Watkins, Higgins Sweep Men’s and Women’s Sprint Events

Carson, Calif. (October 6, 2008)—USA Cycling awarded the final 10 Stars-and-Stripes jerseys over the weekend as the 2008 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships concluded at the ADT Event Center velodrome at the Home Depot Center on Sunday.

Colby Pearce (Boulder, Colo./Garmin-Chipotle) claimed a pair of national titles, winning both the 30-kilometer points race and teaming up with Daniel Holloway (Boulder, Colo./Garmin-Chipotle) to win the Madison. In the points race, Pearce finished with 66 points after lapping the field twice and winning three intermediate sprints to finish ahead of silver medalist Kirk O’Bee (Ada, Mich./Health Het-Maxxis), who scored 48, and Holloway (35). With his third-place overall finish, Holloway also claimed the U23 national title in the points race.

In the Madison, Pearce and Holloway scored 38 points to beat Guy East (Indianapolis, Ind./CRCA) and Austin Carroll (Orange, Calif./Rock Racing), while the pairing of Ian Moir (Long Beach, Calif./Rock Racing) and Daniel Heeley (Hermosa Beach, Calif./Southbay Wheelmen) finished a lap down to place third.

In the women’s points race, Kacey Manderfield (Davisburg, Mich./Verducci Breakaway Racing), 22, won the event to claim both the elite and U23 titles. Manderfield was one of six riders to lap the field and won two intermediate sprints to score 34 points. Alison Powers (Boulder, Colo./Colavita-Sutter Home) was second with 29 points, while Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Philadelphia, Pa./Verducci Breakaway Racing) finished third with 27.

In the men’s keirin, Jimmy Watkins (Bakersfield, Calif./Momentum) outsprinted Justin Williams (Los Angeles, Calif./Rock Racing) and Lanell Rockmore (Bethlehem, Pa.) for the elite title.

For Watkins, it was his third title of the week after he also won the match sprint and teamed up with Dean Tracy (Colorado Springs, Colo./Land Rover-Orbea) and Kelyn Akuna (Elk Grove, Calif./Veritas Cycling) to score a team sprint championship.

Women’s sprinters also took center stage over the weekend as Cari Higgins (Boulder, Colo./Proman-Paradigm) completed a sweep of all three events. After her keirin title on Friday, Higgins won the match sprint and teamed up with Liz Reap-Carlson (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Verducci Breakaway Racing) to win the team sprint.

In the match sprint, Higgins initially qualified second behind Reap-Carlson, but eventually won the national title with two straight head-to-head victories over her in the finals.

Eventual fourth-place finisher in the women’s match sprint, Cristin Walker (Houston, Texas/Northwest Cycling Club), earned the U23 title.

2008 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships
Carson, Calif.
Oct. 1-5:

Men’s Points Race
1. Colby Pearce (Boulder, Colo.) 66
2. Kirk O’Bee (Ada, Mich.) 48
3. Daniel Holloway (Boulder, Colo.) 35

*U23 National Champion

Men’s Keirin
1. Jimmy Watkins (Bakersfield, Calif.)
2. Justin Williams (Los Angeles, Calif.)
3. Lanell Rockmore (Bethlehem, Pa.)

Men’s Team Sprint
1. Dean Tracy, Kelyn Akuna, Jimmy Watkins
2. Team Rock (David Espinoza, Lanell Rockmore, Justin Williams)
3. Hurricane Ike Serviv (Ryan Crane, Daniel Walker, Andrew Weathers)

Women’s Team Sprint
1. Proman-Verducci (Liz Reap-Carlson, Cari Higgins)
2. Home Depot Center (Becky Lang, Dana Feiss)
3. Team U23 (Cristin Walker, Andrea Fisk)

Men’s Madison
1. Garmin/Chipotle (Colby Pearce, Daniel Holloway) 38
2. CRCA/Rock (Guy East, Austin Carroll) 15
3. Southbay Wheelmen (Ian Moir, Daniel Heeley) 20, -1

Women’s Match Sprint
1. Cari Higgins (Boulder, Colo.)
2. Liz Reap-Carlson (Jim Thorpe, Pa.)
3. Colleen Hayduk (Kutztown, Pa.)
4. Cristin Walker (Houston, Texas)*

*U23 National Champion

Women’s Points Race
1. Kacey Manderfield (Davisburg, Mich.) 34
2. Alison Powers (Boulder, Colo.) 29
3. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Philadelphia, Pa.) 27

*U23 National Champion