ACT Veterans Weekly Bleat, Monday 5th March, 2018

Hello Vets,

In this week’s Bleat;

• Notice of Annual General Meeting 2018
• From the Desk of the Handicapper
• Global Cycle Rides
• Interstate Events
• Racing this Week
• Race Reports

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

Ian Morton

Annual General Meeting

Members wishing to nominate for a Committee position can download a nomination form here

From the Desk of the Handicapper

Handicaps for this week;
– John Marinov D to C
– Gregg Larcombe D to C
– Bruce Macaulay D to C
– Conan Liu “watchlist”

Regards,
Rob Langridge
Handicapper

Global Cycle Rides – Friday 9th March – 6am

Global Cycle Rides invites you to the Breakfast Network Ride in Canberra on Friday 9th March.

Our guest speaker is Graeme Sproule who has been a physiotherapist and cyclist for 29 years. Graeme will explore why cycling can be a pain in the neck, back, knee and hand.

Network actively with local like-minded execs who love to ride! Online booking below is essential, and they fill up fast.

You can register here.

Interstate and Local Events

• AVCC Championships – Maryborough, Vic
  Easter Weekend 31st Mar – 2 April
  Saturday: 25km Time Trial, Sunday: Criterium and Monday: Road Races.
  Championship Jerseys, Medals and Prize Money. Entry Fee: $25 per event, $5 transponder hire for the weekend.
  Entries open soon:www.veterancycling.com.au. For further information: Tom Finning Mob: 0418 521 420 EMail: veterancycling@yahoo.com.au.

• Giro d’Canberra
  20 May 2018
  • Want to take on the challenge? The ride features 2500 metre climbs and 130km of stunning Canberra Brindabella countryside
  • Cycling is powering ahead in Canberra
  • Giro d’ Canberra is in its third year and growing
  • Lots of interest from Sydney based riders
  • Get in on the early stages of a growing annual event
  • A chance to promote your community cycling activities
  • Fully supported ride with vehicles and food stations
  • Organised by the Rotary Club of Woden Daybreak

  Entries:www.GirodCanberra.gofundraise.com.au. For further information: Barry Welsby Mob: 0413729951 EMail: welsbw@internode.on.net.

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 6th March: Stromlo Criterium

Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
A/C 5:50 A 28m+2, C 25m+2
B/D 6:25 B 28m+2, D 25m+2
E/F/G 7:00 E/F/G 20m + 2

Race Director:  Mick Donaldson Contact: Email: mdonaldson@netspeed.com.au    Ph  0418486367

Wednesday, 7th March: Track Racing

The Program for Wednesday is as follows:
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice;
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 12-lap Graded Scratch;
6.20pm – 6.50pm: 2 lap match race (Omnium event);
6.50pm – 7.10pm: 2-lap Handicap
7.10pm – 7.30pm: Italian Pursuit.

Sunday, 11th March: No Scheduled Race – Canberra Day Long Weekend

Upcoming Races

Race directors are required for upcoming races. We cannot race without directors. It is not a difficult job. A set of written instructions is available, and there are always experienced members at the race to help guide new directors. The burden of race directing is currently falling on a select few members and is unsustainable.

18 March – Old Federal Highway – Secret Handicap
We require a race director and one more marshal. Current marshals are: Matt Hinchcliffe, Rosemary Robinson, Philip Anderson

25 March – Uriarra – Graded Roubaix 
We require a race director and two more ATC/ETC qualified marshals. Current marshals are: Peter Marshall, Polly Templeton (ATC)
The course start/finish is at the corner of Mountain Creek Rd and Uriarra Rd.
Riders will head down towards Uriarra Crossing, doing a U turn before the descent. Return and turn right on to Mountain Creek Rd. Riders will do a U turn after 3.6kms, just before the NSW border, and return to the start/finish area. This leg on Mountain Creek Rd is on dirt road. Each lap is approx. 15km
A,B,C and D grades will do 3 laps. E,F, & G grades will do 2 laps.

