Cycling: Skinner and Paul among talent in action at Sir Chris hoy Velodrome

Columnist and Senior Features Writer

Friday 26 October 2012

Callum Skinner, the new British sprint champion, and his team-mate John Paul, who was junior world sprint and double European junior champion in 2011, will be among the home-grown talent in action at the Scottish National Track Championships in Glasgow from this evening.

Custom byline text:

Susan Swarbrick

The pair, who train together at British Cycling's Olympic Academy in Manchester and represent City of Edinburgh Racing Club, will meet in the sprint and keirin events in the first major competitive event to be staged at the new Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

Both have been tipped as future stars by Hoy and could be among Scotland's leading medal hopes at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.Glasgow-born Skinner, just back from a solid performance at the UEC Track Cycling European Championships, said he was looking forward to competing at the new venue, not least because of the sport's burgeoning public profile. "It's great to see the attention the sport is getting right now," he said. "The British nationals earlier this month were almost sold out; 10 years ago that wouldn't have been the case. "Hopefully, the success of the velodrome in Manchester is something we will see repeated in Glasgow. It would be fantastic to be able to build on that momentum and discover some new talent along the way."With the new Olympic cycle under way, Skinner was in buoyant mood as he looked ahead to the next four years. "In the past year those of us who didn't compete at London weren't ignored as such, but perhaps weren't given as much attention as those competing at the Olympics," he said. "Now that the next Olympic cycle is here, they are broadening that spectrum and starting to look at who the people to go to the next level could be. This year and next are going to be exciting because there will be a lot more support, opportunities to prove myself and hopefully become part of that select few who will go to Rio in 2016."Before then, though, a home Commonwealth Games looms large; it is a prospect Skinner is relishing. "I will be going full speed ahead for that one," he said. "I definitely want to go there with the goal to medal as best I can."The focus will be closer to home over the next few days as Skinner takes on Paul and other City of Edinburgh RC team-mates, Bruce Croall, Kenny Ayre and Matthew Haynes, in the keirin this evening and sprint tomorrow.The women's events boast strong fields, too, with Emma Baird, Charline Joiner, Kayleigh Brogan, Louise Haston, Katie Archibald and Julie Dominguez among the leading contenders. The three-day event will incorporate the Braveheart Cycling Fund's charity event, ThunderDrome, tomorrow featuring a guest appearance by Hoy, alongside the former world champion Graeme Obree and his famous bike, Old Faithful.Among the celebrity line-up will be the Paralympic tandem pilot and gold medallist Craig Maclean, the 2012 Olympic team sprint champion Philip Hindes, the German track star Robert Forstemann and English brothers Dean and Russell Downing.

Contextual targeting label:

Hobbies and general interest

Commenting & Moderation

We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.

Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.

Cycling: Skinner and Paul among talent in action at Sir Chris hoy Velodrome

Commenting & Moderation

MOST READ

SPONSORED LINKS

MOST COMMENTED