FOLLOWING in the tyre tracks of her grandfather, sixteen-year-old cyclist Shannon Craggill is making her mark in the elite ranks of Australian women\u2019s cycling.<\/p>\n
Jumping on a bike at the Ballarat Sebastopol Velodrome, Craggill first tried track cycling when she was 12, falling in love with the sport alongside road cycling.<\/p>\n
The Damascus College year 11 student then gave fixed-gear road racing a go in late 2018, when the sport was brand new to Australia.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of freedom in cycling. It\u2019s a really fun and enjoyable sport because the community is great, and there are a lot of opportunities,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Offered the chance to race at many small club events, state and Australian-level competitions in the velodrome or on the road, Craggill was a contender at her first national meet at the age of 13, before nabbing a top title a few years later.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve just become old enough to do the Road Nationals in Ballarat, so 2021 was my first year participating in the elite women\u2019s fixed-gear criterium race, which I won.<\/p>\n
\u201cWinning that race means I get to wear the Australian colours, and because fixed-gear racing is still reasonably new to Australia, winning in one of its first years is an honour,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes fixed-gear races are based on time, but the one at the Road Nationals was 12 laps of Sturt Street. It\u2019s definitely one of my favourite events.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Good Friday, Craggill competed in a fundraising criterium in Hawthorn, where she placed third in the A grade section of elite women.<\/p>\n
For the second year in a row, she is part of junior developmental team, R.A.C.E VMG. She is an ambassador for Cycles Galleria, and a member of the FedUni WestVic Academy of Sport.<\/p>\n
Later in the month, Craggill will be part of a two-day road racing event in Casterton, but is already looking ahead to the 2022 calendar.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of my goals for next year is to win the Australian jersey again at the Road Nationals.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year, I\u2019ll be training so I can get into more fixed gear racing, achieve good results, and keep my title,\u201d Craggill said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like to do more fixed-gear racing overseas.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOLLOWING in the tyre tracks of her grandfather, sixteen-year-old cyclist Shannon Craggill is making her mark in the elite ranks of Australian women\u2019s cycling. Jumping on a bike at the Ballarat Sebastopol Velodrome, Craggill first tried track cycling when she was 12, falling in love with the sport alongside road cycling. The Damascus College year […]<\/p>\n