Penultimate day of UCI Oceania Track Cycling Championships
Matt Glaetzer (Australia) nudges out Eddie Dawkins (New Zealand) (Image credit: James Jubb)
The talking point on day three of the meet was the men's keiran final with Australian Matthew Glaetzer awarded the win after initially being relegated in favour of New Zealand's Eddie Dawkins. Glaetzer was relegated for riding in the blue lane at the bottom of the track but on review by the chief judge, New Zealand’s Jeremy Presbury was ruled to have forced Glaetzer into the no-go blue lane and the Australian was reinstated as the winner.
Adding drama to the final had been the decision by officials to stop the race after three laps. Australian Jacob Schmid was disqualified for pushing up and impeding New Zealand sprinter Matt Archibald.
When the race was re-run it was Dawkins and Australian Emerson Harwood exchanging the lead before Dawkins surged ahead in the final lap only to pipped to the post by a fast finishing Glaetzer.
"It was a very hectic race. For the last lap and a half it was pretty much survival for me," said Glaetzer.
"I kept the gas on when I was down on the duckboards and just hanging on and I had the legs to come around in the end. I was fairly confident I got the win but then there was the pause before I knew if I got relegated or not, so a bit of drama."
Runner-up Dawkins was pleased with his performance and not undeterred by the final decision. "The race was good, a bit messy and the infringements changed the course of the race quite a bit," he said.
"The Aussies love going long and love putting the hurt on early and it makes for an interesting race for the riders and the spectators. That’s what we want and that’s what they got."
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There were three events in the omnium for both the men and women with the 200m flying lap, points race and elimination sprint.
In the flying lap New Zealand's Dylan Kennett became just the second rider to go under the 13 second barrier easily taking the gold medal ahead of New Zealand’s London Olympian Shane Archbold.
Aaron Gate showed his class as omnium world champion as he lapped the field twice during the points race. He finished with 53 points and Australia's Luke Davison was a far second notching up 26 points.
Davison bounced back quickly as he claimed the elimination sprint by edging out Archbold in the third race of the final.
Archbold and Davison share the lead on seven points while Gate and fellow Kiwi Dylan Kennett are equal third on nine points.
The women's omnium became the Annette Edmondson show as she cleaned in all three events. Edmondson clocked 14.184 seconds to win the 200m flying lap, accumulated 49 points to beat off the challenge from Kiwi Olympian Jaime Nielsen in the points race and cruised clear of compatriot Georgia Baker to win the elimination sprint.
"My time in the flying lap today was quite positive which is nice to see as I have not been on the track for too long this season," said Edmondson.
"I came here to win the omnium so I am on the right track and fingers crossed I have another good day tomorrow."
In the other event of the day, the men's point race was comfortably taken out by New Zealand's Tom Scully ahead of Australian Miles Scotson and local rider Pieter Bulling.
The final day of the championship features the men's and women's sprint, the conclusion of the omnium and finishes with the men's Madison.
