January 03, 2015 (Milton, ON) – Historic medals were awarded today at the new Mattamy National Cycling Centre on Day 1 of the 2014 Canadian National Track Championships, an official test event for the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, amidst some very Canadian January weather – including snow and freezing rain.

The centre was a buzz of activity with young and old testing out the boards in the open training session. Veteran riders like Steve Bauer and Gord Singleton were out mixing it up with current Olympians, warming up together, and getting the feel of the new track. Everybody loves it!

When racing started, there were definitely some nerves and a few close calls but no crashes to report. The first Team Sprint also had the first false start – which in a way was great for the organizers as it allowed them to try out some new safety equipment that includes a flashing blue light and an alarm.

When the dust settled, Alberta’s Monique Sullivan and Kate O’Brien of Team PCL, were all smiles as they won gold in the Women’s Team Sprint final, to claim the very first medals awarded at the new velodrome. Team Ontario’s Candice Vermeulen and Sara Byers took home the silver while Krista Ruby and Kristen Sears of Real Deal/Gears won the bronze.

Gord Singleton’s son, Chris, received his first National Championship Jersey as part of the Composite Sprint Group, including Evan Carey and Joseph Veloce, winning the men’s Team Sprint. The elder Singleton won Canada’s first ever World Championship gold medal in the Keirin back in 1982. Quebec’s Guillaume Roussel, Joel Archambault and Joachim Albert captured the silver while Eric MacDonald, Daniel Nesbitt and James Orton riding for Team NCCH/Coach Chris scored the bronze.

The final events of the evening saw the Team Pursuit titles awarded as Cycling BC with Stephanie Roorda, Jasmin Glaesser, Laura Brown and Brenna Pauly powered to victory for the gold. Trek Red Truck’s Kinley Gibson, Allison Beveridge, Sarah Mason and Sarah Coney settled for silver while Quebec’s Catherine Dessureault, Kirsti Lay, Alizee Brien and Marie Blais Soleil won the bronze.

The men’s Team Pursuit saw some familiar faces on the podium as Team Moose’s Aidan Caves, Sean MacKinnon, Ed Veal and Remi Pelletier-Roy of Commonwealth Games Scratch race fame, ruled the boards for the gold over Silber Pro Cycling’s Alexander Cataford, Ryan Roth, Matteo Dal-Cin and Benjamin Perry who were caught. The bronze went to Team NCCH with Adam Jamieson, Simon Fothergill, William Elliott and Jack Burke.

There were no real surprises on Day one as the gold-medal winning teams were comprised mostly of National Team World Cup squads. Day Two will be a lot more interesting with individual sprint events and some mass start races, or as National Team Sprinter, Joe Veloce, quipped, “The REAL racing starts tomorrow.”

And so a new era begins tweeted Cycling Canada President, John Tolkamp.

Results

Women’s Team Sprint

Final for Gold

1. Team PCL 35.556
Kate O’Brien
Monique Sullivan

2. Team Ontario 37.672
Candice Vermeulen
Sara Byers

Final for Bronze

3. Real Deal / Gears 38.237
Krista Ruby
Kristen Sears

4. Team Cyclery-OPUS 40.729
Emily Flynn
Ellen Watters

Men’s Team Sprint

Final for Gold

1. Comp Sprint Group 47.032
Evan Carey
Joseph Veloce
Chris Singleton

2. Equipe de Quebec 48.260
Guillaume Roussel
Joel Archambault
Joakim Albert

Final for Bronze

3. Composite BC / TIN 49.897
Jacob Schwingboth
Keith Bruneau
Khyl Orser

4. NCCH / Coach Chris 50.526
Eric MacDonald
Daniel Nesbitt
James Orton

Women’s Team Pursuit

Final for Gold

1. Cycling BC 4:41.898
Stephanie Roorda
Jasmin Glaesser
Laura Brown
Brenna Pauly

2. Trek Red Truck 4:49.080
Kinley Gibson
Allison Beveridge
Sarah Mason
Sarah Coney

Final for Bronze

3. Equipe de Quebec 4:51.967
Catherine Dessureault
Kirsti Lay
Alizee Brien
Marie Blais Soleil

4. Team Cyclery-OPUS 4:57.256
Annie Foreman Mackey
Ellen Watters
Ariane Bonhomme
Emily Flynn

Men’s Team Pursuit

Final for Gold

1. Team Moose 4:18.698
Aidan Caves
Sean MacKinnon
Ed Veal
Remi Pelletier Roy

2. Silber Pro Cycling caught
Alexander Cataford
Ryan Roth
Matteo Dal-Cin
Benjamin Perry

Final for Bronze

3. Team NCCH  4:29.623
Adam Jamieson
Simon Fothergill
William Elliott
Jack Burke

4. Team Quebec  caught
Jean Michel Lachance
Marc Antoine Noel
Emile Jean
Marc Antoine Soucy