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Have you been to the Dunc Gray Velodrome lately?
No?
Well that's hardly surprising given the numbers that turned out for the
National Track Championships earlier this month.
I was there producing a one hour programme for SBS and was disappointed
- to say the least - at the poor turn-out..
Apart from riders' family members scattered in the vastness of the empty
stands during the six day carnival, there was hardly anybody there.
It was embarrassing.
And that's a shame!
The Dunc Gray velodrome was purpose-built for the Sydney Olympics.
You may recall of the political in-fighting when surburban Bass Hill was
chosen as the surprising location instead of Homebush Bay where most of
the other Olympic stadia were built. Track cycling at the highest
level is a delight to watch for sports lovers and that was on show at
Dunc Gray. The standard of competition was extremely high as it
always is.
Even the much-publicised "stoush" between future brothers-in-law Ryan
Bayley and Shane Perkins failed to attract the masses in the days
immediately afterwards.
So why the lack of interest? I feel there are
various reasons.
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1. Location. Very few people know exactly where
the velodrome is, and even after they find it in their UBDs they
still refuse to travel the distance to western Sydney.
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2. The Bankstown area has a population which is
not necessarily interested in watching or participating in cycling.
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3. The area has no public transport access. A
private car is the only way of getting to Dunc Gray as the nearest
railway station (Yagoona) is three kilometres away.
It's not say there is a lack of interest at all.
My thoughts are that many people would love to watch top-notch cycling
if it was easily accessible. Given the lack of numbers this year,
Sydney will certainly lose the rights to host either the UCI World Cup
leg, let alone the Nationals, in future. Travel to Melbourne,
Adelaide or Tasmania and the indoor velodromes in those cities are
packed to the rafters for every carnival - no matter how big or
small.The recent Revolution series in at Melbourne's Vodafone Arena was
testament to that. Track cycling produces more world and Olympic
champions from Australia than swimming and athletics does, yet these
sports receive blanket media coverage on every occasion. The Dunc
Gray Velodrome was named after one of Australia's finest cyclists, but
there's a growing fear the venue will become a "white elephant" and made
redundant with every passing day.
Michael Tomalaris
Journalist/Presenter/Producer
+61 2 9430-3043
+61 (0)414 586052
Official Live Broadcaster of:
2007/2008 UEFA Champions League
2007 Tour de France
2007 IAAF World Championships
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