Sam Webster
U19 Junior World Champs
The build up began in Invercargill in the cold and rain.
That was a week and a bit of absolute pain! This was used as a base
to do speed work on top of this. We then traveled to Perth, which was
an ideal destination for the preperation. The track had long straights
and tight corners which is very simular to Cape Town so it was perfect.
Whilst in Perth the NZ team recieved an invitation and attended the
Perth Grand Prix race series, in the racing we raced Scott Sunderland
and Jason Niblet (AIS Sprinters and Both ex-junior world champs) on
the sprint side and on the endurance side there was C.J Sutton (Team
Garmin Chipotle) and Graham Brown (Team Rabobank and Dual Olympic Gold
Medalist).
We then made the voyage to Cape Town. We stay at a guest house which
was appropiatly named the excellent guest house. It was an amazing place
to stay and will possibly be the best accomodation I will ever have
apart from home.
The racing at the Worlds was intense and fast. In the Team Sprint we
got 4th (pipped for the bronze medal by 0.17 seconds by the Polish).
In the individual sprints I gained 9th place after having a harsh decision
not go my way. Also in the Keirin, I had a rough first round but qualified
for the repercharge.
In my repercharge I hit the others will two laps to go and pull 15metres
away and went on to secure a semi final ride. In my semi I led out the
two French big hitters but recieved excessive and obstructing contact
from a German rider which happened coming around the last corner which
moved me from 1st to 4th which mean I missed out on the 1-6final by
one placing. Our manager Craig Adair tryed to get the German rider DQ
but it did not happen and I rode the 7-12 final and placed 10th.
I am not happy with the results as I did not get a medal, it is a very
hard to do as a first year U19 but I know I could have if some decisions
had gone my way. I know that the lessons learnt will be to my advantage
to go better in future events.
Regards Sam
March 08
I just got back from the Track Cycling Nationals in Invercargill. I
had a reasonably good championship. I set a new NZ record in the sprints
with a time of 10.80sec for the flying 200, I also went on to ride Myron
Simpson in the final and get the New Zealand title. In the Team Sprint
Ethan Mitchell, Myron Simpson and I broke the NZ record and went on
to win the final easily by four seconds.
I did have two events where I didn't quite perform to my potential.
In the Kilometre time trial I rode a personal best in a time of 1.07.023
which placed me 6th which was a bit of an upset. Also the kierin heat
was shocking, I got bullied around by the older men in the elite grade.
I came back in the repercharge and rode a lot better but was unfortunate
to get pipped on the line.
All up I am very pleased with Nationals and am now awaiting the naming
of the Junior World Champs team to be announced and hoping I see my
name on the list.
November 07
Hey everyone!
I just got back from the Oceania Games in Invercargill. I was in the
New Zealand squad for the Track disciplines. I rode in the Sprints,
the kilo (1km time trial), kieren and teams sprint.
First up was the sprint qualifying. I rode a personal best of 10.91
I was absolutely over the moon when I heard that I had qualified second
after seeing very fast times posted before I began. To add to my excitement
only one other New Zealander had beaten me over all the grades.
I soon had to settle down and mental/physically prepare for the mac
daddy of pain, the kilo. It was the most pain I have ever been in, but
I loved every second of it! I rode a 1minute 7second kilo which apparently
is good for a first properly raced kilo. I recieved the silver medal.
Next was the match sprints, seeing I qualified second fastest i automatically
went to the quarter finals. I cleanly beat my quarter-final opponent.
I progressed to the semi-final. I rode against a second year experienced
Australian sprinter. I was over confident of my abilities and rode the
race exactly as he wanted me to. Both finishes were inches on the line.
The first photo finish was looked at for a long time but the second
only needed a few seconds, after this I had to regain confidence for
my Bronze medal ride. I came up against a rider of very simular abilities
to mine, After being dictated to in the semi-final I came into the race
with a set plan to ' make him swing' as one of the coaches told me after
explaining the tactics. I rode as was the game plan stated. I went on
to recieve a bronze medal and big lesson on never under estimating your
opponent.
On the last day of racing I still had the kierens and teams sprints
to ride. First up in the morning session was the kieren. I went into
my heat doubtful of my gear I was riding. I was unsure if it was too
small, but yet again Neil was right and I went through to the final.
Then towards the end of the morning session I had the teams sprints
to ride. We had a reasonably smooth ride and went through to the final.
Afterwards in the sum up of the team sprint we checked our last riders
bike and found he had the wrong gear on which gave us some more hope
for the final.
I returned to the track with a full stomach and mind set on two podium
place. The kieren with the elite few sprinters at the championship all
in one race. I was heavy out numbered 5 to 1 by the Australian team.
