Maindy Stadium
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The Maindy Centre is a cycle track and swimming pool facility in the Maindy area of Cardiff, Wales. The cycle track was used in the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
The cycle track was well known for it's slight uneveness, caused by subsidence as the stadium is build on the site of an old tip. There was a six lane cinder running track inside they cycle track at one point, but this has since been removed. There was also extensive seating and covered area with a judges box in the 1960s, on an area which is now a grass bank behind the back straight of the cycle track.[1] At that time, the finish line on the cycle track was located at the opposite side of the cycle track to it's current location.
Despite the opening of the indoor facility, Newport Velodrome, in 2004, Maindy remains to be used extensively for training and racing and hosts many events such as the Cardiff International Grand Prix.[2] It is used in particular for teaching youngsters to ride, as the bankings of the track are not as steep as the majority of velodromes, and therefore perfect for those new to the sport. The concrete surface is also used for floodlit training sessions during the winter, where road bicycles are used as opposed to track bicycles.
The cycle track has recently been resurfaced, seeing an end to the characteristic red asphalt surface which covered it for several years, funded by the Eddie Smart memorial fund.
The Maindy Flyers childrens cycling club is also based at the stadium, and boasts past members such as Geraint Thomas. The British National Derny Championships were held at the stadium in 2007, local riders and past members of Maindy Flyers, Alex Greenfield and Katie Curtis came second and third respecitvley. Another past members of Maindy Flyers, Matthew Rowe, finished third in the men's championships.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Photo of Cardiff, Maindy Stadium c1960. Francis Frith.
- ^ 2008 Track Major Events Calendar. British Cycling (11 January 2008).

