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110th Austral Wheelrace - IM
Melbourne, Australia, March 15, 2008
Rathbone victorious
But nearly throws it all away with premature celebration
By Mal Sawford in Melbourne
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20 year-old New South Wales rider Jackson-Leigh Rathbone will lug the impressive Austral trophy back to the Blue Mountains, but came within an inch of having a much bigger burden to weigh down his trip home. Rathbone rode from the 40 metre mark and was the rider of the carnival, and showed impressive finishing bursts to take both the opening Aces scratch race ahead of Olympic gold medalist Brett Aitken, and to finish a comfortable second in his heat behind a solo breakaway.
A lap from home in the wheelrace final, Rathbone looked unbeatable when he unleashed his kick for home, and was two lengths clear when he swung into the home straight. He thrust his right arm skyward half way down the straight to celebrate his win, only to see an orange blur fly past at the top of the track as he hit the line.
That orange blur was Malaysian sprinter Azizul Awang, the bookie's favourite, who had launched himself clear of the chasing bunch in the back straight to come from nowhere to catch Rathbone at the line. Awang, and the near capacity crowd, thought his desperate lunge for the line had been enough to snatch the win, and the Malaysian celebrated briefly before the photo finish revealed Rathbone had hung on by the barest of margins.
While the judges deliberated, a sheepish Rathbone told the race caller simply, "I feel very silly."
How it unfolded
24 riders qualified for the final, with heat wins to Casey Munro (140 metres), Craig Robertson (175 metres), Josiah Ng (70 metres), Stuart Grimsey (160 metres), one of the event promoters in Clint McDonell (150 metres) and former Giro d'Italia rider Tom Leaper (155 metres).
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Aitken, the lone scratchman in the field, faced a tough chase with Scott Law (25 metres), but the pair was unable to make up the deficit to the long line of riders that formed in the opening two laps. "In hindsight, if he had waited we could have worked together and at least one of us would have gotten up, but in the end we both missed out."
With the back markers out of contention, Jay Callaghan (130 metres) opened the sprint two laps from home, before Casey Munro took up the front running. Rathbone sat perfectly positioned in fourth wheel before he unleashed his sprint in the final 200 metres and shot away to what should have been a clear win.
Rathbone's biggest win previously was the points race title at the 2007 Australian track championships. Leading into the 2008 championships he took a six week break, sensing he was overdone, and surprised himself with unexpected good form that saw him collect silver meals in the kilo, scratch race and team's pursuit. He built further on that form with solid rides in the Madisons at the Australian Madison Championship and at Bendigo, made no secret of the fact he had expected to do well on the boards of Vodafone Arena.
After the presentation ceremony, he was frank is his assessment of his overconfidence. "I was feeling very confident. I knew I was on the right gear, it was the right temperature. I just let it get away a bit in my head I guess." Watching Awang celebrate, and asked what went through his mind, Rathbone revealed that "I had an essay full of thoughts in my head after the finish line. I wanted to find the deepest hole I could, pretty much."
"I took it as a lesson learned, but fortunately someone was looking after me upstairs and I came away number one. I was just too cocky basically. A very big lesson, and to learn it here and not pay any penalty, I almost felt guilty."
"I wouldn't say it's my nature to be cocky. It was quite devastating to think he had got over [me]. It's not a one man race, that's the other thing. You've got other people sacrificing their own chances and towing you around, putting a lot of faith and effort in, and losing would have scarred then as well."
Other racing
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In a virtual repeat of her performance at the Australian Madison Championships carnival, Tess Downing (Jayco VIS) claimed two of the three women's races, beaten only in the keirin by Malaysian national and sometime training partner Fatehah Mustapa.
Downing won both the scratch and points races with attacks at half distance, and used her pursuiting strength to hold off the chasers. She was chased home by Carnegie Caulfield club mates Lisa Friend (Drapac Porsche) and Nicole Whitburn (HIT Racing) in the scratch race, while in the points race young Malaysian sprinter Fatehah Mustapa collected enough sprint points to finish second ahead of the both Friend and Whitburn. "I just thought I'd try something different," Downing said. "Often the girl's races finish in a bunch sprint and the opportunity [to attack] was there. I just want to learn to ride hard and tough and that was my goal tonight."
In the keirin, Downing followed the derney, but had Mustapa right behind, and the local girl's best efforts over the final two laps just served as the perfect lead out for the Malaysian. "I've been training with Fatehah quite a bit. Sometimes I can match her, but she comes off the wheel really well. She's only 18 and a track sprinter and definitely one to watch out for in the future."
The Malaysian men dominated the sprint events, with former world cup keirin champion Josiah Ng taking his pet event with a well timed finishing burst to overhaul Awang, who had attacked at two to go. Awang, wearing a very distinctive retro full face helmet (somewhat confusing for spectators given its custom paint job reflecting previous ownership by Josiah Ng!), finished his night with a good win in the sprint derby.
