July 12, 2004 – Everyone was smiles crossing the finish line on Sunday, July 11, as the American Velodrome Challenge in Victoria, British Columbia came to a close after three exciting days of racing. Today records were broken, skin was torn up and kids as young as three squealed around the track as they had their chance in the limelight. There were no rain delays and everything ran smoothly.

The events that took place today, were the Men’s Keirin, Women’s Scratch Race, Master Men Points Race, Men’s Points Race and the Junior Men’s Olympic Sprint team. The Men’s Keirin was a tight six man finish but it was Josh Kerkhof of Portland who was victorious. Matt Chater of British Columbia was nipping at his heels but couldn’t overtake Kerkhof for the win and settled for second place. In the Women’s Scratch Race there were no surprises when Mandy Poitras surged across the finish to take gold. It was also no surprise when Richard Bowker of New Zealand executed the Men’s Points Race with precision and smart tactics to take gold. However, the most aggressive rider award goes to Zach Bell of Alberta who tirelessly attacked the group in an effort to gain a lap.

“My hat goes off to him,” said Keith Bruneau the event co-ordinator who watched the young Albertan rider test himself a strong field. The most exciting races of the day were the record breaking flying one lapper and the kiddie kilo. Lori-Ann Muenzer of Alberta kept her record breaking form and broke her third record of the weekend by completing one lap in the fastest time ever recorded for women on the Juan de Fuca Velodrome. Despite countless efforts no man was able to break the standing one-lap record of 19.64 set by Josh Weir of Indianapolis last year. The other highlight of the day was watching twenty kids pedal furiously around the Velodrome in an attempt to break their own one-lap records. Each kid finished with a golden smile! The race was a success due to the many contributors, especially Robert Cameron of British Columbia who not only helped support the race but also decided at the last minute to enter both the Masters Points Race and the Seniors Points Race. He was inspired and itched to race as he watched his two children zip around the track in the kiddie kilo. On an impulse he ran home got his bikes, and was ready to race in fifteen minutes. What better way then to support the race from the inside!