The Canadian Women’s Team Sprint duo of Kinley Gibson (Edmonton) and Audrey Labrie (Montreal) had a great afternoon of preparation and lined up against the team from Trinidad. The Canadians had a very respectable ride and had a great start with both riders getting off the line very strong. The exchange was completed without hesitation and the sprint to the line was done perfectly. A sixth place for the team in qualifications was a nice way to start the competition.
Thursday’s events will see the entire 6-rider team from Canada, participating on the track. Spirits are high and the prospects for personal best rides are a real possibility.
Team Canada
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World Records Fall on Opening Night of Juniors World Track Championships
Four world records were broken on an exciting opening night of the 2012 UCI Juniors Track Cycling World Championships in Invercargill, New Zealand tonight (local time).
It was the first time in juniors world history that four world records have been broken on the first night, with the slick track at the Stadium Southland Velodrome living up to its reputation as one of the fastest sea-level circuits.
Shmeleva was part of the Russian team that won the gold medal in a world record at home in Moscow last year, but was delighted with the performance after the long travel from Europe, arriving only two days ago.
“No words can describe how I feel. I cannot believe it. We have travelled such a long way to be here and this feels very good. The track was very fast and I enjoyed it,” Shmelev said.
Not to be out-done the outstanding Australian women’s team pursuit combination of Georgia Baker, Taylah Jennings and Kelsey Robson smashed the world record in winning the 3000m final in 3:24.372, more than a second faster than the previous mark set by their compatriots at Italy in 2010.
“We raced to schedule in the qualifying but we were quite nervous out there before the final because while we knew we could go faster, we did not know if New Zealand were thinking the same,” said Jennings, a two-time world champion last year in Moscow.
“The track was really fast out there tonight and the ride felt really smooth and so fast.”
The other record went to Australia in the final of the men’s team sprint, but their elation quickly turned to dismay when they were relegated back to second behind Russia after they changed out of the zone on the first lap.
Mexico managed to edged out hosts New Zealand by half a second to claim the bronze.
Overall it was an excellent night for the home country New Zealand, finishing with silver medals in the men’s and women’s team pursuits and the women’s team sprint, while the men’s team sprint finished fourth. It is the first time they have won three medals on the first day of the world championships.
Results
Team Sprint
Women
Qualifications
1. Russia 34.321 World Record
2. New Zealand 0.937
3. Australia 1.143
4. USA 3.06
5. Trinidad And Tobago 4.399
6. Canada 5.001
For Gold
1. Russia 34.155 World Record
2. New Zealand 35.225
For Bronze
3. Australia 35.428
4. USA 37.101
Men
For Gold
1. Australia 45.468
2. Russia 46.363
For Bronze
3. Mexico 46.262
4. New Zealand 46.775
Team Pursuit
Women’s 3,000m
Qualifications
1. Australia 3:29.509
2. New Zealand 3:30.719
3. Great Britain 3:30.841
4. Russia 3:34.662
5. Mexico 3:52.356
For Gold
1. Australia 3:24.372
2. New Zealand 3:30.795
For Bronze
3. Great Britain
4. Russia (caught)
Men’s 4000m
Qualifications
1. New Zealand 4:08.125
2. Australia 4:08.468
3. Russia 4:09.132
4. Ukraine 4:16.025
5. Japan 4:16.248
6. Belgium 4:17.316
7. Belarus 4:18.099
8. Switzerland 4:20.675
9. Mexico 4:23.036
10. Kazakhstan 4:23.732
11. South Africa 4:25.169
For Gold
1. Australia 4:06.277
2. New Zealand 4:08.124
For Bronze
3. Russia
4. Ukraine (caught)