2007 VISA Paralympic World Cup

 

May 11, 2007, Manchester Velodrome

Photos and report by Larry Hickmott

Event Website: www.visaparalympicworldcup.com

 

The 2007 VISA World Paralympic Cup for cycling was a great success for Great Britain today, Friday the 11th of May. With hundreds of school children providing the noise and colour in the stands, cheering long and loud for the British riders, the day begun in spectacular style as British trio Jody Cundy, Darren Kenny and Rik Waddon smashed their own team sprint world’s best for a 250 metre track with a time of 52.096 seconds in the heats.

 

Rik Waddon leads the Great Britain team onwards to a World Best for the Team Sprint.

 

The British team went on to take gold later in the day, catching their Spanish opponents inside 45 seconds and going on to try and beat their best for the morning but just failing to after having to go the long way round when they caught the Spanish in 44 seconds.

 

Jody Cundy then went on to break his second world record of the day as his time of 1:09.028 minutes for the kilometre time trial smashed his previous best and makes him the fastest of any Paralympic athlete over the distance. “To be honest it was what I expected,” said Cundy. “Every time I have got on the bike recently I have recorded another personal best. I felt coming into this competition if I could continue that form in Manchester then I would break some records – and I have.”

 

Not to be outdone, British Tandem pair Anthony Kappes (visually impaired stoker) and Barney Storey (able bodied pilot) produced a blistering display in the tandem sprint heats to set a new world record time of 10.410 seconds. Barney said afterwards that had the air in the venue been still and warm, they would have achieved their goal of going under 20.4 seconds.

 

Anthony Kappes celebrates the beating of their own World record for the flying 200 with the tandem steered by Barney Storey.

 

In the final of the Tandem Sprint, Kappes and Storey proved to good for Australian duo Ben Demery and Shaun Hopkins who did push the British duo all the way but even if tactically they made the British work hard, they didn’t have the top end speed to stop the British World Champions from cruising to another victory.

 

In the other final for 3rd and 4th, the Germans gave the Aussie duo of the two Ben’s; Ben Macfie and Benjamin Holmes; a tough time, pushing them all the way to the fence in the first heat to make the Aussies go the long to the line, which they did ahead of the Germans. In the second heat, the Aussies made no mistake by going to the front and staying there, staying ahead of the Germans to clinch the bronze.

 

The Germans take the Aussies all the way to the fence in the final straight, not only losing the drag race but also being given a warning for the move.

 

Athens Paralympic hero Darren Kenny was soon back on track in the pursuit final but it was fellow Brit, Gary Williams, who stole the limelight with a time of 3:40.873 minutes enough to secure victory.

 

In the women’s 2km pursuit world champion, Sarah Bailey, from Great Britain, proved to good for American Greta Neimanas catching her opponent in 1:54.076 minutes.  And Bailey claimed her second gold of the day in the 500m-time trial, with Neimanas once again trailing home in second.

 

 Jiri Jezek has time in the finish to raise both arms after a great victory in the Scratch race. The podium for the race, Mark BRISTOW, Jiri JEZEK and Jiri BOUSKA.  

A novel race was the 7.5 kilometre Scratch race and it was here the dominance of the Brits was broken with a 1-2 for the Czech Republics Jiri Jezek, an amputee with plenty of endurance, and  Jiri Bouska who was second. Mark Bristow picked up a medal finishing third. Jezek broke away after a lot of early attacking by the Spanish rider Neira and once the Czech rider had a gap, that was it for the rest.

 

The Spanish rider continued to attack and attack but the Brits managed to keep reeling him back in but in the sprint, Jezek’s teammate Bouska, who had been on the defence all day, sprinted clear to make it a 1-2 for the Czech riders after an entertaining race.

 

There was more joy for Britain in the women’s tandem sprint final as Aileen McGlynn and Ellen Hunter, who won the race at the inaugural world cup two years ago, saw off the challenge of Australian rivals Felicity Johnson and Katie Parker. The British duo though were unable to break their World Record in a record attempt at the end of the competition.

 

Not only were they tired after their sprint competition, they also had to contend with Aileen pulling her foot from the pedal in the first start, something her coach, Chris Furber, said she has never done in competition before. It was all too much and although they beat the Aussies who also went for the record, their world record stays as it is for the moment…

 

Ellen Hunter and Aileen McGlynn are too quick for the Aussie girls in the Tandem Sprint competition.

 

We will have much more on this event next week ….

 

First Photos

 

British victory for the Mens Tandem Sprint with the Aussies in 2nd and 3rd.

