Post date: May 30, 2014 11:36:6 PM

Hello Vets,

A bumper issue of the Bleat this week;

• Gunning 2 Event report

• Our Club's "Every Day Heroes"

• Clothing Specials

• Narrabundah Velodrome

• Racing this Week

• Race Report

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

Ian Morton.

ps If you miss The Weekly Bleat, you can find archived copies: here.

Gunning 2 Event report

You know an event is off to a good start when the club president and club handicapper are just two of those offering to help as marshalls. If the trend persists, we will need to publish selection criteria to guide us choosing helpers for Gunning 2015!

Warmish weather, albeit very windy, good bunch sizes and safe riding made the 2014 Gunning Two Day a memorable one. All stages started on time and results were available quickly, despite printer troubles for the time trial. All in all a great event, thanks to the riders and the enthusiastic group of experienced helpers.

The event commemorates the late Peter McLennan, who was tragically killed in an accident over 5 years ago. Peter worked very hard to build club numbers up, lobbied for a criterium and first suggested the race vehicle we all benefit from.

The prologue time trial started right on time and riders were off, plunging down towards the Fish River and up to what seems an impossibly steep climb. Most grades finished within 30 seconds from fastest to slowest and the B and C grade times were almost identical. Standout times were the Mankewich / Carruthers time in A grade at 5.07 and Charles Nicoll's blistering 05.14. Jeff Culnane's F grade winning time would not have been greatly out of place in A grade.

Stage 1 was a 50 km road race to Breadalbane for all grades with sprint primes on the Cullerin range. A grade let the tandem break away, a mistake not to be repeated the next day. Memorable sprints from Sean Ifland (B), Terry Moore (D) and David Gunther (E) saw convincing wins respectively, while Jeff Culnane raced the line for F grade with over a minute in front. Mark Taylor in C grade could only have been millimetres in front and in a hotly-contested race, at least 3 members came back to the finish line, just to double-check that the line judge had not changed his mind ...

Spare a thought for Lynne Prentice, in her first ever race, finishing G grade with dogged determination. Al Bontjer finished hoping the NRMA would have unlocked his car for him. He had inadvertently locked it many hours before, having found out the hard way that it auto-locks after 30 seconds, whether the keys have been taken out or not!

Sunday was warm, but with the usual strong headwind. In some years, not many return for day 2, but in 2014, large bunches started. There were many tired riders and it was not too long before Ashley Sked returned, having being tipped off about a Terry Moore attack up towards Cullerin, which he led out. With not enough racing under the belt this year, the effort cost him his chance and with some irony, later caused Terry to drop to the back of her grade.

Strong surges were obvious at the half way point, where riders took on water bottles. It is always inspiring to see Reinhard Mauch, who gets faster each year, off the front of B grade.

With 2.5 hours' racing all done, the final sprints were memorable. Christophe Barberet reprised his 2013 effort, with an almost 20 second gap over Mark Harris. A dozen B grade riders came in almost together, while in C grade, Dave Hennessy, desperate to avoid duplicating yesterday's photo finish, came flying up the hill well clear of all chasers. D grade charged across the line in close succession while in F grade, Jeff Culnane cemented his placing with a 20 second gap.

G grade rode a very tactical race on each day, with a convincing final sprint from Lindsay Graham. Leon Horsnell was not far behind, sprinting in small chain ring with legs pumping furiously.

Congratulations to the overall winners from the grades: Christophe Barberet (A), Sean Ifland (B), Mark Taylor (C), Geoff Strang (D), David Gunther (E), Jeff Culnane (F) and Lindsay Graham (G).

This year, the Gunning Showground was unavailable, so the Race Committee provided an equivalent refreshment and temporarily one-armed club president Alex O'Shea handed out medals and trophies, signalling the conclusion of a most successful event.

Many volunteers helped out, giving up their chance to ride. Sally Thompson clocked up over 150 km escorting bunches up and down the Gunning - Breadalbane road.

The club is very appreciative of the efforts of: Alex O'Shea, Bill Frost, Clare Darcy, Elton Ivers, Frank O'Sullivan, Henry Beaverstock, Jan Koehler, Kathryn Passalis, Mary Lovett, Michael Hanslip, Nick Boylan, Richard Bourne, Richard Gorell, Robert Langridge, Rosemary Robinson, Ross Robinson, Sally Thomson and Vince Dunn.

And a special thanks to Bill Frost for race refereeing for the 2 days.

Our Club's "Every Day Heroes"

In 4 weeks’ time I am heading off to Europe for the ride of a life time- some mornings I wake up and wonder what I have let myself in for! I am part of Team Rynkeby- 24 Australian riders and 3 support crew, joining 6 Danish riders and 7 support crew, who will ride from Denmark to Paris – approximately 1200km over 7 days!

Now you may understand why I am just a little anxious! We are going to be the first Australian Team in a big Charity ride that takes place every year in Denmark, with around 20 teams heading off from various points across Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and we will all meet up about 15km out of Paris on the last day and ride into the Eiffel Tower.

It is a big charity ride that raises money for children with Cancer. Our Aussie team has been fundraising for the Australian Charity – Kid’s Cancer Project. My boss at work is Danish and when he heard about this ride a number of years ago he thought it would be a great idea to put in an Australian team- I foolishly said I would go, half thinking it wouldn’t happen- but it is – starting Friday 4th July.

