Pirates: Ward clinches Aussie under-21 title (From Bournemouth Echo)

Pirates: Ward clinches Aussie under-21 title

7:00am Monday 18th January 2010 in

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PIRATES’ record signing Darcy Ward admitted it took the “gate of my career” to fend off some fierce competition and lift his second straight Australian under-21 title.

The 17-year-old triumphed at Mildura on Saturday after roaring from trap four to trounce Birmingham reserve Justin Sedgmen, Brit Josh Auty and Somerset’s Sam Masters in the A final.

World under-21 champion Ward had been widely tipped to face little serious competition in his quest for the national junior crown.

But his rivals had other ideas as Masters topped the heat scores with 14 points, ahead of Sedgmen on 12.

Ward notched 11 from his five rides after falling while leading heat eight and being pipped by Masters in race 13.

These setbacks counted for little in the final, but Ward knows his fellow Aussie young guns have no intention of letting him dominate the competition.

He said: “Everyone thinks it’s just going to be easy for me but it’s never easy in Australia.

“There are some good riders in this country and it’s not easy.

“There was a bit of pressure and everyone expects a lot, given that I’m the world under-21 champion and it was an under-21 meeting.

“I had a bit of a crash in the second round of races and hurt my back.

“It put me off track a bit but I managed to get to the final.

“I had third choice (of gate) and I went to have a look at the gates with my mechanic, (King’s Lynn rider) Joe Haines.

“I wanted to go from two if someone didn’t choose it, but Sam picked it so I decided to go for the extreme outside.

“I was just going to go for a cutback, but fortunately I made the gate of my career and won. It was a beauty.”

Even a heavy spill for Ward in his second outing was not enough to knock him off his stride.

The Pirate was dumped hard on his back after catching a rut in his second outing.

Fortunately for Poole, the Queenslander is certain he will be fighting fit ahead of his return to Europe for the new Elite League season.