 

After winning, the Aussies and Brits chat on the warm down lap.

 

Spanish team ready to start in the Team Sprint.

 

Benjamin MacFie & Benjamin Holmes

 

Benjamin Demery & Shaun Hopkins

 

Germany, Achim MOLL, Thorsten GOLIASCH

 

Barney Storey and Anthony Kappes sprint past the Aussies in the Tandem Sprint final winning two heats to nil.

 

Hugh Porter doing his homework before the start.

 

Dave Mellor, team manager for Great Britain, with one of the team's carers.

 

Gold for Gary Williams in the Pursuit.

 

Rik Waddon is helped from his bike after giving it everything in the Kilometre. Right, the Aussies and Brits join hands after the victory by the Brits in the second heat of the Tandem final.

 

Sarah Bailey won two golds on the night.

 

Sarah Bailey with one of two Golds, and Jody Cundy, Rik Waddon and Darren Kenny with Gold after the Team Sprint.

 

BBC were there chasing the Brits around the track catching the action and interviews.

 

GB Team Sprint, Darren Kenny takes over from Rik Waddon whilst Jody Cundy waits his turn.

 

Gary Williams leads the field in the Scratch race.

 

The Spanish rider was very very active ...

 

Left: Sarah Bailey catches her US opponent in the Pursuit.

 

Kilo action ...

 

 

Brits in action in the Kilo.

 

Martin VCELKA

 

Felicity JOHNSON, Kaite PARKER during their record attempt.

 

Results

Team Sprint
Qualifying
1. Great Britain 52.096 (World Best)
Jody CUNDY, Darren KENNY, Rik WADDON

 

2. Spain 1:00.275
Cesar NEIRA, Antonio GARCIA, Amador GRANADO ESP

 

Final
1. Great Britain 52.740
Jody CUNDY, Darren KENNY, Rik WADDON GBR

 

2. Spain
Cesar NEIRA, Antonio GARCIA, Amador GRANADO ESP 1:01.242; Caught in 44.577

 

Mens Tandem Sprint

Qualification  10.410 (World record)
1. Great Britain
Anthony KAPPES, Barney STOREY

 

2. Australia 10.893
Benjamin DEMERY, Shaun HOPKINS 

 

3. Germany 11.054  
Achim MOLL, Thorsten GOLIASCH

 

4. Australia  11.118
Benjamin MACFIE, Benjamin HOLMES 

 

Finals
Places 3 & 4
3. Australia
Benjamin MACFIE, Benjamin HOLMES 11.704

 

4. Germany,
Achim MOLL, Thorsten GOLIASCH
 
Places 1 & 2
1. Great Britain
Anthony KAPPES, Barney STOREY 10.919

2. Australia

Benjamin DEMERY, Shaun HOPKINS 

Women's Tandem Final

1. Great Britain 2:0
Aileen MCGLYNN, Ellen HUNTER

 

2. Australia
Felicity JOHNSON, Katie PARKER

Pursuit Final - 2km  LC1 Women
1. Sarah BAILEY, GBR 2:31.334
2. Greta NEIMANAS USA Caught in 1:54.076

Pursuit Final CP3/LC1 
1. Darren KENNY, GBR, 3:40.873
2. Gary WILLIAMS, GBR, 3:44.580

Kilometre Time Trial Final (LC1/LC2/CP4, Men)
1. Jody CUNDY GBR 1:09.028 (World record)
2. Jiri BOUSKA CZE 1:10.272
3. Mark BRISTOW GBR 1:11.196

4. Jiri JEZEK CZE 1:12.682
5. Martin VCELKA AUS 1:13.035
6. Amador GRANADO ESP 1:13.510
7. Rik WADDON GBR 1:14.319
8. Antonio GARCIA ESP 1:24.083

 

500m Time Trial Final (LC1, Women)
1. Sarah BAILEY GBR 40.066
2. Greta NEIMANAS USA 44.076

 

7.5Km Scratch Race (Mixed, Men)
1. Jiri JEZEK CZE 9:40.678
2. Jiri BOUSKA CZE  
3. Mark BRISTOW GBR  
4. Gary WILLIAMS GBR  
5. Cesar NEIRA ESP  
6. Darren KENNY GBR  

 

World Record Attempt 1km Time Trial (B/VI, Women)
Aileen MCGLYNN, Ellen HUNTER GBR 1:11.050
Felicity JOHNSON, Kaite PARKER AUS 1:11.348