You may have seen a team of yellow clad riders on yellow bikes riding around town over the last few months- well that is what we are doing. If you would like to donate to this great cause you can do so on my Every Day Hero pagehttps://teamrynkeby2014.everydayhero.com/au/sue-frost you can also find out a bit more about Team Rynkeby at http://www.team-rynkeby.com.au/team-rynkeby-8.aspx

Wish me luck- I think I will need it!

Sue Frost

suefrost@tpg.com.au

Monaco Movie Night

We have our Monaco Movie Night this Friday night and we would love you to come along to support us and contribute to this great cause.

Cheers.

David Gunther

https://teamrynkeby2014.everydayhero.com/au/david-gunther

Clothing Specials

The Club has some stocks of Ventou Club Clothing the we are look to shift.

As a special offer, Club Clothing Officer, Linda Stals, will be bringing it along to the Apollo Rd race on the 14th June where it can be had for the special price of $20 per item.

The Club will also be offering a 20% discount on the TriplePlay Jerseys and Vests and 40% discount on Knicks.

Narrabundah Velodrome

The recently upgraded Narrabundah Velodrome has been booked by the Club for the summer Track season.

The racing will be on Wednesday Evenings.

Note that only Track Bikes are allowed on the course. The committee is looking at some loan track bikes if there are any roadies who want to participate.

RACING THIS WEEK:

Saturday, 31st May – Old Federal Highway Handicap

Where: Gravel Pit, Old Federal Highway and Shingle Hill Way

When: 1:30pm

Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.

Race Description:

Old Federal Highway - Shingle Hill Way - Lake George x 2

Race Director: Graham Hendrie

Contact: Email hendrie@netspeed.com.au Ph 0415 552 343 or 6288 1544

Assigned Marshals

The nominated marshals for this event are;

• Damien Pollard

• Jessica Baird

• Russell Marston

• Bruce Jones

• Lindsay Graham

Please confirm with the Race Director that you are available. If you unable to make the date that you have been rostered please find a replacement.

Saturday, 7th June – Uriarra Homestead - CANCELLED

The race on the Queens Birthday Long Weekend has been cancelled due to a clash with a CCC/Vikings Event on part of the course, low attendance number on holiday weekends and the expected increase in traffic on Uriarra Rd.

RACE REPORT:

Dog Trap Road Memorial Secret Handicap – 24th May

For what seemed like the 100th Saturday in a row, the day started in gloom, but conditions were good for racing and although it may have been a little breezy for some, it was certainly great marshalling weather. This handicap is a memorial race dedicated to those members no longer with us. We can remember riders such as David Gould who marshalled at this very race last year, but died in September last year.

Secret handicaps are all about the start, positioning and hanging on for grim death. Some of the club's greatest proponents of this art came to the fore once again, while others were rewarded with guts and determination. Geoff Strang was the starting commissaire, and he did it in Aussie style via a white ute rather than poking his head out of the sunroof of a some trendy Skoda. The neutral start is designed to give everyone at least some chance of getting their feet in their cleats before the hostilities begin. In theory, if everyone just stuck to the wheel in front there'd be no gaps, but by the first turn it must have been carnage--and Bernie Crowe was not grinning like a Cheshire cat sitting on the back of Peter Wallbrink's wheel.

In the first group were the A graders Peter Wallbrink, Michael Hanslip, Brendan Byatt and Tom Hartley plus B grader Mark Langman. The next group was Don Mankewich and Ashley Carruthers on the tandem, Marc Vroomans and Sean Ifland. Also of note was Alex Sommariva who managed to surround himself with Kathryn Passalis, Ally Roche, Kirsti McVay, Rosemary Robinson and Belinda Wren at one stage. We thought Graham Hendrie was a good chance in F grade but somehow he managed to ride most of the way solo.

Mark finished at the back of the first group, led by Peter with the fastest time, and shot to first on handicap thanks to the 5-minute advantage B grade were given. Sean got second by winning the sprint of the second group against the "dregs" of A. Phil Anderson got third on handicap by being dragged the entire 45km by Ashley Sked and Russell Marston. Owain Tilley bounced back from his Gunning disappointment, finishing with the second B grade group to get fourth overall, and was a surprising four minutes faster than C grade Gunning champ Mark Taylor.

Well done to all the riders for staying upright, and thanks to the marshals: President O'Shea, Daniel Grillo in the trail car, Terry Merrigan on the top turn, Phil Coulton on the chute, the lonely David Dickson on the bottom turn, the ever calm Henry Beaverstock as time keeper, Luke McGowan as photographer and Geoff Strang front car and starter.

Thanks to Robert Langridge for race refereeing.

Photos posted at: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/106785649313394162009/albums/6016974737784066465

Thanks to contributing photographers:

James Meredith, Alex O'Shea, Luke McGowan

Late Arrivals

A reminder about arriving in time to register and receive the pre-race briefing.

There were a couple of instances on Saturday of riders either arriving late or being off warming up and missing the pre-race briefing. It is a condition of our insurance that all riders are fully briefed by the Race Director. Riders who fail to attend the briefing will find themselves being disqualified.

Lost and Found

A Lezyne black and silver pump was found on the road at Dog Trap Rd.

Daniel Grillo can be contacted on 0427 297 052 if someone wants it before next week's race, otherwise he'll bring it along then.