We have several juniors down at the track nats starting today in Invercargill.
Ivar is going to try and get the team to send me an update for the blog each day. Following is excerpt 1 - watch this space
When we finally entered the Invercargill, after a 26 hour trip (including a not so pleasant ferry trip) we were all glad to finally be here. We arrived at Yarrow Motel at about 3pm on Saturday, checked into to our rooms, unloaded the car and assembled bikes. We then pedalled down to the velodrome, and caught up with some of the other East Coast riders. The first thing commented on was how still it was, I am really looking forward to riding where the only wind felt is from your own speed. The wind outside however is not very friendly, as we found out today, while stretching legs on the road bikes. With gusts blowing us across the road our ride took an hour into the wind, followed by 25mins to return. East Coast has a training session at the velodrome booked from 7 until 9, with racing starting Monday.
The East Coast 2008 Track Nationals Team has 10 riders, Kyle Rika an Aussie sprinter. Ben Simpson from Auckland is riding omnium. Rebekah Rankin an U19 from Auckland riding sprint and endurance numbers. Kerri Anne Torckler from WCNI is riding 3000m IP. Steven Rolfe an U19, riding endurance and sprint numbers. Also riding endurance and sprint are Ramblers U17 riders Fraser Gough, Lars Hopman and John Ellery, Who are also riding the team sprint together. Georgia Phillips-Cron an U17 rider from Auckland is riding the sprint events. Ashleigh Neave, from Ramblers is also riding sprint and endurance numbers. The East Coast team also consists of Mechanic Rod Gough, Coach Ross Pepper and Manager Ivar Hopman.