Upcoming Marshal Roster

Basically anyone who raced in 2017 will be required to marshal at least 1 race throughout the 2018 season. Marshals are critical to the running of events through the helping of finish line duties, driving trail/lead cars, turn points and setting up/packing up. The marshal assignment schedule for the first 6 months of the year is below. It is also on the race calendar and you receive an email advising you of it several weeks in advance, so there should be no excuses to missing your allocated race. If you are unavailable for your allocated race you need to organize a swap with another rider and advise the race committee (race.committee@actvets.cc).

RACE REPORTS:

Stromlo – 27th February

A great evening for racing with our biggest bunches in both B & D grades which were the first groups on the track. Throughout the evening we had our usual movement of kangaroos through both top and bottom end of the track making it interesting for some grades. 100 bikes raced with only 2 DNFs throughout the evening race program and the participation of I tandem, which other riders were happy to sit behind into the headwind sections.

B grade mainly stayed together throughout with a few individual attempts to break away early from the pack coming unstuck. Dougal Torrance endeavoured to lead the field for a number of circuits, with Robert Langridge helping pick up the pace in the later stages. In the end it was a bunch sprint to the line with the first 3 being Conan Liu, Bryan Holloway and Alan Bontjer.

D grade took a more sedate approach to their race with a process of survival of the fittest as the pace was cranked up as the time elapsed. Another bunch sprint with places going to Bruce McCauley, Filipe Lopes Reis and Gill Lugg.

Next groups on the track were E, F and G. While the numbers were smaller the endeavor was just as intense. E grade resulted in Dale Dummet first followed by Mick Donaldson and Tony Sheehan. Sue Frost played smart in F Grade and saved her best for the sprint finishing ahead of Lindsay Graham and David Witteveen. G grade was a dual between Bernie Crowe and Michael Spoljovic with Bernie breaking away in the second half of the race.

Last groups on the track were A & C grade. C grade ended up doing more laps than intended as the groups came too close together towards the end and I needed more laps to separate them.

A grade had many attacks with a big move by Seymour Saville-Boss and Mark Terracini with about 23 minutes remaining. David McCook joined them with about 20 minutes to go. They were then reeled back in and with 15 minutes to remaining Peter Taylor and Mark Harris had a go but not for long. Eventually the sprint to the finish belonged to Mark Harris followed closely by Lewis Cressy and Mark Terracini.

C grade had a gradual build up and then started to drop riders from the bunch after about halfway. The final sprint resulted in John Marinou first, Greg Larcombe second followed by Duane Toohey third.

Well done to all. Thanks to helpers on the line in Phill Coulson and Simon Whitehead.

Kim Malcolm

Narrabundah Track Racing – 28st February

A total of 17 riders turned out for Session 18 of the track racing season, with good numbers in A and B grades. The day was hot and, initially, the wind was problematic. However, the wind moderated over the race session, providing good conditions for racing.

The race events commenced with an 8-lap graded scratch race. As usual, the A grade race was soon under attack. On lap 5 Michael Langdon, Rowan McMurray and Ben Robey accelerated out to a 20 metre gap. Hamish Anderson pursued and eventually crossed the gap. By lap 7 the pack had converged to a loose bunch with several splits becoming apparent as the pace hotted up. Hamish Anderson tried a break but was kept on a short leash by the leading bunch. As the bell lap approached, Michael Langdon caught Hamish and a lead group comprising Michael, Hamish, Steve Jones and John Paul De Sousa barrelled around the final lap. The sprint was close with Michael just ahead of Steve Jones, John Paul De Sousa and Hamish Anderson in that order.

The B grade scratch race was an easier pace, as Tony Beasley and Steve Hirsler had tried their hands in A grade. However, the steady pace ceased around lap 6 when Bruce Griffin led out a tight bunch at pace. As the bell lap approached Phil Coulton, Phil Anderson and Ross Scutts mowed down Bruce and headed for a sprint finish. Phil Coulton took a close win from Phil Anderson with Ross Scutts just behind. A good effort by Phil Coulton.

