Post date: Feb 06, 2017 9:22:50 PM
In the Bleat this week;
• Traffic Controller Course
• From the desk of the handicapper
• Charity bike ride to Qld
• Racing this Week
• Race Reports
Please send me your contributions at: TheBleat@actvets.cc
Ian Morton
Members,
The ability of our club to run road races depends on members who are prepared to take on the duties of qualified Marshals.
When the requirements for Traffic Controllers was first introduced, the club was forced to hire professional traffic controllers at enormous cost. Had this continued, road racing in the ACT would have become financially unviable.
I encourage all members to consider signing up for this or a future Traffic Controller course to be available to guarantee our ability to continue road racing.
Dougal Torrance
President, ACT Veterans Cycling Club
The Traffic Controller Training courses will be held for free for Canberra cycling clubs and cycling organisations on February 11, 2017 Spaces are limited for the training course, and once full a waitlist will be activated so we can host further courses.
Fully subsidised by Roads ACT this course has been organised to assist in minimising costs on cycling clubs and organisations and help train volunteers, or club appointed marshals to fulfil the marshaling duties at cycling events. We urge you to make use of this generous offer and assist your club and the broader cycling community by having more trained and skilled operators available for club and open events in the ACT. Please note ALL registrants must have a current driver's license.
Date: Saturday 11 February 2017
Time: Full day of training 8:30 – 5pm
Location: Canberra Ave, Fyshwick
Cost: Free
Please use this link to register:
https://eventdesq.sportstg.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=main&EventDesqID=21794&OrgID=4426
John Armstrong
Executive Officer
Pedal Power ACT Inc
The following well deserved promotions;
- Ian Mongan B to A
- Troy Cassell C to B
- Andrew Hislop D to C
- Alex Sommariva E to D
- Miche Hodgetts F to E
On Saturday March 11, 2017 I am heading off on a charity bike ride to raise money for Red Nose (formally SidsnKids), ‘Ellen's Ride', I will be riding from the ACT to QLD through country NSW covering 1350k's over 11 days.
This ride is in memory of our daughter, Ellen, who was born still in January 2010. If you would like to help me raise money for this wonderful charity and sponsor me please click on the following link;
http://www.everydayhero.com.au/event/RideForEllen2017
Kind Regards
Tony O'Connor
Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
B/D 5:50 A 40m+2, C 35m+2
E/F/G 6:35 28 min + 2 laps
A/C 7:10 B 40m+2, D 35m+2
Race Director: Paul Connor
Contact: Email: paulconnor996@gmail.com Ph 0410411902
2 x marshals required for this event, please let Paul know if you can assist.
The Program for Wednesday is as follows:
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice;
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 10-lap graded scratch race;
6.20pm – 6.50pm: 1 Lap Screamer TT (flying start);
6.50pm – 7.20pm: 2-lap match race;
7.20pm – 7.30pm: Italian pursuit.
Where:Gravel Pit, intersection Federal Highway and Shingle Hill Way
When: 9:00 am.
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
Lake George and back
Race Director: Ben Davis
Contact: Email: bdavis@internode.on.net Ph 0416 014 629
Next Sunday will be a graded scratch event at the Old Federal Highway. I'm the race Director and urgently need some lead and trail car drivers, a turn marshal and someone to help at the finish line. If you can spare a few hours on Sunday morning I would appreciate the help. Plus it'll be so darn hot that it'll be better than racing and getting all sweaty! Ben.
With the forecast 39 degrees not being reached on the day it was a positively chilly 36 degrees on race evening. Nonetheless the decision was once again made to cut the races short in order to avoid any heat stress on the riders over the longer format.
Combined F & G as Bruce Jones is currently recuperating after eye surgery leaving Bernie Crowe representing G grade in amongst the F graders. Not to be outclassed Bernie mixed it up with the F graders for the entire race. F grade rode nicely together as a bunch resulting in a sprint finish. The slow-mo video on the finish line captured Miche Hodgetts as taking the win over Mike Hayes and Leeanne Tennant in 3rd place.
11 riders fronted up for E grade with little action throughout the race with either the heat stopping the riders from attacking or the general agreement for no attacks over the 20 min race. In the end it came down to a last lap frenzy with Michael Golding taking out the win ahead of Alex Sommariva and Bruce Griffin in 3rd.
A sizable field of 17 riders started the race with only 1 DNF. Once again the heat played a pivotal role in slowing down the riders and reducing the number of attacks during the race. Another sprint finish resulting with a good 5-6 riders all neck and neck coming into the final straight. On this occasion Andrew Hislop prevailed over Daniel Grillo and David Gunther in 3rd.
