What an incredible week at the 2023 AusCycling Junior and Masters Track National Championships!
Held over 6 days in Brisbane from 11 April to 16 April 2023, our juniors and masters hit the boards and proved that the ACT really punches above our weight.
A highlight had to be the double gold medals for both Bailey Macdonald and Jim Veal, who has coached Bailey from his very first hit out on the track. It’s amazing that they are both now winning Gold and achieving national championship results at the same events.
Junior Track National Champions
Notable highlights were:
- Georgia Gardiner (CCC) last lap effort for under 17 individual pursuit gold.
- Luke Rogers (CCC) application and progression through his first Nats, those Kierans were amazing.
- Sara Buerger (VCC), Chloe Pratt (CCC) and Natasha Sitsky’s (CCC) resilience and drive to hang in there and get PBs and top 10s. Chloe Pratt (CCC) for digging in as well and producing the goods when it got tough for the team.
- Emily Watch (VCC) for hitting it out against the 2nd years and getting the silver,
- Our Pursuit and Sprint Bonze medals – congrats Sara B, Tash S, Emily W, Georgia, and Chloe P.
- Bailey Macdonald (VCC) for destroying the field for the Scratch Race Gold.
- Bailey Macdonald (VCC), Angus Withington (CCC) and Hayden Stevens (CCC) for beating Queensland in the hottest Team Sprint field ever!!
What a team! The medal tally was:
- 3 gold 🥇
- 3 silver 🥈
- 4 bronze🥉
- Silver Women’s under 17 Sprint – Emily Watch (VCC)
- Gold women’s under 17 Individual pursuit – Georgia Gardiner (CCC)
- Gold Mens under 17 Scratch – Bailey Macdonald (VCC)
- Silver Mens under 17 Scratch – Hayden Stevens (CCC)
- Bronze Womens under 17 Team Pursuit – Georgia Gardiner (CCC), Sara Buerger (VCC), Chloe Pratt (CCC) and Natasha Sitsky (CCC)
- Bronze Mens under 17 TT – Bailey Macdonald (VCC)
- Bronze Mens under 17 Kieran – Bailey Macdonald (VCC)
- Bronze Womens under 17 Team Sprint – Natasha Sitsky (CCC), Georgia Gardiner (CCC), Sara Buerger (VCC) and Emily Watch (VCC)
- Silver Womens under 17 Points – Georgia Gardiner (CCC)
- Gold Mens under 17 Team Sprint – Bailey Macdonald (VCC), Hayden Stevens (CCC) and Angus Withington (CCC)
Masters Track National Champions
Well what a week our ACT Masters have had! PBs were broken races were fought the boards were on fire but most importantly National Champions were crowned.
Jim Veal
National Champion 🥇 in the M10 Time Trial!
2nd 🥈 in the M10 Individual pursuit
National Champion 🥇 in the M10 sprint
3rd 🥉 in the M10 keirin
Ryan Bates
2nd 🥈 in the M3 scratch
2nd 🥈 in the M3 Individual Pursuit
2nd 🥈 in the M3 ITT
2nd 🥈 in the M3 points race
Ross Taylor
M1-2 Scratch race with a DNF
4th in the M2 ITT
6th in the M2 Individual Pursuit
4th in the M2 keirin
3rd 🥉 in the M2 sprint
Sarah Stevens
5th in WM1-3 Scratch race
4th in the WM3 ITT
4th in the WM3 keirin
National 🥇 in the WM3 Individual Pursuit
3rd 🥉 in the WM1-4 Points race
Peta Brill
10th in WM5-7 Scratch.
4th in the WM5 keirin
5th in the WM5 sprint
6th in the WM5 ITT
5th in the WM5 Individual Pursuit
3rd 🥉 in the WM5-7 points race
Alex Schaffer
2nd 🥈 in the M1 ITT
3rd 🥉 in the M1 sprint
And a special mention to Roger Grierson (CCC):
2nd 🥈in the M1 Individual Pursuit
2nd 🥈 in the M1-2 Scratch
National Champion 🥇 in the M1-3 points race
Well done to all of the ACT masters on a fantastic week of racing.