Members Aileen McGlynn Posted June 15, 2004 Members Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 I attended a fantastic nights racing at the Manchester Velodrome on the 29 May in the Yasumitsu-Schlapp organised race meet. The small crowd of spectators were treated to the brilliant sight of 12 tandems battling it out in the Air Products/Access for All tandem omnium. However, this could not help Michael Hutchinson go any faster in his attempt at the World Hour record. The flying 200m saw the Brits - Barney Storey and Dan Gordon stamp their authority with a scintillating 10.8s to the French Paralympic selection of 10.9s. Ellen and I did a respectable 12.2s. The first round of sprints also bore some of the best tandem sprinting seen in the UK for years with a fast and tough battle between Barney Storey and Dan Gordon and the French sprint specialists with the GB team coming out on top. Ellen and I "gave the men something to think about with a spectacular display of sprinting prowess and tactical brilliance." In our first sprint match we were up against GB tandem hour record holder Zac Carr and his wife Beverly and we were just beaten on the line. Our second sprint match was against the Irish men's Paralympic selection. As we pulled away from the line, we pulled so hard on the pedals that we broke the chainring and had to dismount and get a new one, both banging our knees in the process. This gave the Irish something to think about in the half hour or so that we waited to get on again. On our second attempt we jumped away at the start and took them all over the boards. They tried to dip underneath us on the second last bend but Ellen spotted their manoeuvre and we stopped them in their tracks. We beat them comfortably by about 2 tandem lengths. Having only a short break between events due to our mechanical, we were up next for the 2km pursuit with our opponents again, GB tandem hour record holder Zac Carr and his wife Beverly. We lost the pursuit to them with a time of 2m 37s to their 2m 22s. However, if we had managed to keep this pace going for another 4 laps, we would have done an equivalent time to the one that won a silver medal at the last Paralympics in Sidney. GB came out on top again in the 2km pursuit with a rapid ride of 2m 16s by Paul Hunter and Ian Sharpe, the GB Paralympic tandem pursuit team knocking our pursuit opponents Zac Carr and his wife Beverly into second place overall in the pursuit competition. The overall omnium winners were Barney Storey and Dan Gordon who pocketed the £200 first prize. Paul Hunter and Ian Sharpe were second with France third. This weekend I am off to Newcastle for some more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions P McDonald Posted June 15, 2004 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 Sounds like an excellent meeting - well done Paul McD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARTIN.KEIR Posted June 15, 2004 Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 Reading Aileen's report puts you in the mood for another go on the track. I wouldn't mind another go at wiping out George. A trip after the summer holidays ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions martin Posted June 15, 2004 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted June 15, 2004 well done aileen. have read all about zak carr and what he's capable of in the comic. sounds like you did well against some top quality competition - chapeau! good luck in newcastle cheers m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.