| Dear members,
Well another year of racing is done and dusted. I’d like to take the opportunity to send my best wishes to all the members of the ACT Veterans Cycling Club (and to remind you to register for next year!). This year, the club ran 34 crits (Stromlo & Dairy Flat Rd), 21 Road Events and approximately 20 Track races. That’s a huge effort from all volunteers to ensure a variety of racing is available to our nearly 400 members. My job as President is made very easy with the countless hours that many people put into the running of the Club and I’d like to take the opportunity to issue a few words of thanks to the Secretary, Phil Coulton, and members of the Race Committee, Ben Davis, Ian McVay and Vice President Mark Taylor for dealing with various levels of bureaucracy, devising the racing calendar, organising road approvals, marshals and signage that allow us to race. Our handicapper, Rob Langridge, has done a great job of ensuring racing is competitive and has also, like Ben Davis, pulled many a double duty by undertaking innumerable roles as a Race Director throughout the year. I’d also like to send a big thankyou to our Treasurer and Membership officer Kirsti McVay works tirelessly to ensure that membership is up to date and the club fulfils its financial responsibilities. She is also present at just about every Criterium to collect race fees. Making sure we have access to first aid is Ian Albrey and I’d like to also thank him, Simon, from SMA who has attended just about every Crit and Track event and Paul Robey who has stepped in when SMA is not able to supply first aiders. I also thank Ian for the patience he has shown assisting me with my many dealings with the National body (the AVCC) and insurance agency. I thank Ian Morton for his efforts to ensure that “The Bleat” goes out every week. Thanks also to Andrew Remely for his efforts to redevelop our website and set up the Vets Facebook page, Seymour Savell-Boss for adding some humour and stepping up as a joint administrator, and Linda Stals who was our clothing officer and has put in several appearances as a Race Director. Thanks to Graham Hendrie for his tireless work in the van to ensure that we have road races supported and supplied with coffee and cake! A special thanks to Graeme O’Neill who’s racing program and organisation for the Wednesday night track session always makes that event so enjoyable. We couldn’t have raced without the volunteering of 71 Marshals, 16 ATC’s and 12 Race Director’s (many of whom also sit on the Committee). I thank all these people for their contributions. A final thank you goes to you, the members, for making racing so much fun. There’s always some character to have good natured banter with at the start and end of the race (or sometimes during!) and the atmosphere of the club is awesome. We’ve had a few guests come this year and decide to sign up on the spot because of the comradery exhibited by members and I thank you all for riding in the best possible spirit. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a great start to the new year. Stay safe on the roads and remember to keep the rubber side down! Remember to re-register before our first Crit on 2 January 2018 if you want to race. See you out there in 2018.
Dougal Torrance |
Boxing Day Recovery Ride – 26th December
The Boxing Day Recovery Ride starts at 8.00 am sharp outside the Jolimont Centre on Northbourne Av. This year’s ride will follow the “somewhat” successful format of recent years: two nominated sensible riders will lead along Federal and Old Federal highways with slower riders positioned immediately behind the leaders (so they don’t get dropped if the bunch is broken up by traffic light changes) and faster riders go to the back. All riders are responsible for preventing the bunch from splitting up. If half the bunch suddenly disappears from behind you, it’s your responsibility to pass this message to the front of the group so that they know to stop and wait.
We all stay together until the top of Washingmachine Hill. There, riders have a choice of going on to Lake George, the gravel pit or where ever. Those who’ve had too much Christmas cheer can wait in the shade at the top of the hill. They can then join one of the bunches on the return leg. All gather at a nominated coffee shop at end of ride. Note that it’s much harder to find an empty cafe now that Canberra is overrun by rabid Boxing Day shoppers at that time.
Please use the Vets Facebook page to publicise group rides over the holidays. I’m sure everyone’s keen to do a least one Corin-Tidbinbilla-Cotter ride over the break and would like to share the experience.
Rob Langridge
Registration Renewal for 2018
Note: For new members who registered after 1 Oct, your membership is valid up until the end of 2018.
2018 membership renewals are due by 31 December 2017. To renew, go to https://memberdesq.sportstg.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=main&OrgID=10244 or follow the prompts via our website www.actvets.cc. Click on the Login link and enter the username and password from last year. If you have forgotten your login and password , after clicking on ‘login’ – go to the tab at the top right hand side of the screen and click on ‘Username & Password’ – then forward your email address as requested in the box that will appear. SportsTG will then forward you the information.
You need to renew your membership prior to 31 December or prior to your first race in 2018.
It is preferable to renew prior to the end of December if you intend to race in 2018. Before each race, a check has to be done of all those registered to race to ensure they are financial members and covered by insurance. As a courtesy to those committee members who work hard to ensure the club complies with the terms of our insurance cover and also produce the race results, please renew your membership at least 2 days prior to racing. Membership costs are:
- A full competitive membership for 2018 is $110
- A full competitive membership for a sight impaired tandem cyclist for 2018 is $95
- Non competitive membership for 2018 is $5
Upon renewal, your 2018 licence will be emailed to you direct from SportsTG. Please print out a copy and it is suggested that you laminate it or place it in plastic for future reference during the year ahead. You will need to show this licence if you enter events run by other Veteran Cycling Clubs or the AVCC.
Please ensure that your personal particulars are always kept up to date, in particular your emergency contact details. For those members with First Aid qualifications please also update the site. It is a member’s responsibility to keep these updated via the SportsTG website.
Kirsti McVay
Membership Secretary
RACE REPORT:
Stromlo – 19th December
The scorching weather didn’t eventuate, but most of the riders looked pretty cooked after the 20+2 format!
G grade: Once again, it was the Bernie and Bruce show. Surprisingly Bernie did a few more turns than normal but it didn’t blunt his stinging attack in the last lap.
F grade: David Wittenveen, Tim Gavel and Ian Barras pedalled around in an orderly fashion and finished in that order.
E grade: This week we had two tandems: John Barlow/Tony Beasley played an attacking role while Elton Ivers and Lindy Hou would drag half the bunch back to them. On the last lap and with a bit of a tail wind, John and Tony stormed down the back straight and put in a good gap but by the home straight Michael Brice had latched on the back and was able to out kick them on the finish line. Stjepan Hirsler was the best of the rest in third.
D grade: These guys were once again super aggressive. There was an early break that didn’t stick, but then Reg Sheridan, Felipe Lopes Reis, Russell Marsden and Don de Smet got working together and suddenly there was a sizable break. Don couldn’t hang on but the other three kept working. With two laps to go Reg took off to comfortably win from Felipe and Russell.
C grade: Only Ian Preston was willing to attack in this race but none of his efforts stuck. Mark Fairweather outsprinted Mick Hanbury and Wayne Benham.
B grade: Nick Boylan did a few “Prestons” but none did much damage. The ‘2’ board got Chris Kon going and he put in a good gap into the bunch and gutted it out to record a convincing win. Bryan Holloway got second followed by David Rae.
A grade: The early heat and wind didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of A grade. Mark Harris and Seymour Savell-Boss formed the first break, then Rowan McMurray took Seymour’s place but it didn’t stick. Paul Scherl and Mark went with the wind down the back straight and then were joined by Anthony Evans. This soon became a substantial break. The sexy figure of Ben Davis with the 2-laps-to-go board once again stimulated some action among the attackers: this time it was Anthony who caught Mark and Paul napping, and finished with a substantial gap.
Rob Langridge
Racing Resumes
Racing will resume in 2018 with the first Crit on the 2nd January and Track Racing on the 10th January. The first road race will be on the 4th February.
Till then, have a great Christmas Break.
