Just last month, 21 Aussies, including SKCC members Ray & Marita Box, made the voyage over to Manchester in the UK (kitted out with bikes and spares) to compete in the world track titles. Some 300+riders from around the world competed in this event. Here is a summary from Ray of the goings-on in Pommie land.

 
Week one – Training with the poms prior to the titles at the Manchester velodrome (fantastic venue). The Manchester velodrome was fully booked out for training with riders every 2hr session from 6am to 10pm, every day of the week. A very popular venue (up to 40riders each session), fully supervised, with coaches directing riders.
 
Week two – World track titles begin ! 

• Marita’s age group was down in number with only 12 riders competing, but she rode her personal best in the time trial to get 4^th(Aussies won gold and bronze). It was to be a week of PB’s for Marita as she took 6^thplace in the sprints, also with a personal best time of 13.6sec for 200m’s.
   
• Ray’s age group was very well represented with over 70 riders competing, he rode a personal best in 12.60sec for the sprint to finish 11^thplace, and a personal best in 37.8sec for the time trial to finish 16^thplace.

 
Weeks three to six – Europe touring and party party party !
 
Week seven – Back in Australia, overweight and struggling to get back into training, perhaps we’ll start next week or the week after or the week after………
 
Ray & Marita are sorry they weren’t able to wear SKCC colours while competing as they had to ride in their sponsors kit. But they are happy to report that they did all of their training in SKCC kit.

This confused the locals somewhat as they actually thought they hailed from the island of St Kilda just north of England.

 
Contributor: Ray Box