Kiwi pursuiters fire at Oceanias

The women’s team pursuit trio of (from left) Alison Shanks, Lauren Ellis and Jaime Nielsen celebrate after recording the second fastest time in the world tonight ©Envious Photography-BikeNZ

Nov 21st, 11. New Zealand's team pursuiters issued a loud Olympic warning shot with world class winning performances on the opening night of the Oceania Track Championships in Invercargill.

The women's trio of Alison Shanks, Lauren Ellis and Jaime Nielsen produced the fastest time in the world at sea level of 3:19.759, smashing the national record they set in the morning by a further four seconds.

Their time was only 19/100ths of a second – a blink of the eye - outside the world record set by the USA at altitude in Mexico.

Minutes later the men's quartet of Marc Ryan, Sam Bewley, Aaron Gate and Jesse Sergent shattered their previous best by more than two seconds in winning the 4000m men's team pursuit final in a time of 3:55.295.

It marked a stunning night with six New Zealand resident records established on the super slick ILT Velodrome aided by a warm day in Invercargill.

The women trailled Australia early in the 3000m team pursuit before storming home over the final kilometre, finishing just a fraction outside of the world record. Their time was two seconds better than their previous best, when they set a world record at the world championships in Copenhagen last year.

The men’s team pursuit combination (from left) Jesse Sergent, Marc Ryan, Sam Bewley and Aaron Gate ©Envious Photography - BikeNZ

"The best thing is that our second team also produced a world class time and so we have six girls all capable of producing quality performances at the highest level."

The men produced a superbly judged ride, with Sam Bewley firing in a huge lap and a half to set-up a blinding final kilometre.

"We had initially looked at going 3:58 but saw the girls had gone a lot quicker so we re-thought our goals," said Bewley.

"It gives us a lot of confidence going into the World Cup in Cali. We have been around the 3:58 mark for a few years so this is a big breakthrough."

More records tumble

The records kept tumbling with Southland-based Natasha Hansen and Otago's Katie Schofield rewriting one of the oldest records, when they won the women's team sprint final.

They clocked 34.401 to win the final over Australia's Rikki Belder and Tennille Falappi (35.768) to claim the record, previously set in 2007 by Fiona Carswell and Jocelyn Rastrick of 34.632.

Waimate's Dylan Kennett set the first record of the night when he won the under-19 3000m individual pursuit clocking 3:20.435 to beat Australia's Tirian McManus. Kennett, who won a silver medal in the omnium at the recent world junior championships, was 5/100s of a second inside the 2009 record of Canterbury's Michael Vink.

The men's team sprint trio of Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster and Simon van Velthooven set the fastest ever time for a New Zealand combination in their morning qualifying ride. They topped qualifiers in 44.074 which eclipsed their previous best of 44.118s set at the Cali World Cup last year.

Mitchell jumped superbly in the final with Webster slightly back but Van Velthooven was four lengths off the back and while he produced a strong return to win the race, it no doubt cost a further record. They won in 44.468 from the Australian trio of Dan Ellis, Jason Niblett and Peter Lewis who clocked 44.870.

Van Velthooven recovered to generate a magnificent effort to win the gold medal in the men's 1000m time trial in 1:01.157, to set a new national record and a personal best by more than a second.

Hansen was another to follow up an outstanding effort in the team sprint to win the women's 500m time trial from Australia's Riki Belder in 35.038.

The scratch races all produced some exciting and aggressive racing with Auckland's Racquel Sheath claiming the under-19 women's title in a kiwi clean sweep.

Australia's team pursuit world champion Ashley Ankudinoff pounced with two laps remaining to edge out New Zealand omnium champion Jo Kiesanowski and Australia's two-time Olympian Kate Bates.

Local star Tom Scully cleared out in a solo break 10 laps from the finish of the 15km men's scratch race, only to be caught on the final lap by Auckland's Myron Simpson with Wes Gough making it a New Zealand clean sweep.

The championships continue until Thursday.

Oceania Championships final day 1 results

Men: Elite, team sprint gold medal: New Zealand (Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster, Simon Van Velthooven) 44.468, 1; Australia (Dan Ellis, Jason Niblett, Peter Lewis) 44.870, 2.

Bronze medal: Australia (Alex Bird, Andrew Taylor, James Glasspool) 38.018, 3; New Zealand (Matt Archibald, Eddie Dawkins, James Vercoe) 40.190, 4.

Men: 4000m team pursuit: gold medal: New Zealand (Sam Bewley, Jesse Sergent, Aaron Gate, Marc Ryan) 3:55.295, 1 (NZ Record); Australia (Scott Law, Jackson Law, Edward Bissaker, Peter Loft) no time.

Bronze medal: New Zealand (Wes Gough, Myron Simpson, Pete Latham, Cam Karwowski) won by overtaking.
1000m time trial: Simon van Velthooven (NZL) 1:01.157, 1 (NZ Record); James Glasspool (AUS) 1:04.011, 2; William Bowman (NZL) 1:06.264, 3.

Men Scratch race, 15km: Myron Simpson (NZL) 1, Tom Scully (Southland) 2, Wes Gough (NZL) 3.

U19 men 3000m individual pursuit, gold medal ride: Dylan Kennett (NZL) 3:20.435, 1 (NZ record); Tirian McManus (AUS) 3:23.282, 2.

Bronze medal ride: Hayden McCormick (NZL) 3:23.595, 3; Joshua Harrison (AUS) 3:25.023, 4.

U19 men Team Sprint: Australia (Alex Radzikiewicz, Tirian McManus, Mathew Beazley) 47.955, 1; New Zealand (Harrison Perriam, Daniel Ellison, Tom Beadle) 48.085, 2.

Women: Elite Team Sprint gold medal: New Zealand (Katie Schofield, Natasha Hansen) 34.401, 1 (NZ record); Australia (Rikki Belder, Tennille Falappi) 35.768, 2.

Bronze medal: Australia (Maddison Law, Cassandra Kell) 36.158, 3; New Zealand (Stephanie McKenzie, Vanessa Quinn) 36.210, 4.

Women: Elite 3000m team pursuit, gold medal: New Zealand (Rushlee Buchanan, Alison Shanks, Lauren Ellis) 3:19.759, 1 (NZ Record); Australia (Ashlee Ankudinoff, Amy Cure, Kate Bates) 3:29.211, 2.

Bronze medal: New Zealand (Rushlee Buchanan, Kaytee Boyd, Gemma Dudley) 3:24.449, 3; New Zealand U19 (Georgina Wilson, Racquel Sheath, Georgia Williams) 3:33.612 4.

Women: 500m time trial: Natasha Hansen (NZL) 35.038, 1; Riki Belder (AUS) 36.019, 2; Katie Schofield (NZL) 36.019, 3.
Scratch race, 10km: Ashlee Ankudinoff (AUS) 1, Joanne Kiesanowski (NZL) 2, Kate Bates (AUS) 3.

U19 women Team Sprint gold medal: New Zealand (Kate Dunlevey, Paige Paterson) 36.862, 1; Australia (Allee Proud, Rebecca Dunn) 36.960, 2.

U19 women 500m time trial: Paige Paterson (NZL) 36.884, 1; Tennille Falappi (AUS) 37.386, 2; Alysha Keith (NZL) 37.804, 3.

U19 women Scratch race 7.5km: Racquel Sheath (NZL) 1, Jennifer Muhl (Southland) 2, Georgina Wilson (NZL) 3.