13 riders decided to tackle the shortened race. There were several splits in the group as A grade went past but those splits were mostly contained. It was at this stage that the roos decided to participate in the evening events. Initially we had them down at the southern end of the course and Bruce Griffin stepped up to become the resident roo wrangler on this occasion. However at one stage of the race we had A grade passing C grade around collarbone corner with a few roos in the middle so the yellow flag was brought out to ensure no accidents. After all the action, Troy Cassell was victorious ahead of Duane Toohey and Shane Warburton.
Club Prez Dougal Torrance took a leaf out of that other President (Trump) and initiated an Executive action from the start line by immediately attacking. This attack was blistering and resulted in Rob Langridge forming a chase group after 2 laps. Again a few roos thought they couldn't miss out on the action and were seen crossing the track. The chase group eventually regrouped with the main bunch and Dougal eventually re-joined the fold. This however was a ruse by Dougal as he attacked again which split the bunch again. A few counter attacks in the final laps drained the reserves of the sprinters and Simon Junakovic emerged the winner ahead of Ian Mongan and Time Minehan who did a lot of chasing in the last lap.
This week it was the Ed Pellegrino and Dominator show on the first few laps and they were joined by Ben Morrison and Nicholas Stewart after several laps. Ed and Dom dropped back into the main fold but Ben and Nicholas continued to build a sizable lead over the field that was giving chase, but simply couldn't peg back the lead. It was a show of sportsmanship at the finish line with Ben and Nicholas crossing the line together with each recognizing their efforts. But our computer system doesn't allow dead-heats so we had to give it to Ben in the end. Peter Kitchen brought home the main field for 3rd place.
Ben Davis
Cancelled due to rain.
Graeme O'Neill
Cloudy and cool conditions greeted the riders at Dairy Flat rd for Hotdog crit racing. First order of the day was the removal of a tree that had fallen across the course and was blocking one side of the road a mere 100metres from the sprint finish. A chainsaw was called in, but silly me forgot to top it up with fuel so after a few attempts John Lowe, Paul Robey and myself used our extreme physical power to snap the tree in several places and get most off it off the course. So extreme was John and Paul's power in moving tree's that I considered mandatory drug testing before they raced.
Paul Robey and Bernie Crowe got a half lap handicap start in a combined E,F & G points race. John Lowe quickly took off after them but Paul and Bernie held off the chase group for the first sprint lap. Paul took out the line honours just ahead of Bernie before both were reeled in by the chasing E grade. It was then held together with Alex Sommariva taking out each of intermediate sprints. On the final sprint, Linda Stals showed everyone how it's done by tactically crushing them in the final sprint to take out the bonus 5 points. In the end, Alex's consistency in the early parts of the race paid off by taking out the win on 9 points followed by Des Brown on 7 points with Rosemary Robinson and Linda Stals tied for 3rd place.
Another staggered start with D grade going off early in front of C. Maybe the race briefing wasn't clear but these were two separate races not a handicap start. We had enough riders in both grades to run them separately. Thus each of the sprints in D grade were won by Michael Hanbury as David Gunther and Robert Mackey were working for Michael. So the end result was Michael taking the win on 17 points ahead of David Gunther on 10 and Robert Mackey on 9.
C Grade was a great battle between several riders with the usual tactics of hotdog racing seeing the pace alternate on various laps. Tony Beasley was very consistent in the sprint winning every sprint by just enough ahead of Tony OÇonnor and Andrew McRae. In the end it was a Tony/Tony 1-2 with Tony Beasley finishing on 17 points and Tony OÇonnor in 2nd place on 11 points ahead of Andrew McRae on 6 points.
By this time the sun was out and the forecast 35 degrees was just starting to bite. That didn't stop Dougal Torrance, Chris Nolan and David Dickson from having a good old ding dong battle on every sprint. Dougal's ability to calculate and race was the obvious advantage on the day as he did just enough to take out the overall win on 15 points ahead of David Dickson on 13 and Chris Nolan on 11.
Only 3 riders fronted up for A grade but the racing was close again with each sprint lap resulting in hard fought sprints. Marc Vroomans nearly made it a clean up day by taking out every sprint but 1 to finish the race on 19 points ahead of Peter Young on 12 points and Seymour Savell-Boss on 11 points.
Special mention to all riders who took to a removing the debris that is often found on this course. Paul Robey for officiating during the A/B race, Graham Hendrie for the van duties and Tom Roberts for medical duties which thankfully were not required on the day.
Ben Davis