Andrews claims her first title at elite level

Halberg Emerging Talent winner Ellesse Andrews grabbed her first elite honour on the second day of the Oceania track cycling championships in Adelaide yesterday.

The 18-year-old former Wanaka rider won the elite women’s 3000m individual pursuit title at the Adelaide Super-Drome to head the New Zealand performances on a day dominated by the host nation.

The other title for New Zealand yesterday went to Cantabrian Laurence Pithie, stepping up from the under-17 grades to win the junior men’s individual pursuit.

Andrews, who was sixth at the Commonwealth Games in her first individual pursuit over the longer 3000m distance, clocked 3min 35.379sec to top qualifying in the afternoon and won the final over Australian Maeve Plouffe in 3min 38.380sec.

Clyde teenager Nicole Shields, a junior world track medallist last year, stepped up to the elite ranks to finish third.

Andrews started strongly but the Australian began to close the margin before the Kiwi reacted to win by 3sec.

"I am pretty stoked, to be honest. I have not done an IP for a few months and I was unsure what I was aiming for," Andrews said.

"So to do 3:35 for my first one which is not far off my PB and to back that up with the finals ride just a little bit slower but get the gold was pretty cool, too.

"I knew it was pretty tight and started to press it down with three or four laps to go and managed to keep the gaps."

Andrews said the move to the longer 3000m suited her.

"I quite like it. I approach it very differently and I have to learn to hold the pace and just rip my legs off really. It is good to learn new skills to be able to ride the 3km."

Shields, a team-mate of Andrews in their junior world championship pursuit medal two years ago, was pleased with her podium effort.

"It’s the first ride of the season after coming off a big winter block. It is a good start to build on and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season."

Pithie was fastest in qualifying for the junior 3000m individual pursuit in 3min 21.378sec and was a fraction slower in winning the final a few hours later in 3min 23.212sec, holding off Australian Oliver Bleddyn by 2sec.

In other rides, Emma Cumming and Olivia Podmore were second and third respectively behind world and Commonwealth Games team sprint champion Kaarle McCulloch in the 500m time trial.

Zac Williams was the best of the  elite riders in the men’s 1000m time trial, pushed out of the silver medal position by just 0.03sec, while Commonwealth Games medallist Campbell Stewart was third in the omnium in his first track appearance after returning from a road contract in Europe.

The competition finishes tonight.