Result 

Gold/Silver

The ride for gold and silver never looked like it would go any way but Mactiers (AUS). Right from the start she dominated the pace, with her usual fast start, Houvenhagel (SIS) lost 3.060 seconds before she started to make some progress into the deficit. At the bell she had reduced the gap to 1.613 seconds and but could not close the gap at the finish.

Post Race Comments

Katie Mactier said she was “pleased” with her ride. When asked if she was  under pressure tonight, knowing that a World Record had been broken on the track earlier in the day? “I don’t think that’s pressure, it’s motivation. I feel very lucky that I am team-mate with such a phenomenal athlete. If anything she is an inspiration to me. She told us she was going to do it. She is a classy act. Anna is a very special athlete the conditions here are not fast, the times speak for themselves so that makes her ride that much more special.” Asked if this was a good start to the season Mactier added “the times aren’t great I will be honest with you. I hate losing in this event, we have not had the most ideal preparation as we did going into the Commonwealth Games, Olympics or World Championships or World Cups so you have to be mindful of that. The times aren’t bad, I won it and qualified my spot at the World Championships in Mallorca. I am going to go home to Melbourne. I have the Oceania event next week and I am thrilled with the day, my boyfriend just won silver in the points [Greg Henderson (NZL)] just before my race so it was just what I needed to give me motivation.” 

Asked about the improved form of Houvenhagel in her first major of competition, Mactier commented “I am she did the same time as she did in the Commonwealth Games but when look to Beijing we will be talking low or sub [3 minutes] 30’s period. When people start doing those times I will start taking notice of them”

Wendy Houvenhagel spoke briefly to WCN before she attending the standard doping control. Asked how she felt about the ride she said “I feel quite disappointed that I was so close in the qualifying session but on the other hand quite pleased with my performance. I was within 1 second of her and with a little bit more work I would hope supersede her.” Do you feel like you have come a long way since the Commonwealth Games in March? “Definitely yes, I finished my job as a dentist and have been a full time athlete since August, so only 5 months of concentrating on cycling training. I have been concentrating on the track now as my previous experience had been on the road and a little mountain biking.” She is coached by Dan Hunt, the Women’s Endurance coach, who is doing a good job to build Houvenhagel’s skills. After her experience of being caught by Mactier and then subsequently disqualified in the Commonwealth Games. How much did that play on your mind tonight? “There was no way I was going to let Katie catch me tonight. I learned a lot from March and I went our much faster tonight. I always start slow and pull it back at the end I just need to work on the first 1 km.”

Bronze

In the ride off for the Bronze medal the New Zealand champion, Shanks was up against Sereikaite (Lituania). Sereikaite immediately stamped her mark as Shanks dropped behind .0939 within the first 5 laps. Shanks could not hold match the pace of Sereikaite and at the bell she was 1.195 behind. Sereikaite won bronze in a time of 03:40.887.

Pursuit Qualifying

In the pursuit qualifying, the favourite for the home crowd was Katie Mactier (AUS) who did not disappoint them. She qualified in first place ahead of Wendy Houvenhagel (SIS) in her first full year racing at international track events.  

Mactier went out strongly and there was almost a repeat of the catch at the Commonwealth Games where Mactier caught and passed Houvenhagel (SIS). This time however Houvenhagel, showed how much she has improved as she increased her speed in the later part of the race and was within 1 second of Mactier at the finish. The other noticeable improvement in the line up was from the Malaysian Hoay Sim. She last rode in Australian top flight competition at the Commonwealth Games. In the months since then she has continued to work under the direction of John Beasley (Mactier’s coach). In her race today she took 4 seconds off her personal best.

Vilija Sereikaite (LTU), in her qualifying ride, was up against Olaberria Dorronsoro (DUR). Sereikaite (LTU) passed Olaberria Dorronsoro (DUR) at the half way point, instead of pulling back Olaberria Dorronsoro sat in behind the Lituanian. As a result the commissaires disqualified her as she is required, once passed to drop about 5 metres behind the overtaking rider [The judgement for this is made by the commissaries based on whether the rider is gaining any benefit by riding in behind].

Result 

Team Sprint

Gold / Silver

The Meares sisters started a little slower than the first round in the medal ride but picked up. The German pair were .029sec up at 200m but it did not last as Kerrie Meares handed over to the new 500m TT World Record holder, Anna, the Germans had dropped to .213 behind. At the finish the Australians took the gold in a time of  34.504 seconds at a speed of 52.167km/hr.

Post Race Comments 

Gold medal winners the Meares sisters were pleased with their winning ride. Kerrie Meares was overjoyed at the win “ Wow! I am on the podium for these championships, it feels good. I didn’t know what lap time I did but it does help to have a World and Olympic champion on your tail. Hopefully I can become a World and Olympic champion too. We could become an unbeatable pair.” Do you believe that could happen if they keep this event in the programme? “It is a dream, we have long careers ahead of us.”  As the sisters received their World Cup jerseys Kerrie commented to Anna “This is the first time I have had one of these.” Anna  added that “This is a real coup for women’s sprinting. It has picked up the event and created more opportunities for us to race, it was previously quite limited. This is a great feeling to be racing as a team, we [Kerrie and I] compete against each other so often, the crowd was behind both of us competing as one.” 

The German pair were really pleased with their performance “it feels really good” said Gloss. Asked if they had been training for this they both said “ just a little, we are in the same club, we have had a couple of months to prepare but we are very excited about this race, I remember the team sprint 3 years ago and I am pleased with our first medal”

Bronze

The French dominated the bronze medal ride against the Italians. After the first lap they were .032sec up and as Sanchez took over from Cueff, who at only 18 showed that she will be a force to be watched over the next few years, if she continues to progress. They finished just under 1 second ahead.

Team Sprint Qualifying 

The Women’s Team Sprint was introduced on the international stage for women in 2003 when the Russians held the world best time. In 2004 the honours passed to the Australians, Kerrie Meares was a member of that team then with Rosalee Hubbard and Rochelle Gilmore (a three person event then). It was removed from the calendar until this year where it has been reintroduced. In 2003 and 2004 the women competed over three laps. Now back into the World Cup series and World Championships for 2006/2007, two women will race over 2 laps. The teams will race over two laps with the fastest racing off for gold/Silver, and the 3^rd and 4^th teams will race for Bronze. Losers will receive points based on their qualifying time.

The line up for the first official running of this event was impressive. The Meares sisters Australia’s queens of sprinting, got to compete together in front of their home supporters. They were up against a strong Russian pairing of Abassova and Grishina, French champion Sanchez was paired with the relative new comer Cueff. Representing Italy was the Keirin silver medallist from 2005 and silver in the 500m in 2006, Frisoni and Cucinotta. Germany put a young pairing of Gerish and Gloss, they obviously want to build for the future. Last in the line up were the Koreans Jin and Lee, relatively unknown on the world stage but improving rapidly.

The first to ride were the Australians up against the Russians. Kerrie Meares led out for the first lap and set a blistering pace for her sister to take the second leg. The Russians were led out by Grishina ahead of the more experienced Abassova to finish.

The second pairings to go were the French and Italians. Cueff led the French champion out as Cucinotta led the Italian Frisoni out. At the half way point the French were up by .06 seconds and finished strongly to sit in second place at that time.

Last to go were the Germans up against the Koreans. The German team started fast, at the half way point they were in the lead but they could not hold it to the finish completing .142 seconds behind the Australians.

Result

Gold / Silver

Bronze