Disability Grand Prix of Wales 2007
Event: Wednesday 9th May; Wales National Velodrome
Event Press Release, May 2, 2007
Ellen Hunter & Aileen McGlynn are presented with their trophies at last years event.
One week before Wales’ World Champion disability cyclists, Jody Cundy and Ellen Hunter, go on show at the VISA Paralympic World Cup in Manchester, the pair of medal-hungry track stars will test their nerve against world rivals, Australia, in a fast and furious grand prix challenge on home tracks. The Disability Grand Prix of Wales hits Wales National Velodrome on Wednesday 9th May, and has been organised by the Federation of Disability Sport Wales and the Welsh Cycling Union to coincide with the Paralympic World Cup meet.
The Aussies in action last year.
Featuring over 40 riders from Australia, Ireland and GB, the event provides a fantastic opportunity for the public to see Wales’ top athletes pitch themselves against the cream of disability cycling just days before World Cup medals go up for grabs. Following on from the success of the inaugural event in 2006, the Grand Prix is becoming established as a major event in the disability cycling calendar.
The 2007 event will also be a training ground for Disability Sport Wales’ very own Young Talent Academy riders, where world-athletes will meet the rising stars of disability cycling as they come to utilise the facilities in Wales. Events will be broken into specific categories to cater for a range of disability, with loco-motive (LC) amputees like Swansea’s Jody Cundy (standard bike), and cerebral palsy (CP) competitors (standard bike) riding a number of time trials and individual pursuits ranging from 500m to 4000m.
Barney Storey and Anthony Kappes.
The visually impaired (VI) event features Welsh Paralympic cyclist Ellen Hunter who will pilot Scotland’s Aileen McGlynn in the tandem sprint. McGlynn will ride a 200m individual time trail sprint prior to racing, to seed the pair for competition.
There will also be an additional endurance time trial – 3000m for men, and 2000m for women – and specialist events for hand-cycling, before which the Mayor of Newport will present the awards to world-class winners. The Federation of Disability Sport hopes to secure a future sponsor for the Grand Prix, enabling it to grow with an eventual aim to see it grow and possibly flourish into a European Cup round, where it act as a catalyst for both grass root and performance disability cycling in Wales.
Timetable of Grand Prix (all times approximate)
16:00 Track open for Practice and Warm up
17:00 First Event
19.00 VIP Hospitality Guests arrive
21:00 Trophy Presentation (Mayor of Newport)
Sponsor
The event has been sponsored by the Federation of Disability Sport Wales and Welsh Cycling
Events
Each of the disabilities compete in specific categories, these can be broken down into three main groups
- Loco Motive amputees, (LC), ride standard bikes
- Cerebral Palsy, (CP), ride standard bikes
- Visually Impaired, (VI), ride tandems
- Hand cycling, Specialist bicycle
Key Competitors
Team Great Britain
Aileen McGlynn MBE & Ellen Hunter (Women's Tandem) - Paralympic Gold Medalists
Darren Kenny (CP Div 3 Men) - Multi Paralympic Medalist, World Record Holder and World Champion
Anthony Kappes & Barney Storey (Men's Tandem) - Multi Paralympic Medalists, World Record Holders and World Champions
Jody Cundy (LC2 Men) – Multi Paralympic Medalist, World Record Holder and World Champion
Gary Williams (LC1 Men) Paralympian
Sarah Bailey (LC1 Women) - (LC2 Men) – Multi Paralympic Medalist, World Record Holder and World Champion
Darren Kenny (CP3 Men) – Multi Paralympic Medalist, World Record Holders and World Champion
Rik Waddon (CP Div 4 Men) Multi Paralympic Medalist, World Record Holder
Mark Bristow (LC1 Men) Multi Paralympic Medalist
Other British Riders
Richard Davies (CP4)
Team Australia
Christopher Scott (CP Div 4 Men) - Multi Paralympic Medalist
Andrew Panazzolo (CP Div 3 Men) - Paralympic Medalist
Kieran Modra & Robert Crowe (Men’s Tandem) - Multi Paralympic Medalists
Angela Fleming (LC2 Women) - Paralympic Medalist
Jane Armstrong (LC3 Women) - Paralympic Medalist
Lindy Hou & Janelle Lindsay (Women’s Tandem) - Multi Paralympic Medalists
Kevin McIntosh – Australian Head Coach
Team Ireland
Cathal Miller (LC1 Men)
Mark Kehoe & Malcolm Goggin (Men’s Tandem)
Team Wales
Russel White (LC1 Men) – GB Road Team Member
Simon Richardson (LC3) - GB Road Team Member
James Brookman (CP3) – Disability Sport Wales Academy
Emma Sulivan & Becky Rimmington (Women’s Tandem) - Disability Sport Wales Academy
RELATED LINKS