Jessica van Bentum (scouting wide) returns home from the worlds in Argentina to compete in the fifth annual Speed Skating Wanganui St Johns Club Rivercity Tour this weekend. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
Jessica van Bentum (scouting wide) returns home from the worlds in Argentina to compete in the fifth annual Speed Skating Wanganui St Johns Club Rivercity Tour this weekend. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
A Quality field will line up in the women's class at the Speed Skating Wanganui St Johns Club Rivercity Tour this weekend with three elite athletes returning from international competition to compete.
The field will include defending champion Jessica van Bentum, who has just returned from a season training andracing in Germany. And just last week van Bentum joined her NZ Junior Worlds teammates Rebecca Smith and Palmerston North's Daina Gibbs at the world championships in Roserio, Argentina.
Wanganui's Melissa Whyte should also be a strong contender with Valley Inlines Georgia Hurley.
Meanwhile, the men's ranks at the fifth annual Rivercity Tour will not be as strong with the country's elite skaters still arriving back from the world championships.
In the Premier Men's class, locals Andrew Jones and Eden Smith should have a good battle with Palmerston North's Shane Miehare.
The closest racing is expected in the B grade women's class where there will be strong competition between the Wanganui girls and the Masters grade where World Masters Marathon Championship silver medallist Krystine Davies will take on the men.
Highlights of the tour program will be the racing on the newly-configured Kowhai Park track when racing begins at 9.30am on Saturday with the 660m time trial around Mitre 10 Mega in the evening. The men's trial is sponsored by Keown Honda, while Creative Aluminium has sponsored the women. Other stages are at the Velodrome at 1pm Saturday and the Jubilee Stadium at 9am on Sunday. There is no charge for admission and the public is welcome to attend the exciting spectacle.
