Champion of Champions awarded on Day 4 of Masters TrackNats!

The highly competitive and fast pace nature of the Keirin and Scratch Race provided a fitting end to the Masters Track National Championships. This year’s championships saw multiple records broken, demonstrating the ever increasing quality of Masters riders Australia has to offer

The Keirin returned to Masters Track Championships for the first time since 2016, and it did not disappoint. New champions were crowned for Masters Women 1 through 7, and Men 2 through 10. 

No one could’ve been more pleased with the inclusion of the Keirin than Vanessa Goss (Coburg Cycling Club), who claimed gold in the Masters Women 4 event.

“The Keirin is my favourite so winning that has been my goal for the entire four days,” admitted Goss. “I didn’t know all the girls in the Keirin so I wasn’t too sure what was going to happen, I went in with a few nerves but luckily it worked out well for me.” 

Goss went on to defend her Masters Women 4 Scratch Race title, and with it, securing this year’s Champion of Champions jersey for the division. 

“I never go into a race with a plan, I feel like the traveller and let my legs do the work, and in the end the spot opened up and I just went for it.” 

Another rider pleased with the addition of the Keirin was Masters Men 7 rider, Gary Mandy (Illawarra Cycle Club). After taking the win in both the Keirin and Scratch Race on Day 4, he was awarded as Champion of Champions for his division.

“Champion of Champions is always a goal, it’s a great honour and I think a lot of riders do focus on winning the jersey and they look at that as being the culmination and the ultimate goal of the championships,” said Mandy. 

“In order to win it you need to branch out of your comfort zones, and when riders have this jersey as a goal, it makes racing more competitive as sprinters race more endurance events and endurance riders attempt more sprint events.” 

Overall, this year’s Masters National Track Championships saw 127 medals awarded, 45 records broken, and 145 riders take the Anna Meares Velodrome across the four days of racing. 

Many riders put their versatility on display by winning sprint and endurance events, ultimately being rewarded as the Champion of Champions for their respective age groups. 

The racing was competitive and electrifying, giving all those in attendance a masterclass in race tactics, and demonstrating what can be achieved with hard work and determination.