I was forced to fight for a decent position in the wind up stages of
the race. I had one rider rubbing shoulders with me for about 3 laps
but then I was keen on holding my position and let my presence be known
by giving the rider a few flicks. He just wouldn't go away. I resorted
to giving him an elbow, he responded with a head butt, the bike was
going to pull off in two laps so i decided to give him a head butt to
the hip. He recieved the message I wasn't going to give him my spot.
The motor bike pulled off, it was as if a tormented dog had been let
of it's cage, the pace just went through the roof. Being the only New
Zealander I was expecting to get swamped so I attacked. I made my way
around the pack, i was sitting paralell to the front rider, then he
and the rider behind him kicked and rode around the final corner slowly
pulling away from me, I saw this and was desperate for the bronze so
I swept down to the black line for the shortest line home. I was then
rolled down the front straight and was stuck in fourth.
After almost pulling out my hair in fustration I got prepared for the
teams sprint final. We were pumped. We had been narrowly beaten all
week by the Australians. The start was perfect, we whipped up the pace
and were up on the first lap, then it was my turn to do my lap. I was
gritting my teeth and pumping my bike for all the power I could get
out of the cycle city stickered bike. We were up on the Australians
after the second lap. As our last rider came through I was yelling at
him in support. We held off the Australians and became Oceania Champions!
The gold medal made the championship that much better. After seeing
the calibre and strength of the Australians I now have an idea of what
training I need to do for next time.
This championship was a big learning experience and I will take the
new knowledge and learn from it so hopefully my report this time next
year will be all gold.
September 07
This weekend down at National Secondary Schools Road Championships:
At the start there was an attack about 3km into the race. I assisted
a fellow Grammar Boy into the break and slowed down the peleton for
the two man break away to gain time. The break lasted 29km and at the
finish had 1minute 32seconds over bunch. At the end of the race the
bunch was coming up to the last corner at about 45km/h and the race
marshall was yelling "SLOW DOWN!" so the bunch slammed on
the anchors. I forgot to change to an easier gear to accelerate out
of the corner and that meant when I went to accelerate I dropped my
chain. After regaining my chain i had to sprint back to the bunch. I
started to gain on the bunch fast and then decided to do one 100% effort
from 1.2km out rather than do two smaller efforts which would be risky.
I took the kilo option and finished 2seconds infront of the bunch after
being able to free-wheel the last few metres.
In the criterium I had a shocker, the pace averaged near 45km/h and
was intense all through out. I was boxed in for the first sprint and
then my legs went to jelly and I couldn't contest in the sprints but
held bunch and finished in the top half.
My weekend was topped off when I came home to an e-mail from Bryan Simmonds
from BikeNZ saying I had made the New Zealand U19 Track team for the
Oceania Games!
All up it was a good weekend on and off the bike and was a good learning
experience for future School Boy Nationals
Cheers Sam
Achievements:
2006 Waterfront Series:
Auckland Junior TTT champions 2006
2007 Auckland Track Champs:
Winner of: Time Trial, Pursuit, Scratch, Sprint and runner-up in the
Points race
2007 Track Nationals:
U17 Golds - Sprint, 500TT, Scratch and Team Sprint
Silver - 2000m Pursuit
National Champion: Track: Time Trial, Sprint, Scratch,
Team Sprint
Holder of the U17 New Zealand record for the 500TT 34.6secs
2007 September
3rd U17 Nationals Secondary Schools Road Race
Other :
Climbed Alpe d’Huez! wit the Auckland Grammar School Trip 2007
2008 Auckland Champs:
1000m time trial-1.08.519min (2nd), sprint-11.262sec (1st qualifying)(2nd
matchsprints)
2008 Track Nationals:
Sprint- 10.805(1st in qualifying and matchsprints)(NZ RECORD), Team
sprint with Myron Simpson and Ethan Mitchell (1st) 47.370(beaten old
record by 2 seconds)
Why Cycling?
It is completely different from any other sport because it involves
physical attributes to ride, but also tactics to keep up and make attacks.Cycling
because i was inspired by Tyler Hamilton riding with a broken collar
bone and also Lance Armstrong winning 7 TdF
Current Age Group: Under 19’s
D.O.B: 16/07/91
School: Auckland Grammar School
Coach: Neil (Papa smurf) Ludlam
Favourite Discipline: Track Sprint, Keirin, mathch
sprints, Team sprints and kilos if i do good times :)
Favourite colour : Blue, Black, Red, white and chrome
Favourite types of movie: Cycling Documentary, Action
or Comedy
Favourite hobby: Cycling, Music and Cars
Other things i like to do : Listen to my music or
cruise the internet
Goals : Junior World Team Sprint Champion 2008, qualify
top 8 in sprints at JW 2008, JW sprint or keirin 2009, Senior Worlds
by 2012, Commonwealth Games 2014, Brake Justin Grace's 10.261 sprint
record before age 25
Started cycling : August 2005
Bike(s) : Black Dolan(Track) , Blue Advanti Pista(Track-only
as a spare), Black and red Specialized Tarmac(Road)
