An on-fire New Zealand women’s team pursuit group continued their outstanding form with an allcomers record on the opening night of action at the UCI Oceania Track Cycling Championships in Cambridge.

The New Zealand quartet of Bryony Botha, Ally Wollaston, Emily Shearman and Michaela Drummond caught Australia within 2000m in the women’s team pursuit, but continued on to clock an outstanding 4:09.210 for the 4000m journey.

Despite being held-up while they overtook their opponents, New Zealand went on to clock 4:09.210 which took 1.5s off the New Zealand Allcomers record set at the UCI World Cup in Cambridge five years ago.

“We were pretty happy with that one,” said Botha. “We discussed it before and decided we could either catch them and call it a day, or go around them and go for it, and go for the track record.

“Mickey (Michaela Drummond) set us up really well and we kept coming through on schedule, caught the Aussies and tried to pass them as quickly as possible, and then it was a fight to the end.

“That we decided not to just accept the win but go for it, fits us all to a tee. We don’t just want to settle for a win, but we want to achieve greatness.”

The group also incorporated five riders in their programme today with Nicole Shields riding in the qualifying round.

The New Zealand men’s quartet of Daniel Bridgwater, Keegan Hornblow, George Jackson and Tom Sexton edged Australia in the men’s team pursuit in an exciting race. New Zealand were up by just 0.1s at the halfway mark, but stretched it to over a second at 3000m and win in 3:52.155, as the Australians closed to only 0.6s behind in an exciting final.

The elite team sprint men’s honours went to Australia over the Te Awamutu combination in 43.543s.

World Champion Ally Wollaston showed her class in winning the 40-lap scratch race, drawing up to leaders Sally Carter (AUS) and Shearman on the closing lap and sprinting clear for the victory.

Without an injured Ellesse Andrews and an ill Olivier King, the New Zealand sprint trio could not match Australia in the women’s team sprint. The visitors won in 48.345 with New Zealand 0.9s behind.

Australia triumphed in the 60-lap elite men’s scratch race, won by double world champion and Olympic medallist, Kelland O’Brien from New Zealanders George Jackson and Marshall Erwood.

The competition continues until Sunday with New Zealand’s leading Para cyclists competing from Thursday.