Alison Shanks
Encyclopedia
Alison Shanks is a New Zealand
professional racing cyclist, specialising in individual pursuit
in track cycling
and individual time trial
in road bicycle racing
.
, New Zealand. Shanks graduated from the University of Otago
in 2005 with a BCom Marketing (Hons) and a BSc in Human Nutrition.
Shanks began cycling in 2005, and soon enjoyed success. She competed at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
in Melbourne
where she finished fourth in the pursuit. She placed eighth in the pursuit during her first appearance at the World Championships
in 2006
, and improved on this to finish seventh in 2007
.
Shanks competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
in the Individual Pursuit, where she placed 4th overall after being defeated by Lesya Kalitovska
of the Ukraine
in the bronze medal
match. Prior to this, in defeating Sarah Hammer
of the United States
in her semifinal, she set a new personal best of 3:32.478 minutes.
She began her 2009 season by competing in the 2008–2009 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics in Beijing, she lowered her personal best once more with a time of 3:30.685 to take the gold medal. Shanks also rode the team pursuit with Kaytee Boyd and Lauren Ellis, in a time of 3:28.044, becoming the fastest qualifiers. They went on to take the gold medal in a time of 3:24.421, setting the second fastest time in the world behind the 3:22.425 world record set by Great Britain
at Manchester
in 2008.
Shanks then continued her great form by winning the 2009 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
Individual Pursuit in Pruskow
, Poland
on the 25th of March in a time of 3:29.807 beating Wendy Houvenaghel
of Great Britain
.
At the 2010 Commonwealth Games
, Shanks won a gold medal for the Cycling Track 3000m Individual Pursuit Women. She just nudged out Wendy Houvenaghel of Northern Ireland with a time of 3:30.875. She is due to race in the Cycling Road 29 km Individual Time Trial Women on Wednesday October 13.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
professional racing cyclist, specialising in individual pursuit
Individual pursuit
The individual pursuit is a track cycling event where two cyclists begin the race from a stationary position on opposite sides of the track.The event is held over 4 km for men and 3 km for women. The two riders start at the same time and set off to complete the race distance in the...
in track cycling
Track cycling
Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....
and individual time trial
Individual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
in road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
.
Biography
Born in DunedinDunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, New Zealand. Shanks graduated from the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
in 2005 with a BCom Marketing (Hons) and a BSc in Human Nutrition.
Shanks began cycling in 2005, and soon enjoyed success. She competed at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
where she finished fourth in the pursuit. She placed eighth in the pursuit during her first appearance at the World Championships
UCI Track Cycling World Championships
The UCI Track Cycling World Championships are the set of world championship events for the various disciplines and distances in track cycling and are regulated by the Union Cycliste Internationale...
in 2006
2006 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
The 2006 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were the World Championship for track cycling. They took place in Bordeaux, France from April 13 to April 16, 2006.-Medals table:-Medal summary:-External links:**...
, and improved on this to finish seventh in 2007
2007 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
The 2007 UCI Track Cycling World Championships is the World Championship for track cycling. It took place in Palma de Mallorca, Spain from March 29, 2007 to April 1, 2007...
.
Shanks competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in the Individual Pursuit, where she placed 4th overall after being defeated by Lesya Kalitovska
Lesya Kalitovska
Lesya Mihaylovna Kalitovska is a Ukrainian professional racing cyclist.-Career highlights:2005...
of the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
in the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
match. Prior to this, in defeating Sarah Hammer
Sarah Hammer
Sarah Kathryn Hammer is an American professional racing cyclist.-Career:Hammer is a four-time champion in the individual pursuit at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships....
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in her semifinal, she set a new personal best of 3:32.478 minutes.
She began her 2009 season by competing in the 2008–2009 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics in Beijing, she lowered her personal best once more with a time of 3:30.685 to take the gold medal. Shanks also rode the team pursuit with Kaytee Boyd and Lauren Ellis, in a time of 3:28.044, becoming the fastest qualifiers. They went on to take the gold medal in a time of 3:24.421, setting the second fastest time in the world behind the 3:22.425 world record set by Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
at Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in 2008.
Shanks then continued her great form by winning the 2009 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
UCI Track Cycling World Championships
The UCI Track Cycling World Championships are the set of world championship events for the various disciplines and distances in track cycling and are regulated by the Union Cycliste Internationale...
Individual Pursuit in Pruskow
Prusków
Prusków is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Zębowice, within Olesno County, Opole Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It lies approximately north of Zębowice, south-west of Olesno, and north-east of the regional capital Opole....
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
on the 25th of March in a time of 3:29.807 beating Wendy Houvenaghel
Wendy Houvenaghel
Wendy Louise Houvenaghel is a British racing cyclist from Upperlands, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, riding on both the road and track, but specialising in the latter...
of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
At the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
, Shanks won a gold medal for the Cycling Track 3000m Individual Pursuit Women. She just nudged out Wendy Houvenaghel of Northern Ireland with a time of 3:30.875. She is due to race in the Cycling Road 29 km Individual Time Trial Women on Wednesday October 13.