Two Southland cyclists wrote their names in the national record books at the Southland Track Cycling Championships recently.
Under-19 rider Emma Cumming broke fellow Cantabrian Oliva Podmore's three-year-old record of 35.818 seconds, with a ride of 35.295s in the 500 metres time trial.
According to coach Karl Watson, they were not expecting to break a national record at the event, given that Cumming has been focusing her training on the New Zealand Championships early next year.
"She smashed it, which is surprising," he said.
"We were just using it as good training for the nationals and so for that time to pop out came from left field."
The quality of the ride impressed Watson.
"She would smash everybody at nationals with that time, that is a world class time," he said.
Cumming got fourth in the 500 metres time trial at the UCI Junior World Championships earlier this year and a silver in the women's team sprint.
"We are focusing on the Junior World Championships again," Watson said.
"She should be able to qualify for it based on the times she is doing."
Masters World Championship gold medallist Erin Criglington, now riding in the Masters Women 2 category, broke the national record of 2.38.130 set in March 2012 with a 2.36.373 ride in the 2000m individual pursuit.
Both cyclists have been named in a strong preliminary Southland squad for the National Track Championships in February next year.
The selectors not only named riders to represent the province in Cambridge, but also picked various development squad cyclists who can still make it to the event through training.
The North Island Elite riders to join the squad will be named next year.
Southland cycling squad for 2016 National Track Championships
Elite men, Josh Haggerty, Fabian Wybrow.
Elite women, Makayla Smith.
Under-19 men, Hamish Beadle, Bradly Knipe, Sam Miller, Mitchell Morris, Jack Pedler, Tom Sexton, Magnus Tuxen Rosing; Development Kain Bowles, Brayden Holland, Hayden Strong, Ty Wilson.
Under-19 women, Ellesse Andrews, Emma Cumming, Nicole Shields; Development Rhiannon Brown, Emma Mcleod.
Under-17 boys, Hamish Keast, Jamie McIntyre, Nepia Ruwhiu, Corbin Strong, Ewan Syme; Development, Dylan Holland, Bradley Jenner.
Under-17 girls, Lucy Dawkes, Maddy Gough, Tayla Lumsden, Nicole Marshall, Emily Paterson; Development Helena Rikiti.
Under-15 boys, Hunter Gough, Josh Miller, Jake Willis; Development, Sam Clark, Josh Meulenbroek, Quinn Naylor, Cody Harvey, Hamish Turnbull.
Under-15 girls, Rhylee Akeroyd, Jenny Brown, Natalie and Tyla Green; Development Emma Capil, Ally McLeod.
Masters men Brendan Akeroyd, Andrew Lienert, Brett Roulston, Derek Tan, Mike White, Jon Andrews, Wally Kopae, Roger Nicholas, Neil Familton, Peter Grandiek; Development Nick Barclay, Craig Sadlier, John Scott.
Masters women Leanne Dalley, Kylea Gough, Kara Roderick Wandless, Sonya Barton, Erin Criglington, Sam Kopae, Nicola Stevens; Development Lynn Grace.
Photos and article courtesy Stuff