Dominant Oceania Championships Campaign for Australia

Australia have concluded the 2013 Oceania Track Championships on Saturday night with a haul of nine gold medals taking the countries Oceania gold medal count to 28 for the four days. On the final night of the championships, Australia again showed its dominance winning all finals on offer with Olympians Matthew Glaetzer (SA), Annette Edmondson (SA) and Kaarle McCulloch (NSW) all finding top spot on the podium. However it was Sydney rider Ashlee Ankudinoff who stole the show after bagging a total of four gold medals for the championships. Ankudinoff won the women?s 20k points race on the final night of competition (28 points) over New Zealand?s Alysha Keith (21 points) and Georgia Williams (NZ) on 17 points. The win capped off what was a very successful Oceania campaign for the 22-year-old with victories in the team pursuit, individual pursuit and the 10km scratch race. “I’m really happy coming to a major event like the Oceania Championships and winning, it is such a great feeling,? Ankudinoff said following her points race win. ?I was?bitterly?disappointed when I missed out on selection in the Australian Team that went to the London Olympics and now I am really enjoying racing again. My?preparation was good and my results showed that,”?Ankudinoff explained. Matthew Glaetzer again shone when he clinched gold in the keirin final from Andrew Taylor (NSW) and Jaron Gardiner (NZ). The win followed Glaetzer?s gold in the men?s sprint the night before and in the team?s sprint with Lewis and Alex Bird (ACT) on the opening night of the championships. London Omnium bronze medallist Annette Edmondson (SA) added an Oceania title to her Omnium collection when she dominated the event, winning all six events over West Australian?s Isabella King (12 points) and New Zealand?s Sequoia Cooper (23 points). The gold was Edmondson?s second for the championships, adding to her team pursuit medal with teammates Ankudinoff and Isabella King (WA). ?I wasn?t sure how I would go at the championships because I had such a long break after the Olympics, but I am really happy to come away with winning all six events in the Omnium,? Annette said following her win. ?To do a personal best time in round one the flying lap has given me so much confidence heading into the rest of the season,? Edmondson concluded. Kaarlee McCulloch got revenge on her younger rival Stephanie Morton (SA) in the women?s sprint, defeating the 22-year-old in straight heats. The win came after Morton toppled McCulloch for the women?s keirin title on Thursday night. The win was McCulloch?s second for the championships after she took out the 500m time trial victory on Wednesday. The sprint bronze medal went to senior debutant Taylah Jennings (QLD) after she won her battle with New Zealand?s Steph McKenzie in the third heat. In the women?s under 19 omnium it was Josie Talbot (NSW) who reigned supreme, winning three out of six events including the flying lap, points race and the scratch race finishing on 19 points. Tasmania?s Lauren Perry (19 points) ended with silver after claiming round four, the 2000m pursuit, while Elissa Wundersitz finished strongly for bronze (22 points). The men?s Omnium went to South Australian Luke Davison following four of six event wins to finish on 10 points, nine ahead of second placed Pieter Bulling (NZ) on 19. New Zealand?s Cameron Karwowski took bronze with 28 points. Victoria?s Jay Castles won the men?s U19 Keirin final it what he described as a career highlight. “That’s the biggest thing I have ever won no question about it,? Castles exclaimed after the race. “I hit turn three and said to myself, ?I can win this race, I can seriously win this? and the rest is?history and I am?absolutely?stoked. “I have a lot of my here including my grandparents so I couldn?t be more pleased,? Castles said. In the women?s under-19 15km points race, Elissa Wundersitz (WA) won gold with 13 points ahead of Laura Heywood (NZ) on 10 points and Ruby Greig-Hurtig (VIC) on 8. The final event for the championships saw Luke Davison and Alex Edmondson (SA) claim victory in the men?s Madison, the duo collecting 27 points over two laps. Under 19 pair of Jack Edwards and Joshua Harrison claimed silver with 7 points while Miles Scotson and George Tansley collected bronze after securing 11 points in only one lap. The win took Davison?s gold medal tally to three following his victory in the men?s team pursuit (with Miles Scotson (SA), Alexander Morgan (VIC), Mitchell Mulhern (QLD), and the men?s Omnium. Edmondson was forced to withdraw from the earlier days of competition after falling ill to food poising, however the 18-year-old was able to recover in time for the championships? final event. The 2013 Cycling Australia Track Omnium and Para-cycling championships will be held on December 13 and 14 before the National Madison Championships are contested on December 15 at Melbourne?s DISC velodrome.