Christchurch duo looks toward Manchester World Cup

New Zealand will send Jocelyn Rastrick and Fiona Carswell to the upcoming World Cup track final in Manchester. The pair is looking for success in the women's 500m team sprint, new to track racing events for this year. According to the New Zealand Herald, they were timed at 35 seconds at the Invercargill indoor velodrome in recent weeks.

"That was better than the bronze medal time at the Los Angeles World Cup round last month so we decided to bring them to Manchester and see how they go," said Coach Terry Guide.

If the pair makes the podium at the World Cup, they may earn a trip to the Worlds in Spain at the end of March where they would take on powerful sister act Anna and Kerrie Meares, Australian favorites for the 500m team event. Anna is the defending Olympic champion in the individual 500m time trial.

After the world cup, most of the New Zealand track team will spend time training in Valencia, Spain prior to the world championships.