August 27th, 2005 – Track racers from around the world went head to head yesterday at Nestor’s Keirin Cup at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome. The velodrome nestled in the rolling terrain of Trexlertown, Pennsylvania was packed, while riders from the United States, Argentina, New Zealand, Great Britain, Australia and Canada competing for a portion of the $6,500 prize purse. It was also a night filled with activities for kids, entertainment (Kelly Planer & the Perks Bluegrass Band), Budweiser sampling and giveway and raffles. The highlighted event of the evening was the Keirin. The prize for first place in the men’s Keirin was alone worth an unprecedented 800$! One of Canada’s top male sprinter, Travis Smith of Alberta was in attendance and is the current Lehigh Valley Velodrome record holder of the flying lap.

The Keirin is a race in which riders draft behind a motorcycle for the first 4.5 laps of the 6-lap event. During these early laps, they jockey for position but may not pass the motorcycle. With six- eight riders on the track at once, they test each other’s bike handling skills bumping and grinding. All the time, the motorcycle is gradually accelerating, until 30mph is reached whereby the motorcycle pulls off the track. For 1.5 laps its an all out dog fight to the finish line. Anything goes it’s a test of strength, courage and guts!

Unfortunately Smith finished third in his heat and then later in the repecharge and was knocked out of competition, but he was in tough company. Josiah Ng of Malaysia, known for being a tough competitor took the top prize in the Men’s Keirin event. Ng had finished six last year at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games despite an injured wrist. In the women’s Keirin event the top prize went to Jennie Reed who is continuing her strong 2005 season. Earlier this month Reed swept the three individual sprint events at the USA Cycling Elite Track Championships in Carson, California.

Results

Women?s 1 Lap TT Record Attempt
current record of 20.00 set by Michelle Ferris (Australia) in 2000
1. Lucy Tyler rode a time of 21.35

Men Keirin Heat #1
1. Christian Stahl
2. Mike Friedman
3. Travis Smith
4. Jon Norfolk
5. Luis Gonzalez

Men Keirin Heat #2
1. Josiah Ng
2. Kevin Belz
3. Matt Diefenbach
4. Aaron Kacala
5. Andrew Lacorte

Men Keirin Heat #3
1. Jeff Hopkins
2. Dave Cresswell
3. Shane Kline
4. Mike Beers
5. Ryan Nelman

Men Keirin Heat #4
1. Giddeon Massie
2. Ben Barczewski
3. Keith Thorarinson
4. Mario Mazza
5. Brett Jacoby

Women Keirin Heat#1
1. Jennie Reed
2. Anna Webb
3. Colleen Hayduk
4. Shelbe Eck
5. May Britt Hartwell

Women Keirin Heat#2
1. Becky Quinn
2. Sima Trapp
3. Nina Santiago
4. Jamie Pettinato
5. Nikki Raspa


Women Keirin Heat#3
1. Lucy Tyler
2. Veronica Martinez
3. Lauren Shirock
4. Kim Geist
5. Nichola Latzgo

Women Keirin Heat#4
1. Sarah Uhl
2. Leeanne Manderson
3. Rosy McCall
4. Colleen Gulick
5. Erica Allar

Air Products 19-39 Men 6 Lap Final
1. Jeff Schutt
2. Tan Lui
3. Larry Fahnestock
4. Scott Feather

Men Miss-and-Out
1. Mike Friedman
2. Jeff Hopkins
3. Gustavo Artacho
4. Gui Nelessen
5. Bill Short

Women 5km Devil-Scratch Race
1. Becky Quinn
2. Jennie Reed
3. Sarah Uhl
4. Anna Webb
5. Lucy Tyler

Men Keirin Repechage #1
1. Ryan Nelman
2. Mario Mazza
3. Travis Smith
4. John Manailovich

Men Keirin Repechage #2
1. Mike Schnabel
2. Matt Diefenbach
3. Mike Beers
4. Ray Ignosh
5. Andrew Lacorte

Men Keirin Repechage #3
1. Aaron Kacala
2. Luis Gonzalez
3. Shane Kline
4. James Tainter
5. Dave Wells

Men Keirin Repechage #4
1. Jon Norfolk
2. Keith Thorarinson
3. Rick Miller
4. Brett Jacoby

Women Keirin Repechage #1
1. Kim Geist
2. Colleen Hayduk
3. Nina Santiago
4. Nikki Raspa
5. Colleen Gulick

Women Keirin Repechage #2
1. Lauren Shirock
2. May Britt Hartwell
3. Jamie Pettinato
4. Erica Allar
5. Shelbe Eck

Men 12km Points Race
1. Mike Friedman ? 15 points
2. Jeff Hopkins ? 13 points
3. Gui Nelessen ? 12 points
4. Gustavo Artacho ? 9 points
5. Mike Beers ? 4 points

Women 5 Mile Final
1. Becky Quinn
2. Sarah Uhl
3. Lucy Tyler
4. Anna Webb
5. Veronica Martinez

Men Keirin Second Round ? Heat #1
1. Christian Stahl
2. Giddeon Massie
3. Ryan Nelman
4. Kevin Belz
5. Jon Norfolk

Men Keirin Second Round ? Heat #2
1. Josiah Ng
2. Ben Barczewski
3. Jeff Hopkins
4. Aaron Kacala
5. John Manailovich

Women Keirin Second Round ? Heat #1
1. Jennie Reed
2. Sarah Uhl
3. Sima Trapp
4. Veronica Martinez
5. Kim Geist

Women Keirin Second Round ? Heat #2
1. Lucy Tyler
2. Becky Quinn
3. Anna Webb
4. Lauren Shirock
5. Colleen Hayduk

Keirin Consolation Final (7th ? 12th places)
7. Kevin Belz
8. Jon Norfolk
9. Aaron Kacala
10. Dave Cresswell
11. Mike Friedman
12. Mike Schnabel

Women Keirin
1. Jennie Reed
2. Becky Quinn
3. Anna Webb
4. Sarah Uhl
5. Sima Trapp
6. Lucy Tyler

Men Keirin Final
1. Josiah Ng
2. Giddeon Massie
3. Christian Stahl
4. Ryan Nelman
5. Ben Barczewski
6. Jeff Hopkins