Individual Gold for Hoskins
A first individual national title to Mel Hoskins has highlighted another successful national track championship campaign for WAIS.
The WAIS program secured gold medals in senior and U19 ranks, which will likely see WA athletes selected at both senior and junior world championship teams for Australia when squads are announced by Cycling Australia.
Having previously won national championship gold in the women’s team pursuit, Hoskins produced a special ride, to upset reigning points race world champion Amy Cure, and take the 2015 national title.
Hoskins post race, admitted the national championship win had meant a great deal to her.
“I burst into tears when I crossed the line,” said an emotional Hoskins. “I have ridden an Olympics, I have ridden the Commonwealth Games, and the World Championships, but there is a special place in my heart for this one.
“I think I have won seven team pursuit national titles and never been able to crack the individual race,” said Hoskins, who aided WA to six straight team pursuit titles between 2008-2013.
In the 100 lap race, Hoskins managed to lap the field at the halfway mark with Cure and Manly, before clinching intermediate sprint points to take the lead. Subsequent attacks from Elissa Wundersitz (WAIS) and Rebecca Wiasak (ACT) took their toll as the field was reduced to just seven riders with 20 laps remaining.
Flying in her rainbow jersey, Cure tried everything to take a late lap, but it was in vain as Hoskins held her nerve.
“This was a long time coming. I had a shocking individual pursuit yesterday, and I am still getting healthy from the start of week,” said Hoskins. “My coach said to me you have to dare to lose it to win it.
“It was a world class field and there is a reason Amy wears those rainbows, she threw everything at me including the kitchen sink I reckon, full credit to her.”
Hoskins (40 points) took the win over Cure (TAS / 33 points) who edged Alexandra Manly (SA / 33 points) to complete the podium.
In the men’s points race, first year senior Sam Welsford earned a highly credible silver medal, with the reigning WAIS junior athlete of the year securing 73 points for second place behind champion Glenn O’Shea (107points).
In a highly aggressive race, which saw several laps gained on the field, Welsford was good enough to break clear in two of those attacks, whilst regularly accruing points in the intermediate sprints.
Western Australia’s track endurance strength was further evidenced in the U19 ranks, with junior Alex Rendell winning a national championship title in the men’s points race, with fellow WAIS product Michael Storer second.
With a furious pace set by the field, which averaged almost 55km for the 100 lap event, the result came down to the final sprint, with Rendell passing teammate Storer on the final bend to clinch an amazing victory.
“Feels pretty surreal to be honest, it’s my first solo national championships and I don’t think it’s really sunk in to be honest and it’s good to be exhausted,” said Rendell, whose victory came just after team mate Hoskins’ gold in the women’s event.
“With Mel going first in the women’s points, she had an amazing race and it didn’t put pressure on us but it gave us that edge into our race just to try and win something like that. Two wins in a row is just pretty crazy,” he added.
In the women’s U19 sprint, WAIS athlete Tahlay Christie added a silver medal to the gold she won in the keirin earlier in the meet.
Christie set a new U19 national record in qualifying fastest for the finals, but was edged 2-1 in the best of three final with Queensland’s Brooke Tucker claiming gold.
Tucker, daughter of Moscow Olympian Kenrick and granddaughter of Anna Meares’ coach Ken Tucker, set an All Comers record for fastest flying 200m on Australian soil with 11.560secs, before Christie bettered that mark in the next heat (11.490).
The pair both made their way through the rounds, before Tucker upset reigning junior world champion Courtney Field in the semi finals.
In the final, Christie got the edge in Tucker in the first heat, before Tucker fired in the next two heats to take an emotional win, with the three generations of Tuckers celebrating on the track.
“I went into the race with nothing to lose. There wasn’t really any pressure on me. I went in there with intentions to do my best and really see what I could do. So to come away with the win is wonderful,” said Rockhampton’s Tucker, who thanked her coach and inspiration from Meares.
“I think we have a coach in my granddad. I think all the success that’s come from Rockhampton is down to him, he makes good bike riders. All the riders like Anna Meares and myself and my dad – we owe it all to him I think.”
-with Cycling Aus