The Australian Madison was the last Vodafone race of the season and apart from the Australian Titles was also the last open on the Summer Track Calendar. It also quite possibly will be the last time many of us get to race on that track unless of course we’re lucky enough to qualify for the ’04 World Titles which are to be held there in May, and/or the ’06 Commonwealth Games, I suspect upon the completion of the new Indoor Track at Northcote Velodrome that 90% of racing will be conducted there. Anyway it was a great race meet with the 2nd largest crowd of the season showing up, but possibly the least amount of riders racing at a Vodafone Carnival this year.
Blackburn, AS PER USUAL, had a very strong representation of riders despite the fact that many had also raced that day in the Vic Team Pursuit (BBN won a 3rd Consecutive Elite Men) and the Vic Scratch Race. And many were also entered for the Vic Points the following day! Kain Nunn continued his late season form managing a 3rd in his 'C' Grade Scratch race qualifying him to ride the nights Wheelrace event in which he managed a very solid 3rd place. Matt Pegg did well to finish 5th in the 'C' Grade Scratch Race only 2 places behind Kain. Richard England also finished a solid 5th in his Aces Elimination to continue a brilliant season by him and a final hit out before the Aussie Champs in April. Andrew Steele overcame his fear of that dreaded steep & sometimes slippery track, by fitting a MONSTER gear for both his races and was able to not only keep up, but manage a 2nd place in the 'B' Grade Elimination.
The Main event of the Night, the Australian Madison Championship, was the final event and was tipped to be a good one with the two brilliant Germans (Erik Weispfennig & Lars Teutenberg) and a Japanese rider (Yoshi Kouji) in the field. 20 mins before the race Steve Martin and Andrew Steele were confirmed to have a ride to replace some injured riders. They gladly stood up to the challenge as their love of riding together as a madison team overcame their fear of having their asses whipped! (That and the $100 starting cash that they were eached offered of course.) Richard England was partnered up with the NSWIS junior of Warren Scott who had his coach Gary Sutton in his ear. Steve and Andrew decided their plan was to try and not lose a lap, and at least go as far as necessary to get their money, haha. The race started and there were more falls than a junior’s race on a wet track. With Pat Shaw falling down so many times he was nearly charged with exposing himself for the holes in his skinsuit; Mitchell Docker and Simon Clarke came a cropper in a bad Madison change; and Leigh De Luca also came unstuck. All the Blackburn boys managed to stay upright with Steve and Andrew being withdrawn at approximately halfway through the 50km event. Both were tired but I expect happy and satisfied with their great effort. Richard England and his partner Warren Scott rode a solid race settling in and looking better thoughout; they finished in 8th place only one lap down on the two leading teams. The German team held off the Aussies of Norton and Finning to take the win - Erik Weispfennig defending the title he won last year and backing up his win at the Bendigo Madison.
For all the detailed results of the track meet including the Madison - please see the results posted on the Vic Cycle Web page.