I failed as a photographer today. I am struggling w/ the focus on w/ the new lenses, they are great for portraits, but just don’t focus fast enough. I think I will go back to my old lens on the track.

Women started racing today, each day they are doing a miss and out and a madison. Each partner rides a miss an out, then the teams come together for the madison. This will be the format all week. The woman’s field is stacked...with riders who have ridden very few madisons. Shelley started the day off hot, taking 2nd in her elimination (miss an out every 2 laps), she was coming around gilrs like she comes around Holloway. Unfortunately she experienced some growing pains in the first madison, her and Sissy never got a chance to practice any throws, and went into the race cold. Thats like stepping up to bat without taking a practice swing. The race was about as sketchy as a madison can be, eventually shattering at the onslaught by former Jr. World Champ and world cup (scratch) gold medalist Vera Koedooder and her teammate Kristen Wild, winner of Het Volk. Only two teams could limit the damage to one lap, the British duo of Alex Greenfield Katie Colclough and uber world/olympic/cross/road/track champ Marianne Vos and teammate Henning. Shelley and Sissy ended up missing a bunch of throws early, and had to chase all day, eventually going down 3 laps, and finishing in 8th place (of 13 teams). One missed throw on a 200m track can cost a lap. They felt better together by the end, and should be right in the mix the rest of the week.

The men raced too.