TASMANIA’S dominance of female pursuit cycling continued last night with four of the state’s world champions retaining their national titles.
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A day after Amy Cure successfully defended her individual pursuit crown at the national track titles in Melbourne, the West Pine 22-year-old joined Georgia Baker, 21, of Perth, and 19-year-olds Lauren Perry, of Launceston, and Macey Stewart, of Devonport, to reclaim their team pursuit title.
All four were already multiple junior world champions, with Cure having also claimed a senior world title on the track.
‘‘To retain our title is amazing,’’ she said.
‘‘We had the same group of girls and it’s not very often we get to train together ... (it is) such a good feeling to be able to do it with your Tassie teammates and represent such a small state.
‘‘We went in with a race plan ... everyone rode an awesome race, did what they had to do and executed it perfectly.’’
The Tasmanian team had earlier qualified fastest in the 4000-metre, 16-lap event, nearly two seconds ahead of all their rivals.
In the final they clocked 4:28.339 to finish 1.01 seconds ahead of the South Australian quartet of Alexandra Manly, Danielle McKinnirey, Chloe Moran and Cure’s regular international roommate Annette Edmondson.
The ACT team which took bronze included Rebecca Wiasak, who Cure had defeated in the individual pursuit final, and reigning Launceston Classic champion Kimberley Wells.
Capping a calendar year which has also seen her claim junior world titles on track and road, Stewart said it was an exciting final.
‘‘We knew it would be tough because the South Australians are such strong riders so we knew we had to work together as a team and think about each other on the bike,’’ she said.
‘‘We knew that if we stayed strong throughout the whole race and tried to bring it back in that last kilometre, which is our strongest point, and it went perfectly to plan.
‘‘We have a really strong team – four girls that are all world champions from Tassie is a pretty special thing to have ...’’
Stewart saw no reason why the team could not embark on an era of dominance in pursuit racing.
‘‘I think we’re all going to be sticking around for a few years yet so I think that’s something we’d like to aim for together as a Tassie team.’’
After back-to-back pursuit golds, Cure had to settle for silver in the event in which she is reigning world champion.
West Australian Melissa Hoskins won the points race with a total of 40, seven ahead of Cure and third-placed Manly, with Baker finishing at seventh.
Launceston’s James Robinson collected his second medal of the meet when he finished third in the under-19 men’s scratch final behind NSW pair Cameron Scott and Chris Bryan. Fellow Tasmanian Hayden Di Cocco-Grant came eighth.
Robinson, 17, who had earlier claimed a silver medal behind South Australia Rohan Wight in the pursuit, also finished sixth in the points race.