Cycling: Busy time for new U19 road champ

Martyn Williamson
Martyn Williamson
Alexandra's Sophie Williamson might ride for Southland but she is one of Otago's rising stars.

The 17-year-old Dunstan High School pupil won the under-19 girls road race at the national club championships in Wanganui over the weekend.

She outsprinted Auckland's Georgia Williams to add another national title to her name.

Williamson won three age group titles at the national track championships in Invercargill in March and was selected for the New Zealand Under-19 side which will contest the world track championships in Moscow in August.

The teenager has been touted as the next big thing and has a busy schedule ahead of her. She will compete in the Tour of Taranaki over Queen's Birthday weekend and in July she is heading to the United States for three or four weeks to get in some track racing and will link up with the New Zealand team in Switzerland in early August.

Sophie's father and coach, Martyn Williamson, said it was a lot to take on "but the important thing is she really enjoys it", he said.

"She has taken on quite a big load this year and has to do a lot of her school work by correspondence because she has already had a lot of time off and will need more time off.

"Outside going to school and training there is not much time left for anything else."

Otago cyclists won three gold medals and a bronze medal at the national club championships. Sixty-three-year-old Ross Gamble won the masters seven men's road race and had earlier claimed bronze in the time trial.

Jan Brosnahan won gold in the masters four women's time trial and Paula Anstey won gold in the masters five women's time trial.

Cycling Otago president Chris Henderson said the results could have been better had the province's top riders not had some dreadful luck.

Promising rider Patrick Jones was hoping for a podium finish in the under-19 road race but had a mechanical failure. He dropped his chain at a crucial time and had to chase but could not get back on the peloton.

Otago's top female riders also caught the bug. Corrine Smit, who finished fourth in the road race last year, and Reta Trottman were both caught up in a crash.

And Kat Jones has been in good form, but her race ended when she punctured.

"When you puncture in these types of races there is no way back," Henderson said.

Despite the rotten luck, Henderson was pleased with the results in the masters categories.

"We always expected our masters to go pretty well, which they did."

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