January 20, 2007 (Los Angeles, USA) – Sarah Hammer showed why she is World Pursuit Champion this morning, setting a new US record, and putting nearly seven seconds between her and second place qualifier Maria Luisa Calle Williams of Columbia.

Canadian Julia Bradley riding for Team R.A.C.E. finished 16th in her first track World Cup appearance. Bradley’s time of 4:03.785 was slightly slower than her personal best time set at Canadian Nationals a few years back.

Commonwealth Games medallist Travis Smith squeaked in to qualify for the rounds of the men’s sprint competition, beating out former training partner Josiah Ng in the process (both riders call the LA Velodrome their home track, though Ng now trains in Australia under John Beasley).

The Symmetrics pursuit squad toed the line in qualifying action as well this morning, riding to a time of 4:26.031. It is believed that this time beats the old record set at the ’94 Commonwealth Games but we await official confirmation.

Race Notes:

– The trials and tribulations of Mark French continued this weekend. The young sprinter who has recently returned to international competition was sent home by the AIS for his behavior on the flight to LA. Current speculation is that it was alcohol related, but one has to imagine French is already on thin ice with his federation given the nature of the doping scandal that he was at the heart of. That affair has already thrown the career of Djobie Djaka into turmoil, and it remains to be seen whether French will ever fulfill the promise he showed in his junior days.

– Apparently one of the great benefits of the Siberian pine that the LA track is constructed from is that it does not splinter (something anyone who ever crashed on the old Bromont, QC track can appreciate). Whether this was any consolation to Shang Guo and Clara Sanchez who apparently slid for approximately a hundred meters last night when the two tangled in their match sprint, is unknown.

Women’s Pursuit Qualifying

1. Sarah Hammer (OPC) 3:32.058
2. Verena Joos (Germany) 3:39.003
3. Maria Luisa Calle Williams (Columbia) 3:40.291
4. Karin Thurig (Switzerland) 3:46.222
5. Cathy Moncassin (France) 3:46.737
6. Elizaveta Bochkaryova (Ukrraine) 3:46.792
7. Christiane Soeder (Austria) 3:47.471
8. Neva Day (USA) 3:49.758
9. Marllijn Binnendijk (Netherlands) 3:50.038
10. Tatiana Antoshina (Russia) 3:50.274
11. Martina Ruzickova (Czech Republic) 3:50.672
12. Leire Olaberria Dorronsoro (DUR) 3:53.644
13. Tatiana Guderzo (Italy) 3:53.924
14. Gema Pascual Torrecilla (Spain) 3:55.572
15. Iona Wynter (Jamaica) 3:56.805
16. Julia Bradley (TRC) 4:03.785
17. Wang Jianling (China) 4:04.142
18. Belem Guerrero Mdez (Mexico) 4:04.334

Men’s Sprint Qualifying

1. Chris Hoy (GBr) 10.287
2. Ross Edgar (SIS) 10.310
3. Gregory Bauge (Fra) 10.311
4. Jason Kenny (SIS) 10.326
5. Lukasz Kwiatkowski (Pol) 10.404
6. Ricardo Lynch (Jam) 10.423
7. Kevin Sireau (Fra) 10.441
8. Matthew Crampton (GBr) 10.469
9. Roberto Chiappa (Ita) 10.569
10. Lei Zhang (Chn) 10.572
11. Shane Perkins (AIS) 10.647
12. Yong Feng (Chn) 10.655
13. Rene Wolff (Ger) 10.659
14. Kiofumi Nagai (Jpn) 10.682
15. Adam Duvendeck (USA) 10.721
16. Travis Smith (Can) 10.732

Failed to Qualify
17. Josiah Ng Onn Lam (Mas) 10.758
18. Kazuya Narita (Jpn) 10.771
19. Adam Ptacnik (Cze) 10.780
20. Robert Forstemann (Ger) 10.780
21. Pawel Kosciecha (Pol) 10.789
22. Alexis Sotolongo (Cub) 10.801
23. Salvador Melia Mangrinan (Esp) 10.820
24. Mohd Rizal Tisin (Mas) 10.827
25. Daniel Ellis (Aus) 10.837
26. Christopher Sellier (Tri) 10.851
27. Jason Niblett (Aus) 10.872
28. Gideon Massie (USA) 10.877
29. Jaroslav Jerabek (Svk) 10.886
30. Ahmed Lopez (Cub) 10.889
31. Cedric Stoller (Sui) 10.912
32. Cam Mackinnon (Can) 10.915
33. Marco Brossa (Ita) 10.921
34. Luis Toussaint (Mex) 10.935
35. Mikhail Shikhalev (Rus) 10.942
36. Itmar Esteban Herraiz (Esp) 10.959
37. Anton Rudoy (Rus) 10.966
38. Vasileios Reppas (Gre) 10.971
39. Kostantinos Troulinos (Gre) 11.006
40. Peter Bazalik (Svk) 11.046
41. Azikiwe Kellar (Tri) 11.439
42. Fabian Keiser (Sui) 11.508
43. Luis Arocho (Pur) 12.453

1/8 Finals
Heat 1
1.Chris Hoy (GBr) 10.738
2.Travis Smith (Can)

Heat 2
1.Ross Edgar (SIS) 11.282
2.Adam Duvendeck (USA)

Heat 3
1.Gregory Bauge (Fra) 10.819
2.Kiofumi Nagai (Jpn)

Heat 4
1.Jason Kenny (SIS) 11.12
2.Rene Wolff (Ger)

Heat 5
1.Lukasz Kwiatkowski (Pol) 11.333
2.Feng Yong (Chn)

Heat 6
1.Ricardo Lynch (Jam) 11.312
2.Shane Perkins (AIS)

Heat 7
1.Kevin Sireau (Fra) 11.107
2.Zhang Lei (Chn)

Heat 8
1.Roberto Chiappa (Ita) 10.805
2.Matthew Crampton (GBr)