UCD Sports Scholarship student, Louise Moriarty, nudged closer to her ultimate goal of qualifying for the Beijing Olympics by claiming her maiden victory in an international overseas track race yesterday. The race series was staged at a packed 5,000 capacity Vodaphone Arena in Melbourne on Wednesday 19th of December. The UCDCC rider won the Points race, beating the second-placed rider Tess Downing by two points.
Here’s how the race unfolded: Aggressive racing from the outset saw a slew of lead changes and an enthralling contest. Jessica Berry (Jayco VIS) took the first of the six sprint race. Almost immediately Josephine Tomic counter attacked only to be reeled in just in time for the second sprint, won by Canadian star Gina Grain. As Tess Downing (Drapac-Porsche) picked up points in both sprints, she now shared in a 3 way lead with the two sprint winners.
Nicole Whitburn (HIT Racing) launched after the second sprint, but couldn't shake off Tomic and Downing. Tomic won the sprint, but the second place points moved Downing to eight and into the lead. With the field together again, Berry sprinted to her second win and back into the lead, while Grain's three points saw her share second place with Downing.
Whitburn's second attack went unanswered, allowing her to take the penultimate sprint, with Downing leading the bunch in pursuit to reclaim the lead, a single point ahead of Berry. An attack by Julia Bradley in the final laps, and a successful pursuit from UCD Cycling Club’s Louise Moriaty saw those riders share the top two places at the finish, with Berry unable to figure in the points. Downing celebrated the win, before discovering to her dismay that the final sprint was worth double points, vaulting UCD’s Moriaty to the top step of the podium. It also came as a surprise to the architecture student who also wasn’t aware of the double points for the final sprint, which propelled her to the race win ahead of Tess Downing with Gina Grain and Jessica Berry finishing joint third.
Nab Revolution Points Race Elite Women
1 Louise Moriarty 13
2 Tess Downing 11
3 Gina Grain 10
3 Jessica Berry 10
Not long after her win in the Points race, the Belfield student lined up for the Women’s Scratch. After the action packed Points race, this race was a little sedate in comparison, with the only serious attack coming from Peta Mullens (Jayco VIS) at two to go. While the rest hesitated, Kate Cullen (Scotland) chased, and after catching the local rider, powered on to take the win. Liz Georgouras outsprinted Commonwealth Games points race silver medalist, Rochelle Gilmore (Menikini Gysko) and Gina Grain for the minor places. Louise finished in eighth position in this race.
Nab Revolution Scratch Race Elite Women
1 Kate Cullen
2 Liz Georgouras
3 Rochelle Gilmore
8 Louise Moriarty
Next on the agenda for the recently named UCD’s ‘Club Rider of the Year’ is a track meet in Tasmania from December 26th to Jan 1st. She then competes in the Bay Criterium series in Melbourne from Jan 2nd to 6th before flying to USA where she will continue to push for Olympic qualification. She is set to participate in the Scratch race in the Los Angeles World Cup on January 18th and in the Points race the following day.
She will go there in fine form and with confidence brimming in the hope of taking on the best in the world and adding to her tally of world ranking points amassed to date. As we enter 2008, Louise is edging ever closer to that Olympic dream of competing in the Laoshan Velodrom in Beijing’s Shijingshan District in mid-August.
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