Liam Wood's Metro Track Champs Nov 2008

Liam's Wood's Race Report: Metro Track Championships (DISC) November 29-30/11/2008. The Metro Track Championships Consisted of four championship events over two days.

The first day had the sprint events and the 500m Time Trial was up first. I was a bit nervous but once I was ready to start I was completely focused I knew I would have to finish in a personal best to win, so that’s exactly what I did.

I had a good start but on the last lap on the bend I was starting to die out but I kept pushing and finished in a time of 41.370 which was a PB and I finished the event with the fastest time, there were no finals so I won my first gold medal of the championship.

Next up was the Flying 200m Sprint, I wanted to do well in this event and that’s what I did by qualifying fastest to go into the finals with a time of 13.98, this was also a PB which meant I was up against the fourth fastest qualifier in the semi finals which was best of 3 races.

So when it came up I drew where I would be starting and it turned out I was on the bottom for the first race, so I led out until about 1 and a half to go when he made a move and went around me, I quickly got on his wheel then around the back straight on the last lap I came around him and he
dropped back because he went to early but he had another chance for the next race.

This time he led me out again and same thing happened, I came around him on the back straight so I was in to the Sprint Final to ride for a silver or gold medal.

The second fastest qualifier also got through so I knew the final was going to be closer race. I drew out the top first so he was leading me out, with a lap to go he gave me a look and as soon as he looked forward again I got the jump on him and won by about a bike length.

The next race I was leading out first when he tried to get around me and take the front early, but I pushed him up the track and with a lap to go I had the jump on him again and won by about the same margin, I was really happy to finish both of these races under 14 seconds to back up my
heat time. That was it for the day I had done well in both events getting personal best times, I was happy with that day and now the pressure was on the next day to see if I could follow it up in the Scratch Race and Pursuit.

The time had come for the pursuit and scratch races which was what I have been looking forward to for some time, I was seeded number one so therefore last to start.

I had a good warm up and was ready in the starting gate and a bit nervous but I got a clean start and was off, I settled in at a good speed but it turned out pretty fast and I past the rider on the opposite side of the track on my last lap and got a time of 2:55, that qualified me fastest time by about 6 seconds and I was in to the final for the gold and silver ride off.

I had my brothers aero bars and a friends aero helmet on for the finals, this time I had an even better start and I kept a constant speed, my first flying lap was the fastest but not by much as I followed it up with my last lap just a few milliseconds off, I got a time of 2:51 which was another PB after my qualifying which was also a PB.

Next it was the scratch race, I knew my main opponent so I tried to psych him out as he was me because he wanted to win the other events, while I was on the trainer I hung my medals on my drops and started the stare tactics at him, I guess it worked because he led me out in the scratch and I came around him beat the bunch by about the length of the front straight.

I am really happy with my performances this weekend of four wins from four events and I am looking forward to the State Championships next month.