Canty cyclist pedals for big time
Christchurch endurance cyclist Josh Scott is chasing a career on the bike.
Scott flew out from Christchurch on Monday and is now in Belgium where he will train with professional team Isorex for two months before trying to defend his team pursuit world title at the ICU junior world track cycling Championships in Italy.
His father, Craig Scott, said the 18-year-old wants to follow his dream in his first year out of school. Scott is one of three Canterbury cyclists who will represent the New Zealand team in August, along with teammate Matthew Trenchard and Kate Smith in the women’s junior team.
The former Burnside High School student will race for eight weeks in Belgium and as this will be his last year in the junior section, his aim is to defend his world title gained last year at the junior championships in Switzerland.
At Italy’s Montichiari, Scott will be joined by an exciting new squad of Corbin Strong (Invercargill), Trenchard, Harry Waine and Aaron Wyllie (both Auckland). ‘‘He and the team want to defend that title, that’s his goal,’’ Craig Scott said. Back home, Scott trained six days a week on the flat and up the Port Hills to keep fit, but had left for Europe in order to acclimatise. He and his younger sister Aleisha are both members of the Papanui Cycling club. His father said Scott would like to enter this year’s tour of Southland, as he turned 18 in January, making him eligible.
Trenchard, a student at Burnside High School, has been selected for the first time while former Christchurch Girls’ High School student Smith was also named in the 13-strong team.
Overall five riders return from the successful 2016 campaign where New Zealand was the leading nation with nine medals including four gold. They will be joined by some fresh talent with first-year under-19 sprinters, Fulton and Thomas Garbett (Levin) and Cambridge rider Jackson Ogle.
Three of the last year’s gold medal-winning women’s junior team pursuit will return to the team for China this year, Emily Shearman (Palmerston North), Nicole Shields (Clyde) and Smith. They are joined by double sprint medallist Ellesse Andrews (Cambridge) who moves to the endurance programme alongside newcomer Libby Arbuckle (Palmerston North).