Track squads breaking records on the way to Rio

Lining up for the women's team sprint. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

Laura Brown (left) of the team pursuit squad and Annie Foreman-Mackey. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

A pursuit bike stands ready on the track at the Milton velodrome. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

The women's team pursuit squad of (from left) Georgia Simmerling (Vancouver), Kirsti Lay (Montreal), Jasmin Glaesser (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Allison Beveridge (Calgary) and prepare to take on the Canadian TP record. They broke the 4,000 metre national record, unofficially, in their ride against the paralympic tandem team of Daniel Chalifour (Mont-Laurier, Que.) and Jean-Michel Lachance (Quebec).Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

The team pursuit squad down to three without Allison Beveridge. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

Endurance coach Craig Griffin has instructions for the women's team pursuit squad. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

Paralympic tandem team Daniel Chalifour (pilot) and Jean-Michel Lachance raced against the women's team pursuit squad. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

Jasmin Glaesser following her effort on the track. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

Kirsti Lay and coach Craig Griffin. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

Keirin rider Hugo Barrette. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

Kirsti Lay and Hugo Barrette Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

Member of Team Canada headed to the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon

On Friday in Milton, Ont., the women’s team pursuit squad and team sprint squad broke some national records. While the times are unofficial, they show the strength of the riders heading to Rio.

Sprinters Kate O’Brien and Monique Sullivan, both of Calgary, powered around the boards of the Mattamy Cycling Centre. Jasmin Glaesser (Coquitlam, B.C.), Kirsti Lay (Montreal), Allison Beveridge (Calgary) and Georgia Simmerling (Vancouver) of the women’s team pursuit squad faced off against the Paralympic tandem team of Daniel Chalifour (Mont-Laurier, Que.) and Jean-Michel Lachance (Quebec) in a 4,000 metre event.

“This was a dress rehearsal for the women’s team pursuit,” said Jacques Landry, high-performance director at Cycling Canada, “and it was the brainchild of [women’s track endurance coach] Craig Griffin. It offered us an awesome opportunity to go through our systems and make sure we had everything dialed. We have enough time now to make any minor adjustments that need to be done.

“The athletes are coming out of it with some confidence after unofficially setting Canadian records, and it gives a measure of confidence to staff, coaches and athletes alike. All in all, it was a great success as we come up to less then a week before we fly to Rio.”