Commonwealth Games 2018: Fans get an inside look during track cycling
A SELECT group of fans will give the world’s best cyclists some pre-ride advice when the track racing gets underway at Anna Meares Velodrome during the Commonwealth Games.
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A SELECT group of fans will be the first in Australia to witness Commonwealth Games cycling events from inside the velodrome.
They will also get to steal a pre-race chat with cyclists, according to Commonwealth Games champion Stephanie Morton.
About 150 guests will be situated inside the track at Anna Meares Velodrome during one of the seven sessions over five days from April 5.
It will be the first time the premium seats have been offered at an international meet in Australia.
For information on premium GC2018 hospitality package, email hospitality@goldoc.com
They will be within a handlebar’s reach of Gold Coast Games officials, coaches, support staff and riders.
It’s the first time the premium seats have been offered at an international meet in Australia.
The first Commonwealth Games to offer inner-track hospitality was Glasgow in 2014, where Morton took home gold in the Women’s Sprint.
The practice of allowing fans to enjoy watch and celebrate from inside track has added an exciting dimension to racing, said Morton.
“They are blown away and keen to ask questions and learn about the sport and for us it’s really cool to see them quite excited about cycling,” Morton said.
“It adds an extra buzz to the middle because you have athletes and staff and officials and then you have the corporates looking over your shoulder while you’re warming up.
“Given the right time, they’ll lean over and have chat, so it adds that bit of extra atmosphere.”
Not only do the guests cheekily question competitors, but they can be the first on the scene to congratulate them as well.
“If you’ve done well, they’ll lean over and congratulate you or they’ll ask a lot of questions because many of them haven’t been this close to serious track cycling before,” she said.
“It’s quite an intimate environment and I can’t think of too many sports when you can get this up close and personal to the athletes.”
Morton’s unfazed by the attention and said a lot of cyclists appreciate the adulation and admiration shown by fans.
The 27-year-old had one tip for anyone fortunate enough to be seated within the inner track at Chandler during medal presentations — turn your mobile phone to silent.
“I haven’t heard a mobile phone, but when it does go quiet for those serious moments in sprint final or a medal presentation it may be a good idea to have them on silent,” she said.
“You don’t want to be like one of those people at the movies when their phone goes off and it’s all quiet.”
For information on premium GC2018 hospitality package, email hospitality@goldoc.com
Originally published as Commonwealth Games 2018: Fans get an inside look during track cycling
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