Taberlay wins first short track title

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Sid Taberlay won his first short track national title in Adelaide on Sunday. His victory came after an intriguing tactical battle with Lachlan Norris continually attacking in an effort to break the spirits of pre-race favourite Daniel McConnell and the ever present Taberlay.

Norris wasn't able to shake his rivals and at three laps to go he, McConnell and Taberlay along with Ben Henderson and Joshua Carlson formed a group of five all in contention for the win.

The 29-year-old Taberlay used his vast experience by waiting patiently until the final lap to launch his bid for victory. McConnell marked the move and the two were shoulder-to-shoulder up the finishing straight with the Tasmanian getting the gold medal in a photo finish while the bronze medal went to Henderson.

"I was just hoping I had something left coming out of that bottom corner. I saw Dan throw his bike to the line, and I didn't think he got ahead of me but you just have to wait patiently for the photo finish to confirm it," Taberlay said of the tight finish.

"Throughout the race I was just trying to be smart because I was suffering out there all day. It's early season and I don't quite have the horsepower needed so I was trying to suck wheels and stay in the game up until the last couple of laps so I had the best shot at it."

"After a little bit of an ordinary day yesterday it was good to live back up to expectations and deliver."

On the back of his three cross country titles (2002, 2004, 2006) this was Taberlay's first victory in the short track.

In the Under 19 men's race South Australia's Mitchell Codner won ahead of Ryan Standish and Mathew Waghorn.

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