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Awang survived a clash with leading local sprinter Joel Leonard in the heat which led to Leonard's disqualification, but was a commanding winner in the final ahead of team-mate Edrus Yunus and Eddie Wilson (Ventou).
The carnival also featured the final rounds of the 'Future Stars' series, an invitational series for the leading under 18 riders in Australia, with the first two rounds held during Revolution 1 and 2. Trevor Griffiths held a commanding lead at the start of the night, and won three from three to run out a clear and deserving winner. For the girls, Carly McCoombe and Shannon McCurley started the night equal on points, but like Griffiths, McCoombe was simply too good on the night, winning all three races to take the series in relative comfort.
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net
- The evening started with a procession of historic bikes
- and Easter rabbit racing
- Jackson-Leigh Rathbone gets into the action early in the evening, here winning the first event, the scratch race
- Trevor Griffiths takes the front during the Future Stars double kilo dash
- Beth Duryea leading a women's bunch
- The Future Stars were joined by a junior Japanese team in their events
- Trevor Griffiths leads from the front
- The Future Stars women follow the moto in the 20 laps motorpace
- Samantha Verlin looks determined during the 20 laps motorpace
- Casey Munro wins heat 1 comfortably
- Carly McCoombe wins the sprint in the women's Future Stars 2 kilo dash
- Joel Leonard looked like he meant business this evening
- Kyle Marwood shows the pain as he wins the Point-to-Point race
- Tess Downing was in control in the women's racing, she took the scratch race from Nicole Whitburn and Lisa Friend
- Livia Gluchowska chases hard in the women's scratch race
- A big push for a rider in an Austral Wheelrace heat
- There were big screens at both ends of the Vodafone Arena, just in case spectators missed the action
- Craig Robertson won the second Austral heat over Ewin Williams and Darren Rodgers
- Josiah Ng was on form this evening and entertained the crowd with some strong rides
- Scott Townsend concentrates during the third Austral heat
- Josiah Ng tells David Mackenzie how he won the third heat
- Heat 4 was taken by Stuart Grimsey
- Riders are propelled into their heat
- Clint McDonnell puts the pressure on as he heads to victory in his heat
- Azizul Awang takes on a sprint position during the closing lap of the sixth heat
- Mitch Docker looks across the gap and perhaps realises he won't make the Wheelrace final - its too big to close
- Tom Leaper was away on his own and took the final heat decisively
- Lisa Friend takes in air during the points race
- Monique Hanley at speed
Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net
- Livia Gluchowska concentrates on the wheel in front
Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net
- Tess Downing works hard for the points race win She went away on her own and stayed away
- Fatehah Mustapa and Nicole Whitburn chase Downing, with Lisa Friend and Beth Duryea
- Downing digs deep as she heads towards points race victory
- The men wait to go out onto the track for the Austral Wheelrace final, 2008
- Brett Aitken gets a push as he starts the Austral from scratch
- Joshia Ng and Gary Mueller in the Austral final
- Scott Law was on 40m in the final
- A rider is captured in action on the big screen, as others pass beneath
- Jackson-Leigh Rathbone celebrates before the line in the 2008 Austral Wheelrace. To his right, Azizul Awang is still sprinting and will force the judges to the photofinish frame
- Azizul Awang is convinced he got the better of Rathbone
- Jackson-Leigh Rathbone explains his almost-costly error to David Mackenzie
- Rathbone looks a little stunned after he almost gave away his win due to his victory salute
- Jackson Rathbone-Leigh takes a victory lap after the judges announce the result of the photofinish in the Austral Wheelrace 2008
- The 110th Austral Wheelrace winner lifts the trophy
- The Austral podium: Stuart Grimsey, Jackson-Leigh Rathbone and Azizul Awang
- Jackson-Leigh Rathbone gives interviews after his Austral Wheelrace victory
