Van Bentum, Smith wreck rivals' plans - February 2015
UPSETTERS: Former WHS students Rebecca Smith and Jessica van Bentum are Europe-bound after causing an upset in the senior women's relay at the 2015 NZ banked track championships in Timaru.
WANGANUI teammates Jessica van Bentum and Rebecca Smith couldn't have had a better lead-up to their European adventure than their upset win in the senior women's relay at the NZ banked track championships in Timaru.
Timaru's Nicole Begg continued her domination of the senior women's individual events, taking all the available golds. Van Bentum, showing much improved form from January's road championships, took all the silver medals with the exception of the 300mTT, in which Manawatu's Daina Gibbs pipped her for second.
Smith was a strong third in the 1000m and fourth in the 15k elimination, 500m and 300mTT.
With only two Wanganui girls racing against their three-person teams in the 3000m relay, Timaru backed themselves to take gold and silver. They loaded their No1 team with their strongest skaters and put Begg in the No2 team. The intention was for her to control the pace to let the No1 team get away and then to sprint ahead for the win at the finish.
However, the Wanganui duo refused to play ball and attacked. They kept the pace high, leading Timaru No1 and forcing Begg to skate a bigger share of the laps to keep her No2 team in the hunt.
On her final leg, Smith attacked and led Begg into the final exchange, putting van Bentum in front with one lap to go. The crowd were on their feet as van Bentum held an exhausted Begg at bay into the final bend and scrambled home for a tremendous victory.
Van Bentum, Smith and Daina Gibbs leave for Germany in March to train and race European In-Line Cup events for several months. They will be coached by multi-world champion Kalon Dobbin as part of his Arma Wheels team.
Wanganui's Eden Smith dominated the intermediate men's field to win his first national titles in the 300mTT, 500m and 1000m. It was a fitting reward for Smith who spent the road and track nationals doggedly chasing ice-skating star Zac Biggs, who was overseas for this event.
Andrew Jones faced a class senior field dominated by Christchurch's Ollie Jones but went well, posting the third-fastest NZ 300mTT time and making the 500m final. He and Smith also came third in the men's 3000m relay behind Christchurch and two Czechs.
Drew Brennan had a great national debut in the primary boys' and was unlucky not to win a title. In each of his races with Hamilton's Jackson Fellows, the pair out-distanced the field. Alas, inexperience and some bad luck cost Brennan, but he still bagged four silver medals.