BikeNZ has named a 13 strong team of junior track riders, including Southland's Emma Cumming, Makayla Smith, Tom Sexton and Hamish Beade, to contest the Oceania Championships in Australia in October.
The team will form the basis of the next echelon of development riders to be considered for the 2015 UCI Juniors Track Cycling Championships.
Coach Ross Machejefski said he and his fellow selectors were impressed with the emerging talent at the recent national age group championships and under-19 nationals.
“We have a strong team heading to the junior track world championships this year and a number of them are eligible for this team to the Oceania event,” he said.
“However we believe the Oceania Championships represent an ideal opportunity for us to look at the next group coming through and give them their first taste of international competition.
“This is an important part of their development for the following year as we look to nurture a deeper base of young talent for the future both on the track and the road.”
Leading the way is Palmerston North 17 year old Campbell Stewart, who has won a bundle of national titles over the last two seasons on the track while Southland’s Emma Cumming has produced some outstanding times on her way to sprint titles at the recent age championshiops.
The team is:
Female endurance: Michaela Drummond (Palmerston North), Makayla Smith (Southland), Ione Johnstone (Wellington), Lydia Rippon (Waimauku).
Sprint: Emma Cumming (Invercargill), Jaymie King (Taupo).
Male, endurance: Sam Dobbs (Cambridge), Lachie McGregor (Dunedin), Max Jones (Christchurch), Campbell Stewart (Palmerston North), Tom Sexton (Invercargill).
Sprint: Hamish Beadle (Invercargill), Sam Buckner (Christchurch).