Post date: Nov 07, 2016 10:52:47 PM
Hello Vets,
In the Bleat this week;
• Racing this Week
• Race Reports
Please send me your contributions at: TheBleat@actvets.cc
Ian Morton
Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
A/C 5:50 A 38m+2, C 33m+2
B/D 6:35 B 38m+2, D 33m+2
E/F/G 7:15 25 min + 2 laps
Race Director: Roger Northcote
Contact: Email: roger.northcote@border.gov.au Ph 0467736580
2 x marshals required for this event
The Program for Wednesday is as follows:
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice;
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 8-lap graded scratch race;
6.20pm – 6.40pm: 2-Lap SS Time Trial;
6.40pm – 7.10pm: 10-Lap Snowball;
7.10pm – 7.30pm: Italian Pursuit.
Where: Uriarra Homestead, intersection Uriarra Rd and Brindabella Rd.
When: 9:00 am
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description: Uriarra Homestead - Mt McDonald - left to short turn - Top of Crossing - Mt McDonald - short turn - top of crossing - finish
Race Director: Ian Albrey
Contact: Email ecmija@home.netspeed.com.au Ph: 0467 606 046
5 Marshals will be required for this event. Please contact Ian if you can assist.
A pleasant but windy evening greeted us again for racing, with the main concern on the start line being a couple of kangaroos happily grazing on the inside of the circuit. Strong fields in both B & D grade line up, with 32 and 24 riders respectively.
B grade set of and Dougal Torrance quickly stirred things up with some early breaks. Unfortunately he may need to learn how to measure his efforts a bit better as the bunch pulled him back both times and he then paid the price when the pace was picked up half way through. No major activity occurred until the power was put down after 15 minutes with a few splits starting to open up. Next lap the bunch shattered in the cross wind with about 4 distinct bunches forming. We had 4 riders off the front with a bunch of 10 chasing, 3 riders ultimately making it across to the lead bunch. The group of 7 made up of Seymour Savell-Boss, Ben McDuff, Christophe Barbaret, Paul Ledbrook, David McCook, Michael Foulds and Andrew Murrell worked well together to open up a good gap to the chasing field, which had largely regrouped. Other than some issues passing D grade - not sure how hard it is to obey the 'Stay Right' command - no the other right!! - the lead group continued to smoothly swap turns until with 5 minutes to go both Michael and Andrew's legs decided no more. The remaining 5 sprinted with Seymour taking a well deserved win, followed by Ben and Christophe. Michael and Andrew continued to work together and just managed to hold off the fast finishing bunch.
D grade decided that riding together was the best approach in the windy conditions with little real action throughout the race. Michael Hanbury tried a couple of attacks but the bunch fairly quickly dragged him back and it all came down to a bunch sprint. There were a couple of early moved going down the back straight but Michael Hanbury ended up timing his sprint well to take the win. He was closely followed by John Thorn, in a good show of form, and Michael Reppion rounding out the podium.
Paul Connor
After racing in B grade, I took over as race director from Paul so he could go off and warm up for the A grade race. E grade had a reasonably sized bunch with 18 riders who mostly stayed together until the final sprint – other than a few who dropped off the back when the going got a little tough in the wind. Treston Bamber, a visitor to the club, came home strongly, followed by Tony Henry and Steve Dean. Perhaps Treston will be up in D grade next week if he is back.
F grade was a smaller bunch of 9 riders and they mostly stayed together, except that Ian Morton and Sue Frost got away for a bit early on. The effort obviously didn’t affect either of them too much with Ian coming in strongly for second and Sue in third, behind Simon Reardon – another visitor on the night who might be up in E grade next week if he is back. G grade was largely uneventful with only Heather Sommariva and Bruce Jones circulating together and finishing in that order.
By the time we got to the A and C grade bunches, light was starting to fade and it didn’t look like we would fit in the 35 minutes+2 that had been advertised for A grade. A quick discussion with the 16 A graders ensued and we settled on 25 minutes plus 2 laps which turned out to be just about right. The A grade bunch was pretty volatile, as always with various riders off the front at times. John Drury and Nathan Spillane opened up a sizable gap after 6 minutes and were away for a while but were reeled back in once the bunch got a little more serious. Peter Kitchen was away for a while after that, followed by Ed Pellegrino and Antony Bishop, but it was all back together with 5 or 6 minutes to go. The effort didn’t seem to do too much to Antony’s legs as he won the sprint from the ever present Mark Harris and Paul Connor.
