AFTER a 20-year hiatus, the Western Division Track Championships returns to the Orange Velodrome at Moulder Park today, with $1000 worth of prize money.
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2015 will be the first year since 1986 the championships will be contested, reigniting a competition which was established in 1887.
“We’ll be running some races that were run all those years ago,” Orange Cycle Club junior co-ordinator Mitchell Bland said.
“It’s good to be continuing a tradition which is almost 130 years old, which we couldn’t have done without the help of [Orange City] council.”
Riders from all over the central west are expected to converge on the velodrome for the prestigious event, which includes bumper senior and junior programs.
For the juniors, riders will contest individual time trial, derby/elimination, scratch, and invitational club Italian pursuit events, across six different age and gender divisions.
For the seniors, heart starter, individual time trial, keirin and points races will be offer, with the first and last being run as one and five mile events as per the original track championships almost 130 years ago.
The juniors kick off at 12.30pm with sign-ons, while the senior registration is at 3.30pm today.
The Western Division Track Championships come just a week after Orange Cycle Club’s Track Championships - round one was held on Tuesday, February 24 and round two last Tuesday.
The championship was run as a points series with riders in the juniors competing in individual time trial, scratch, derby and elimination races.
In the juniors, Olivia Martin won the under nine division from Aiden Barnes and Louis Richards in second and third respectively, while Cennedi Dally won the under 11 girls’ category, with Sophie Martin coming second and Anja Dally third.
Jarred Barnes took out the under 11 boys’ category from Xavier Bland and Damien Chopping in second and third respectively, while Lucy Stewart won out over second placed Brooke Martin in the under 13 girls’ division.
Cody Burcher won the under 13 boys’ division from Micah Dibble, while Leo Ferguson won the under 15 boys’ category.
In the senior divisions Tim Guy took out the main event in A grade, from Max Stewart and Tully Richards in second and third respectively, while Philip Sharam beat out Ray Dally (second) and Ray Selmes (third) in B grade.