- The Future Stars series 2007-2008 winners were Carly McCoombe and Trevor Griffiths
- The elite women follow the moto in the keirin
- Liz Georgouras during the keirin
- Winner of the keirin was Fatehah Mustapa
- There was a band to keep the spectators and riders entertained between events
- The Future Stars head into action in the "Italian Pursuit"
- The Future Stars had only one fall this evening, at the start of the Italian Pursuit. Noone was hurt and it was nowhere near as dramatic as Revolution 2
- Oliver Le Grice leads his team-mates for his lap in the Italian Pursuit
- Hakota Yui takes his lap for Japan in the Italian Pursuit
- Japanese riders celebrate their Italian Pursuit victory with simultaneous salutes to the crowd
- Carly McCoombe in action in the elimination race
- Runner-up in the Future Stars series was Shannon McCurley (84)
- The men set off in the sprint final
- A Malaysian 1-2-3 in the sprint final
- Mitch Docker during the motorpaced race
- Eventual winner, James Langedyk, during the motorpaced event
- American visitor, Kenny Williams keeps an eye out on the line in the motorpaced race
- The long line behind the motorcycle
- Jackson-Leigh Rathbone in the final event of the evening
- Sean Finning did a huge turn at the front in the closing laps, which allowed team-mate James Langdyk to win the motorpaced race
- Langedyk prepares to celebrate winning the motorpaced race
Results
The Swanston Hotel Scratch Race Elite Men 1 Jackson -Leigh Rathbone 2 Brett Aitken 3 Peter Johnstone 4 Mitch Docker 2Xu Future Stars Double Kilo Dash M18 1 Trevor Griffiths 2 Ben Sanders 3 Sasaki Ryu 4 Maddison Hammond 5 Kondo Tatsunori 6 Angus Tobin 2Xu Future Stars Double Kilo Dash W18 1 Carly Mccoombe 2 Amy Cure 3 Shannon Mccurley 4 Marquessa Jelbart 5 Natasha Landedyk 6 Stephanie Hansen Maelle Howarth Laine Hammond Malvern Star Invitational Keirin Final 1 Joshiah Ng Mal 2 Azizul Awang 3 Steven Sanonetti 4 Joel Leonard The Swanston Hotel Invitational Austral Warm Up Event 1 Kyle Marwood 2 Garry Mueller 3 Andrew Shannon Malvern Star Sprint Heats Elite Men Heat 1 Risel Tizing 2 Eddie Wilson 3 Byron Davis Heat 2 1 Azizul Awang 2 Edrus Yunus 3 Steven Sansonetti 4 Joel Leonard Sen Elite Women Scratch Race Elite Women 1 Tess Downing 2 Lisa Friend 3 Nicole Whiteburn 2Xu Future Stars Motor Pace M18 1 Trevor Griffiths 20 pts 2 Ben Sanders 16 3 Kondo Tatsunori 14 4 Toby Dite 12 Sam Brett 10 Sasaki Ryu 8 Aaron Cooper 6 Aaron Box 5 2Xu Future Stars Motor Pace W18 1 Amy Cure 2 Carly Mccoombe 3 Shannon Mccurly 4 Samantha Verlin 5 Melzy Feltham 6 Stephanie Hansen 7 Kendell Hodges Cyclecover 110Th Austral Wheelrace Heat Elite Men Heat 1 1 Casey Munro 2 Ashley Braszell 3 Toby Glennon 4 Scott Keating Heat 2 1 Craig Robertson 2 Ewin Williams 3 Darren Rogers 4 Dean Heathcote Heat 3 1 Josiah Ng 2 Stuart Vaughan 3 Eddie Wilson 4 Damien Semmler Heat 4 1 Stuart Grimsey 2 David Pell 3 Gary Mueller 4 Peter Johnstone Heat 5 1 Clint Mcdonell 2 Jackson-Leigh Rathbone 3 Jay Callaghan 4 Chris Simonelli Heat 6 1 Tom Leaper 2 Scott Law 3 Azizul Awang 4 Brett Aitken Brunetti's Italian Pursuit Aust vs. Japan 1 Japan 2.13 2 Australia 2.15 Sen Points Race Elite Women 1 Tess Downing 2 Fatehah Mustapa 3 Lisa Friend 4 Nicole Whiteburn The Cyclecover 110Th Austral Wheelrace Final Elite Men 1 Jackson-Leigh Rathbone 2 Azizul Awang 3 Stuart Grimsey 2Xu Future Stars Elimination M18 1 Trevor Griffiths 2 Sasaki Ryu 3 Kondo Tatsunori 4 Angus Tobin Sam Brett Chris Jehu Gavin Sittampalam Imai Kazuma 2Xu Future Stars Elimination W18 1 Carly Mccoombe 2 Amy Cure 3 Shannon Mccurly 4 Kendelle Hodges Samantha Verlin Chloe Mcintosh Natasha Langedyk Netesha Pearse Sen Keirin Final Women Elite Women 1 Fatehah Mustapa 2 Tess Downing 3 Liz Georgouras 4 Olivia Gluchowska Malvern Star Sprint Final Elite Men 1 Azizul Awang 2 Edrus Yunus 3 Eddie Wilson 4 Steven Sansonetti The Swanston Hotel Elite Men Motor Pace Elite Men 1 James Langedyk 2 Mitch Docker 3 Peter Johnstone 4 Jackson - Leigh Rathdone 5 Brett Aitken Bicycle Superstore Revolution Sprintmen 1 Ryan Bayley 2 Jason Niblett Bicycle Superstore Revolution Sprint Final Elite Men 1 Graeme Brown 20 pts 2 Cameron Meyer 11 3 Allan Davis 10 4 Zach Dempster 8 5 Glenn O'shea 6 6 Leigh Howard 4 7 Hilton Clarke 2 8 Zach Bell 2 9 Darren Young 2
