Post date: Apr 22, 2014 6:6:29 AM

Hello Vets,

In the Bleat this week;

• Para-Cycling World Championship - Congratulations to Vets Members

• From the desk of the President

• Getting Ready for Gunning

• Race Craft Masterclass

• Racing this Week

• Race Report

Please send me your contributions at: TheBleat@actvets.cc

Ian Morton.

ps A reminder that if your EMail address is not correct please go to the IMG system, login and update your contact details. Use this link. Login details should have been sent when you renewed your membership

Para-Cycling World Championship - Congratulations to Vets Members

Congratulations to the following members for their performance at the Para-Cycling World Championships in Mexico;

• Sue Powell - Bronze medal 500m TT, personal best 39.335s (Australian Record?) at 45.761km/h

• Brandie O'Connor and Breanna Hargrave (SA) - Silver medal 1000m TT, Australian Record 1:07.520 at 53.318km/h

• Paul Kennedy and Tom Clarke (ACT) - Bronze medal 1000m TT, personal best 1:02.640 at 57.471km/h

• Sue Powell - Gold medal 3km Pursuit (including a NEW WORLD RECORD: 3:56.135)

• Brandie O'Connor and Breanna Hargrave (SA) - Silver medal Women's Sprint

• Paul Kennedy and Tom Clarke (ACT) - 4th Men's Sprint

From the desk of the President

Dear Members,

Thank the members who have volunteered to marshal for the winter season . . . so far. We have about 60% of the required marshals. We have had a very good response from new members as well as the old hands, but could do better from some of our more regular racers. A further response is needed. We are still short of marshals for the races after Easter: 26 April and 3 May.

Please send your marshal nominations to the Race Committee providing your contact details, the number of races you will marshal at and any race/date preferences;

- Name.

- e-mail.

- Mob. No.

- Marshal experience yes/no?

- No. of races I will marshal for 2014 winter season

Please indicate preferred events, else leave blank and race committee will allocate you to a race or keep you in a pool for any back-filling.

WINTER 2014 RACE PROGRAM

I look forward to your nominations!

Happy and safe racing,

Alex O’Shea

Club President

Getting Ready for Gunning

A reminder that the Gunning 2 Day is coming up on the weekend of the 17/18 May. That’s just over a month away so better get those kms into the legs to get ready.

More details to follow as we get closer to the date.

Race Craft Masterclass

Session information

The Race Craft Masterclass session is designed as a combined skills and race simulation session and is suitable for anyone who wants to improve their race results through a better 'rider management' throughout the race.

The session will cover a broad range of skills, tactics and race scenarios, including:

• • How to correctly prepare for a race - mentally and physically, including warm ups and course reconnaissance.

  • Advanced bunch skills, including: close contact, positioning, picking the right wheels, bunch cornering and maintaining position.

  • Learning how to read a race

  • Understanding and making the most of team tactics as a team rider and an individual racer.

  • Practical race nutrition, including feed zone skills.

The session will include a number of mini races to provide the opportunity to demonstrate, learn and practise these skills. This is a great way to learn but it's also great fun, especially when done with your friends and team mates so get them along as well so you can practise together.

When: Sunday 20th April 2014.

Time: 9:00am and finishing at 11:00am.

Location: Stromlo Forest Park Criterium Circuit

The session is open to all CA affiliated club members and Australian Vets Cycling club members. Junior riders U15 and above are welcome but they should have good bunch riding skills as the session will include a number of 'close' riding situations.

To register for this session or to view more information please visits the Race Craft Masterclass page of the website

RACING THIS WEEK:

No racing this weekend due to the Easter Long Weekend.

RACE REPORT:

Lookout Hill Time Trial – 12th April

Saturday was a day for the tough men and women of vets to test themselves over a 20km TT course which left from Lookout Hill, turned around in Tharwa Village before riding to the Point Hut turn point and then onto finish at the top of Lookout Hill. There was a collective groan from riders when it was announced that the finish line would be at the top of Lookout Hill rather than the normal racing finish of halfway up the hill.

Whilst it was sunny and warm, there was a strong southerly blowing around 35-40km/h. The conditions tested the riders straight out of the blocks as they headed directly into the wind on the leg down to Tharwa. The normally hard slog up the long uphill back towards Lookout Hill would have been made easier with the strong tailwind. Indeed, riders were flying through the start finish point with some of the fastest people clocking around 70km/h down Lookout Hill. There were a couple of people who chose to go with full disc rear wheels and they really seemed to benefit on the downwind sectors and had a handy advantage over those riders without. However, it must have been a struggle in the crosswinds and the final climb up Lookout Hill.

Looking down from the top of the hill it certainly seemed as though a lot of the riders had used all their tickets just getting to the bottom of the hill. Hard pistons that had been pumping in a great rhythm seemed to stop; it was out of the saddle swinging from side to side as the lactic acid built up in muscles forcing a lot to seize up in a slow upwards grind. The exception to this was Antony Bishop the only rider who stayed seated the whole way up the last climb. Maybe it was no surprise that he finished with the fastest time of the day by a clean 17 seconds. Mind you Steve Crispin who had the second fastest time of the dat was on a road bike with no aero or TT getup assistance.

Its very hard to gauge how people are travelling in comparison to everyone else with the spread of riders up and down the road. However, Damien Pollard, Owen Tilley (looking sharp in his full aero kit, including an aero bottle), Kerry Knowler, and the tandem were looking quite quick on the road. Once the numbers were added up by Graham, Antony Bishop was first in A Grade, Damien Pollard in B grade, Owain Tilley in C grade, Jeff Gough in D grade, Tony Beasley in E grade, John Barlow and Cameron Ermet in F grade, and in a great ride in tough conditions Jing Huang in G grade.

Thanks to all the marshals who assisted on the day. I might add that all marshals confirmed their availability before the actual event which makes it easier on the race director.

• Ben McDuff – Tharwa Village turn

• Mark Skimmings – Point Hut Road intersection

• Heather Sommariva – Point Hut Road turn

• Peter Marshall – great job holding the riders at the start and cow bell ringing at the top of the hill

• Rowan McMurray – Traffic control on the top of Lookout Hill – there were a couple of close timings with riders scheduled to leave as cars came over the hill. Rowan did a great job of slowing these cars down to let our riders get away cleanly and most importantly, safely.

• James Meredith – Sign on and start control

• Henry Beaverstock – start control and overall calming influence

Thanks Rohan Verco race refereeing.