Cameron Woodward fifth in World Long Track Championship - September 2013

September 19, 2013 by Gillman Media

Mildura’s Cameron Woodward has finished fifth in the 2013 World Long Track Championship – the highest placed finish ever by an Australian in the Championship.

The previous highest was set only last year (2012), also by Woodward, when he finished sixth.

Prior to that the only top ten finishes by Australian riders had been John Titman tenth in 1984, Steven Baker eighth in 1987, Jason Crump seventh in 1995 and ninth in 1996, Shane Parker tenth in 1996, Steve Johnston ninth in 1997 and Craig Watson ninth in 2001.

This year’s Championship was run over six rounds and Woodward went into the sixth and final round in Morizes, France yesterday with a serious chance of an overall top three finish.

Finnish rider, Joonas Kylmäkorpi, who rode some meetings at North Arm in Adelaide as a teenager, all but had the Championship wrapped up with 108 points, but it was close for the other rostrum places with Jannick De Jong on 88, Josef Franc 84, Richard Hall 83 and Woodward 80.

Unfortunately, although he outscored De Jong and Franc yesterday it wasn’t enough to improve his overall standing.

The final standings were 1.Kylmäkorpi (Finland) 126 points, 2. De Jong (France) 97, 3. Hall (England) 96, 4. Franc (Czech Republic) 91 and 5.Woodward (Australia) 90.

Woodward’s fifth place, however, guarantees him of a start in next season’s championship.

Main photo: Cameron Woodward in action during the South Australian Long Track Championship at the Kapunda Harness Racing Club’s track in 2012. Photo by www.jdmphotos.net