It was also pretty volatile in C grade with the 13 strong bunch splitting into a few groups. After a bit the lead group coalesced with Wayne Shipley, Liny Hou and Stephen Isbel on the tandem, Bryan Holloway, Tom Tokich, Jayson Clarke, and David Jukes (visitor). Tom and Jayson dropped away a little at the finish and the sprint was won by Wayne followed by the tandem and Bryan.
Thanks to Graeme for his usual effort with registration, and Lloyd and Richard who kindly offered to help out with marshalling efforts.
Dale Kleeman
The fourth Track Racing session for 2016-17 attracted a good roll up of 22 riders. The evening was warm with a fresh breeze creating a headwind in the back straight. The wind did not moderate until late in the racing session.
The 8-lap A grade scratch race was largely a bunch sprint. The pace was solid and held the big pack together for the first five laps, with only two riders dropped. Michael Langdon put in a feeler attack on lap 6. He gained about 10 metres before Alex Millett and Martin Graham sensed the danger and closed him down. Martin stuck on the front with the overall pace up a notch, as the bell lap approached. The pack accelerated into the bell lap and held together at furious pace. The final sprint was very close with Steve Jones just pipping Paul Conner and Michael Langdon in that order.
The 8-Lap B grade scratch race looked to unfold as a bunch sprint. The pack consolidated approaching the bell lap with only a single rider dropped. However, Matt Morgan surprised the bunch by jumping early in the bell lap, soon gaining an unbeatable 30 metre gap. Matt held on to take a good win with Andrew Peel and Ross Scutts picking up the consolations in second and third respectively.
The next race was a 4-lap handicap. In A grade, Kerry Knowler set the pace from a good handicap. She went well out and, initially, looked a good prospect for the win. However, by the close of Lap 2, Craig Kentwell and Chris Thompson had caught Kerry, forming a lead group. On the bell lap, the anchor riders Alec Millett, Paul Connor, Michael Langdon and Steve Jones hauled in the leaders setting up a hotly contested sprint. Paul Connor took the sprint lead and held it to the line to just beat Michael Langdon and Steve Jones in second and third respectively.
In the 4-lap B Grade handicap, Alison Hale made the most of a good handicap by lapping at a solid pace. Only Steve Hirsler could overhaul her in the final lap. Andrew Peel could not quite make it and had to settle for third behind Alison.
A 6-lap Miss & Out race followed the handicap. In this race the first across the line, each lap, drops out. The winning order is the same as the sequence of drop out. In A grade, Steve Jones took the win followed, in sequence, by Paul Connor, Michael Langdon, Alec Millett and Kerry Knowler. To their credit, the final sprint was very closely contested by Kerry Knowler, Ben Robey and Chris Thompson. In B Grade, Steve Hirsler took the first sprint for the win followed, in sequence, by Andrew Peel, Phil Coulton, Ross Scutts and Phil Anderson.
The track session closed with the usual all-in, Italian pursuit. With 9 riders on each team, this was going to be an enjoyable and tough event that would stress the anchor riders. The teams were quite evenly matched. Team 2 likely made a tactical error in ordering their anchor riders. However, it is uncertain whether this was decisive. In the event, both Teams got off to a good start with Team 1 gaining a slight lead. Team 1 then increased their lead significantly, until around mid race when the situation began to reverse. As the anchor riders took over, it looked like Team 2 might be able to close the gap. However, the evening had taken its toll. Though Martin Graham, Paul Conner and Steve Jones put in their best, they could not manage the heroic effort needed, at that stage. Michael Langdon took a comfortable win for Team 1.
Major place getters were as follows:
8-Lap Scratch: (A Grade): Steve Jones, Paul Connor, Michael Langdon (B Grade) Matt Morgan, Andrew Peel, Ross Scutts.
4-Lap Handicap: (A Grade): Paul Connor, Michael Langdon, Steve Jones (B Grade) Steve Hirsler, Alison Hale, Andrew Peel.
6-Lap Miss & Out: (A Grade): Steve Jones, Paul Connor, Michael Langdon (B Grade) Steve Hirsler, Andrew Peel, Phil Coulton.
Combined Italian Pursuit: Winner Team 1 (Matt Morgan, Phil Anderson, Ross Scutts, Kerry Knowler, Rowan McMurray, John-Paul DeSousa, Alec Millett, Ben Robey, Michael Langdon).
Current Points Score Leaders: Michael Langdon (75), Steve Jones (73), Alec Millett (62), Ross Scutts (56), Steve Hirsler (50), Phil Anderson (49), Rowan McMurray (48), Ian Drayton (47), Andrew Peel (47).
Graeme O'Neill