Location: Manchester Velodrome, Manchester
Event: 6-12 October 2013
Report: Larry Hickmott
Day four of the 2013 UCI World Masters Track Cycling Championships saw no less than 17 rainbow jerseys awarded on a big day of finals. There was sprinting, pursuiting and scratch racing providing plenty of opportunity for riders to make a name for themselves on the boards of the Manchester track.
Seven countries struck gold on day four with Great Britain doing the best with six Gold ahead of Australia with five and the USA with two. Riders from New Zealand, Latvia, Finland and Denmark all heard their national anthems played as well.
Men's 35-39 Sprint
The men's 35-39 sprint saw gold for Scotland's Bruce Croall, a rider chasing a place in his national team for the Commonwealth Games. Croall won his second gold medal of the week beating fellow Briton Adam Welch two nil in the finals.
Croall was untroubled in his semis and final rounds but the same could not be said for bronze medallist Dario Zampieri. In the final race of the night in a decider, Zampieri finally got the medal he was chasing after beating Morne van Greuning of South Africa in a manner that belied how close this battle had been for the third step on the podium.
Men's 40-44 Sprint
Ainars Kiksis, a three time Olympian with medals at World Championships on the track as a junior and senior, showed his class by eclipsing his rivals during the gruellnig two day sprint competition. His final challenger, Gavin White of Australia, put up a brave challenge for the gold medal but Kiksis was just too strong and it was a breath of fresh air to the competition to see such world class athletes competing.
In the battle for the bronze, the competition was just as fierce between John McClelland (Gbr) and Matthew Glanville (Aus). Savvy endurance rider McClelland was too quick in the final dash to the line and took bronze in two straight runs.
Men's 45-49 Sprint
A multiple winner at the World Masters over the years, Australian Chris Murray saw off the challenge of Britain's Philip Houlton with just the one 'win' after Houlton was relegated in the second of the matches to gift gold medal to the Australian. Brian Abers won an all USA final for the bronze medal, taking the match in two straight rides.
Men's 50-54 Sprint
Australia's Geoff Stoker added another gold medal to his extensive collection in the men's 50-54 sprint. Stoker saw off Great Britain's Adrian Dent with two rides whilst in another all USA final for the bronze, Wil Zegers defeated Rich Rozzi.
Men's 55-59 Sprint
Great Britain's Dave Legrys saw off fastest qualifier Jay Wolkoff (USA) to win the gold medal in two straight rides. Once again there was a all USA battle for bronze with Richard Voss decisively beating James Thiele.
Men's 35-39 Individual Pursuit
Sprinter and tandem pilot Barney Storey succeeded in a new challenge by winning the Pursuit for 35-39 aged riders.
Storey, renowned for his world records and Gold medals in sprint events as a pilot of a tandem, reminded everyone how capable he is as a solo rider beating USA's Jason Meidof by nearly a second.
Storey was then presented with his rainbow jersey and gold medal by his even more successful wife, multiple paralympic champion Dame Sarah Storey.
Bronze went to Storey's clubmate, VC ST Raphael/Waite Contracts' Andy Stuart, after beating Canadian Mathieu Charruau. The competition for the medals overall was probably the closest of any age category with so many riders within a second or two of each other over the 3000 metres.
Men's 40-44 Individual Pursuit
More gold for Great Britain, a country with a rich history in pursuiting, as Scotland's Arthur Doyle beat Ricardo del Barco of Argentina in the race for gold. Britain's Matt Postle beat Ireland's Hugh Postle in the race for the bronze medal.
Women's 35-39 Individual Pursuit
Rebecca Wheadon of Australia was the winner of this nail-biting gold final against Ireland's Susie Mitchell whilst Adel Tyson Bloor (VC St Raphael/Waite Contracts) beat fellow Brit, Caroline Harding, for the bronze.
Women's 40-49 Individual Pursuits
Due to the small number of competitors in this category, there was only one final for gold (45-49) won easily by Britain's Janet Birkmyre against Maria Mora of Spain. In the 40-44 age category, there was gold for Erin Criglington of New Zealand who beat Emma Sainsbury-Munn of Great Britain. Bronze went to Cheryl Fuller Muller of the USA.
Women's 50-54 Individual Pursuit
Tara Unverzagt of the USA won the Gold medal from Ireland's Orla Hendron with Britain's Christine Higgs fastest in her bronze medal final.
Women's 50+ Individual Pursuit
A gold for Finland in the 50-54 Women's Individual Pursuit as Arja Scarsbrook won yet another rainbow jersey beating Bonnie Woodbury of the USA in the gold medal final. Bronze was award to third fastest qualifier Heather Sanderson of Great Britain. In the 55-59 category, Gold went to Jennifer Sammons who had been the fastest qualifier for all the 50+ plus riders. Jenni Nicholson of Great Britain took home the silver medal.
Men's 60-64 Scratch Race
Australian David Gomer won this 20 lap event by gaining a lap solo and whilst others tried the same thing, they were all swept up in the argy bargy rush to the line where the silver was awarded to Britain's Andrew Donaldson from Patrick Gellineau of the USA.
Men's 65-69 Scratch Race
This race came down to a bunch kick won by Denmark's prolific winner of world masters titles, Steffen Munch Hansen who had dominated the front of the peloton over the closing laps. Second was Britain's Michael Allen whilst Mark Rodamaker of the USA was third.
Men's 70+ Scratch Race
In the most contentious final of the night, the rider first across the line, Victor Copeland (USA) was relegated to second after a protest from his fellow countryman Michael Williams who donned the rainbow jersey on the podium later.
Leo Menestrina was 'only' third despite the vociferous encouragement from the side of the track to make it a 1-2-3 for the USA. Medals were awarded in two categories with Williams, Copeland and Menestrina the top three in the 70-74 category whilst in the 75 plus category, Britain's Roland Crayford led a 1-2-3 of Brits with silver going to Brian Dacey while Laurence Rissbrook took bronze.
Men's Over 50 Scratch Race (32 laps)
This event was a non championship race and after a fast pace over the thirty two laps where much of the original peloton was left struggling adrift of the back, Chris Davis won the big prizes including a big bottle of Duvel ahead of Ken Roesner and late attacker off the front, Ian Greenstreet (Gbr).
