backed up her win in the under 17 girls individual pursuit from night one with gold and another New Zealand record in the 500m time trial. Her time of 36.278 bettered Vantage elite rider Ellesse Andrews’ record from 2015. She now holds all New Zealand under 17 girls records in track cycling.
Meanwhile in individual pursuit action, Waikato Bay of Plenty’s Logan Holzer stormed home in the men’s masters two race to set a New Zealand record by over two seconds. Masters World Championship medallist Neil Familton (Southland) and Manu Robson (WBOP) also set New Zealand championship records on their way to winning the masters 6 and masters 4 categories respectively. Auckland’s Rob Scarlett made quick work of James Jubb in the masters one event, catching his opponent shortly after the 1km mark.
Johnathan Leonard, Peter Ashworth, Graeme Litt, Colin Claxton, Roger Bates and Adam Hamlin took the other men’s masters individual pursuit titles.
In women’s masters action, multi masters World Champion Erin Criglington dominated her age group, comfortably winning her keirin and 500m time trial finals. Robyn de Haas won the category three race keirin race.
Waikato Bay of Plenty’s Julie Graddon picked up a New Zealand record on her way to winning the masters five 500m time trial. Janice O’Brien (masters 8), Shona McGrath (masters 6), Sonya Barton (masters 4) won their respective women’s 500m time trial titles.
In the youth scratch races, under 17 titles went to Southland’s Rhylee Akeroyd and Canterbury’s Joshua van Heyningen, while Seana Gray picked up her second title, winning the under 15 girls race. Southland’s Marshall Erwood took the spoils in the under 15 boys.
Racing continues on Saturday with sprint, time trial, keirin and derby races for the sprinters, and scratch and points races for the endurance riders. The first of the team events will start on Saturday and continue on Sunday.
