Castle takes national keirin crown
Amid the showdown between some of the world’s best track cyclists from New Zealand and Australia, a 21-year-old from Manawatu¯ thrust himself centre stage on the final day of the UCI Oceania track championships in Cambridge.
Jordan Castle, a member of the New Zealand elite team, upset more fancied rivals to win over a world-class field in the exciting keirin final at the Avantidrome.
And the evening finished with a brilliant display by former junior world championship medallists Campbell Stewart and Tom Sexton, both still teenagers, who claimed the 40km elite men’s madison race.
It highlighted a level of competition that has delighted Cycling New Zealand with the form of their riders, both established and emerging, at the Oceania championships.
Riders with recent World Cup competition competed at top level while those starting their international season also impressed and importantly a bevy of burgeoning talent emerged from both the under-19 males and females.
There were nine New Zealand all comers records set during the four days of competition, with four of those to Kiwi riders or teams.
New Cycling New Zealand high performance director, Martin Barras, was impressed with the quality of the riding and the centralised facility after arriving in Cambridge this week.
‘‘The facility is top notch. It is great for training, for the staff and with all the other services offered here, it is among the very best facilities I have ever seen,’’ said Barras.
‘‘From a competition perspective we all recognise that this has been a very good tournament with a high level of performance.
‘‘From a programme perspective it reinforces my opinion and that of the rest of the world, that the class of this organisation is top notch.
‘‘I don’t think the Kiwis understand just how good this programme and the organisation is.
Castle, fresh from two world cup competitions in Europe with the New Zealand team, beat a world class field, overtaking Sam Webster on the final turn and holding off Australia’s former junior world champion Jacob Schmidt and world champion medallist Eddie Dawkins for the victory.
‘‘It’s not sunk in. It feels like I have been working towards this for a while so it’s pretty exciting,’’ Castle said.
‘‘I got lucky drawing six behind Sam [Webster] because he one of the fastest and strongest so it was fantastic to grab his wheel and hang on to the finish.
‘‘It is just so cool to be out there with everyone, racing that fast. I love it. Keirins are amazing.’’
Castle said his recent experience, particularly at the Manchester world cup last week when he was called in to ride the keirin, was invaluable.
Stewart, a multi junior world champion, and Sexton are part of the elite men’s endurance squad, and produced a superb second half of the Madison, controlling the points haul with a level of speed and nous that belied their years.
They won five of the final six sprints, available every 10 laps, to finish with 74 points ahead of the Australian combination of Kelland O’brien and Rohan Wight on 64 and South Australia’s Cooper Sayers and Josh Harrison on 55.
The women’s sprint honours went to world champion silver medallist Stephanie Morton in two straight rides in the best-of-three final over fellow Australian Kaarle Mcculloch, with Natasha Hansen claiming third in the Kiwi ride-off against Olivia Podmore.
The New Zealand team was to be named yesterday to compete in the next two UCI world cup competitions in Canada and Chile, leaving tomorrow.