Dawkins breaks third NZ record

Feb 13th, 10.  Eddie Dawkins continued his winning form when he broke the New Zealand record during the qualifying round of the men's sprint at the track nationals this morning.

Two golds and two individual NZ records so far ©RoadCycling.co.nz

Unlike most events, the only time a record can be broken in a sprint race is in the individually raced qualifying heats.  During quarter finals, semifinals and the final, two riders race against each other rather than the clock.

Dawkins will be concentrating on gold, not time, in tonight's final when he takes on Palmerston North's Simon Van Velthooven.

20 year old Dawkins' performance has thrilled national sprint track coach Justin Grace.

"Eddie has been on fire here this week. He has lifted the bar in all of his events and that is helping raise the standards across the board with our young sprint team," Grace said.

Dawkins already has two championship titles and two New Zealand individual records plus one team NZ record this weekend.  

Before this morning's record sprint, he had won the kilo in record time on the opening night, and last night he won the keirin.  

Last night he was also part of a three man squad, along with Sam Webster and Ethan Mitchell, who broke the NZ record with their 44.632s for a three-lap team sprint. The time broke the national record by a full second. The event wasn't an official part of the championship, but an opportunity for the selectors to test out new sprint team combinations.

Dawkins' big ride this morning was even more remarkable considering these big efforts by the Southlander in previous days.

Dawkins powering to another NZ record ©RoadCycling.co.nz

After the first round Dawkins went on to prove too strong and tactical for triple junior world champion Sam Webster.

After a little cat and mouse, where the riders slowed to almost a stop while waiting for the other to make the first move, Dawkins kicked into the sprint where he beat Webster in two straight rides in the best of three semifinal.

Van Velthooven showed his experience to dispose of Auckland's Ethan Mitchell to make the final.

Van Velthooven dominated the first semifinal ride but had to pull out a frantic finish to edge Mitchell on the line for the 2-0 result.

In the women's sprint event defending champion Natasha Hansen (Canterbury) was the top qualifier in 12.099.  

She then dominated Wellington's Hannah Latta in two straight rides in the semifinal while Megan Blatchford-Peck (West Coast North Island) needed a third ride to edge out Katie Schofield (Otago) in the other semifinal.

Men's sprints results

Dawkins and Webster eye each other up before they kick into the real sprint ©RoadCycling.co.nz

1. Eddie Dawkins (Southland) 10.249 (NZ record)
2. Ethan Mitchell (Auckland) 10.505
3. Simon Van Velthooven (West Coast North Island) 10.543
4. Sam Webster (Auckland) 10.571
5. Adam Stewart (Canterbury) 10.576
6. Andy Williams (Auckland) 10.855
7. Nathan Seddon (Otago) 10.902
8. Matthew Archibald (Otago) 10.910

First round:

• Dawkins bt Jamie Bate (Auckland)
• Mitchell bt Sean Fox (Southland)
• Van Velthooven bt Willie Trew (Otago)
• Webster bt Angus Lindsay (Canterbury)
• Stewart bt Archibald, Williams bt Seddon.
  
  

  Simon Van Velthooven faces Eddie Dawkins in tonight's final ©RoadCycling.co.nz

Repecharge 1:

• Lindsay 1, Seddon 2, Bate 3. 

Repecharge 2:

• Archibald 1, Fax 2, Trew 3.

Quarterfinals (best of three rides):

• Dawkins bt Archibald 2-0
• Mitchell bt Lindsay 2-0
• Van Velthooven bt Williams 2-0
• Webster bt Stewart 2-0.

Semifinals:

• Dawkins bt Webster 2-0
• Van Velthooven bt Mitchell 2-0.

Women's sprint leading qualifiers

1. 

   Natasha Hansen - fastest woman qualifier ©RoadCycling.co.nz
   Natasha Hansen (Canterbury) 12.099
2. Katie Schofield (Otago) 12.243
3. Katie Schofield (Otago) 12.296
4. Katri Laike (Otago) 12.413
5. Megan Blatchford-Peck (West Coast North Island) 12.512

First round:

• Schofield bt Latta
• Blatchford-Peck bt Laike

Repecharge:

• Latta bt Laike

Semifinals (best of three)

• Hansen bt Latta 2-0
• Blatchford-Peck bt Latta 2-1

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