Whittingham: Set the pace ©John Cassidy Photography

First, on Friday, record holder Canadian Sam Whittingham, who had cycled virtually unchallenged through the week-long event, upped his fastest speed by 0.56mph (0.9kph) to 77.59mph (124.87kph) - the third time he had set a new mark this week.

His run also set a world record, over the one kilometer distance, at 76.32mph (122.83kph), marginally improving on the 75.23mph (121.07kph) he set yesterday.

However, Whittingham was then given the fright of his life by maverick American HPV rider Matt Weaver who, on his very first run at the event, recorded a career fastest speed of 77.40mph (124.56kph). This was an astonishing improvement of more than 8mph (12kph) on his previous best and a mere fraction away from Whittingham's record.

Riding his Kyle Edge vehicle, which is navigated by video camera, Weaver's run also set world records for average speed over one kilometer (76.44mph/123.0kph) and one mile (75.51mph/121.52kph) distances.

Sam Whittingham's new kilometer record stood for just a matter of minutes and his mile record for one day.

The stage is now set for a titanic final day showdown between Whittingham and Weaver, who will go head to head in a battle to decide who is truly the fastest man on earth under their own power.

 

	Weaver: Record breaker ©John Cassidy Photography

Weaver's achievements were vindication of his true capabilities and the best possible riposte to his critics. He had lived up to his reputation of being late for events by only turning up on Thursday. But his very first run has suddenly put a completely different complexion on the event.

Three world records were also set in the tandem category.

American riders 'Fast' Freddy Markham and Chris Springer, riding the Double Gold Rush vehicle, set a new fastest speed of 68.36mph (110.0kph) over the 200 meter distance, thereby improving their record of 66.87mph (107.61kph) set on the first day of this week's event.

The pair also reclaimed their world record speeds over the kilometer (68.91mph/110.89kph) and the mile (68.51 mph/110.26kph/) distances, which had been 'stolen' from them midweek by the collegiate Bearacuda team from the University of California at Berkeley.

The Bearacuda team suffered from a slipped chain which ruled out any chances of setting record-breaking speeds. They now depart for the USA collegiate trials in California and will not be able to participate in the last day of the event.

Ironically, the only team not to have broken a world record all week is the British Blueyonder team, which had piled hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of investment into their vehicle and brought 2000 Olympic cycling gold medallist Jason Queally along to power it.

 

Queally: Larging it in Nevada ©John Cassidy Photography

Having achieved a speed of 101.47kph/63.05mph, about 14mph (23kph) short of the speeds set by Whittingham and Weaver, Queally admitted their machine was too large and would have to be redesigned if it was to have a chance of breaking a record in the future.

However, Queally himself is unlikely to stay with the team since his attentions next year will center on the Commonwealth Games, to be held in his home city of Manchester, in England.

Consolation came in the fact that Blueyonder was still the sixth-fastest single rider vehicle ever built and it had broken the 60mph (96.56kph) barrier in only its second and third runs – a feat previously unheard of in the world of human powered vehicles.

- Ash Potterton