News feature, August 12, 2006
Sarah Hammer's Celebration of Excellence
American World Track Champion Sarah Hammer unveiled her new team at the ADT Velodrome in Carson, California on Saturday in front of friends, supporters, sponsors and racers. The new team is called American Women’s Track Cycling Fund (AWTCF). Mitch Friedman was on hand with this report and photos.
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The AWTCF is set up to support the future of American women’s track cycling with the Sarah Hammer developmental program and the OUCH Pro Cycling Team. The OUCH sports medical clinic supports women’s track cycling and Sarah Hammer.
The AWTCF will work in conjunction with the OUCH Sports Medical Clinic to introduce and oversee the first women’s only UCI professional track team. This pioneering effort will not only fund Sarah’s racing and training budget as she undertakes her bid for a gold medal in Beijing, but will also aid in critical and costly rider refinements that are mandatory for Olympic gold medals. The objectives for the team are nothing short of Olympic gold medals and world records.
The Sarah Hammer Development Program is designed to provide support for the future of American women’s track racing, with the goal of helping, coaching, nurturing and motivating as many young American women cyclists as it can.
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Also on hand at the ADT Event Center Velodrome to help make this a pure celebration of excellence were some of the top men's racers from North America, who took part in exhibition races in sprint and Keirin racing. Adam Duvendeck and Spencer Hartfeld of the USA were joined by Canadians Travis Smith and Matt Barley and Malaysia’s own Josiah Ng.
The event saw some of the best junior women racers from the area show what they want and could do on the velodrome. Local fast girl Coryn Rivera, Tara McCormick, Amondo Duarte and Madison Scott, as well as a recovering from injury Shelby Allen took part in the racing.
More information: www.awtcf.org
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mitch Friedman/www.mitchophoto.com
- Sarah Hammer shows off her new LOOK Bike and the new team jersey
- Hammer’s jersey and medal won in France
- Roger Young talks track to some of the up and coming riders, Josiah Ng, Spencer Hartfeld and Adam Duvendeck
- From L-R: Coryn Rivera, Tara McCormick, World Champ Sarah Hammer, Amanda Duarte, Madison Scott and Shelby Allen
- From L-R, back: Travis Smith, Adam Duvendeck , World Champ Sarah Hammer, Josiah Ng, Spencer Hartfeld. Front row: Tara McCormick, Coryn Rivera, Madison Scott, Amanda Duarte, Shelby Allen
- Sarah with her mom and dad
- Sarah Hammer and Dr. Brent Kay
- Josiah Ng and Travis Smith do a track stand
- Travis Smith at speed
- Adam Duvendeck leads Spencer Hartfeld
- In the gold ride Smith just beats Duvendeck
- Dr. Brent Kay going for the hour record for age 40-44. The Doc is Floyd Landis' hip doctor
- Sarah Hammer
- Madison Scott starts her 500 m TT
- Tara McCormick at speed in the 500
- Amanda Duarte
- Coryn Rivera as she sets fast time in 500m
- Dr. Brent Kay almost got the record
Images by Mitch Clinton/www.clintonphoto.com
- Sarah Hammer talks to the attendees about what the "American Women's Track Cycling Fund" means to her
- Dr. Brent Kay of the OUCH Sports Medical Clinic talks to the group about his long history with Sarah as Sarah and Andy Sparks look on.
- Josiah Ng leads an all star field in a Kerin demonstration for the attendees
- Coryn Rivera . Remember that name!
- Dr Brent Kay attempts to break the hour record for 40-44 men as part of the afternoons festivities
- After 58 min . the strain of an hour record attempt can be seen in Dr. Kay's face
- Knowing he was close , but not close enough to his goal of beating the hour record, Dr Kay's first words off the bike were "Next time!"
