More than 20 cycling teams race for glory at OCBC Cycle Speedway Championships
Allied World Quantum Racing A crossed the finish line to win the OCBC Speedway Club Championships for the second year in a row
SINGAPORE, 6 May 2023 – Allied World Quantum Racing A and OCBC Bank emerged victorious at the OCBC Cycle Speedway Championships at the Singapore Sports Hub today. On OCBC Cycle’s 15th anniversary, more than 20 teams took part in the annual event’s Speedway Championships, a mainstay in Singapore’s cycling competition calendar.
In total, 14 teams battled for glory in the Club category, which featured both returning and new cyclist teams. This includes past winning teams, such as 2022’s champion Allied World Racing, and 2019’s and 2018’s champion Specialized Dynasty Mavericks. The Corporate category also saw the participation of past winners like the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and OCBC Bank.
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP: Allied World Quantum Racing A clinches the trophy
The team from Allied World Quantum Racing took top spot in the hotly contested Club category of this year’s Speedway Championships
The Club Championship kicked off the day's events at Singapore Sports Hub for the OCBC Cycle Speedway Championships. The race had a thrilling conclusion, with Allied World Quantum Racing A securing a victory against second-place Specialized Dynasty Mavericks A. Allied World Quantum Racing A finished first with a mean timing of 17min 56.1s, followed by Specialized Dynasty Mavericks A who finished in second place with a razer-thin margin with a mean timing of 17min 56.5s.
Allied World Quantum Racing A’s Mr Daniel Cooper, 32, felt that teamwork is essential in their win. He said: “Winning together makes the difference. It is not about crossing the line first. You have to think about how to use everyone. You have to win as a team.”
Mr Matthieu Bedard, 42, who is also part of the Allied World Racing A team, said: “It was very important to maintain intensity throughout all 15 laps of the race, including into and out of the corners. It was even more tiring due to the qualifying heats before the finals.”
CORPORATE CHAMPIONSHIP: OCBC team takes home the honours
OCBC Bank cruised to their first victory at the seventh attempt
The Corporate Championship featured teams representing organisations such as the SCDF, Dyson and the eventual victors, OCBC Bank. The OCBC Bank team clinched the win from the second-placed SCDF.
The team from OCBC Bank put on a stellar performance, clocking in a mean time of 19min 36.3s. SCDF finished in second place with a time of 19min 44.7s. Advanced Micro Devices took third place with a finishing time of 20min 0.4s.
OCBC Bank’s Mr Donald MacDonald, 51, said: “I am ecstatic and proud to win this with my teammates. The team has competed seven times in this event, but it is our first time winning. It is a combination of hard work and team effort. We have been training hard all year on top of our work schedules.”
The OCBC Cycle Speedway Championships’ race format features teams of four riders, split into two pairs, riding a total of 10 laps around the one-kilometre Stadium Drive circuit. Two cyclists ride the first five laps before handing over to their teammates for the remaining five laps. Teams are ranked based on the finishing time of the second pair of riders.
In addition, our youngest participants took part in the Mighty Savers® Kids and Family Rides, which came back in person after being held virtually for the past three years. Over 300 children between the ages of 2 to 12 years old joined in the festivities, including children from OCBC Cycle’s Teach-a-Child-to-Cycle corporate social responsibility programme.
OCBC Cycle 2023 continues with The Sportive 40KM Ride and The Straits Times 20KM City Ride on 7 May, and the Virtual Rides and Spin Ride by CRU from 6 May to 5 June.
More details on OCBC Cycle 2023 can be found at https://ocbccycle.com.