The next event was a 2 lap standing start time trial, an event that was universally acknowledged as a gut buster. The times were fairly similar to last year with A grade spread from 50.66 seconds to 57.78 seconds and B grade spread from 56.06 seconds to 68.11 seconds. In A grade Michael Langdon, Ben Robey and Hamish Anderson put in the best times. Ben and Hamish put down excellent times. In B grade, Steve Hirsler, Bruce Griffin and Phil Anderson were fastest. Steve’s time was within the A grade limits. Bruce Griffin put in a great effort, showing excellent form to take second in B grade. Phil Anderson is also showing consistently good form.

The next event was a 4 lap handicap that counted towards the season Omnium Championship. There were two separate races with A & B grade riders in each race. Both races were exciting events with limit riders hammering to stay ahead as the pack hunted them down. Michael Langdon put in a great effort to take race 1 from a severe handicap. Rowan McMurray took race 2 and it was great to see Rowan perform so well while still suffering from bruising after last week’s fall.

The evening finished with the usual all-in Italian Pursuit with a healthy 7 riders per team. This season’s fastest rider, Michael Langdon was selected for Team 1. To compensate, Team 2 were allocated more A grade riders. However, the pursuit always depends on teamwork, so results are unpredictable. Both teams made good starts, with Team 2 soon establishing a lead until the last two riders. For team 1, Ben Robey made up some distance in the penultimate lap. With a smooth final changeover, this was enough set Michael Langdon up for a Team 1 win. John Paul De Sousa gave everything for Team 2 over the final lap, but Michael had just too much pace from the changeover and was able to hold on to the line. As usual, it was an excellent contest and great fun for participants.

Major place getters were as follows:
10-Lap Scratch: (A Grade): Michael Langdon, Steve Jones, Jihn Paul De Sousa (B Grade) Phil Coulton, Phil Anderson, Ross Scutts.
2-Lap Standing Start TT: (A Grade) Michael Langdon (50.64s), Ben Robey (52.20s), Hamish Anderson (52.47s). (B Grade) Steve Hirsler (56.06s), Bruce Griffin (58.89s), Phil Anderson (59.44).
4-Lap Handicap: (A&B Grade Race 1) Michael Langdon, Kerry Knowler, Tony Beasley. (A&B Grade Race 2) Rowan McMurray, Hamish Anderson, Phil Anderson.
Combined Italian Pursuit: Winner Team 1 (Michael Langdon, David McCook, Ben Robey, Phil Anderson, Ross Scutts, Steve Hirsler, Graeme O’Neill).

Season Point Score Update:
Michael Langdon (331), Ross Scutts (253), Hamish Anderson (251), John Paul DeSousa (223), Tony Beasley (214), Steve Hirsler (210), Phil Anderson (162), Phil Coulton (149), Ben Robey (142).

Omnium Progress Points:
Rowan McMurray (10), Kerry Knowler (7), Tony Beasley, Hamish Anderson (6) Michael Langdon, Ken Birch, Steve Hirsler, Phil Anderson (5), Tim Minehan (4) Phil Coulton, Dougal Torrance, John Paul De Sousa, Ross Scutts (2).

Graeme O’Neill

Uriarra Homestead Time Trial – 4th March

A brilliant morning for riding in the Uriarra Homestead Time Trial. The strong winds early reduced to a flutter but only 19 soles ventured out to participate, 5 fewer than in the Criterium Championships in heavy rain the week before at Stromlo Park.

This event also gave us the opportunity to mentor some new Event Traffic Controllers. Thank you to Darryl Durham (training mentor) mentored Ian McVay, Warren Smith, Andy Metz and Clinton Porteous on top of Blue Ridge, while I mentored Dudley Hall (Peddle Power), Robert Langridge and Russell Marston at the Homestead intersection. Thanks for their assistance in making the event a success and ensuring we have traffic controllers in the future. Also thanks to Polly Templeton for managing traffic at the top of the crossing with some assistance in getting signs out by Lindsay Graham.

The time trial involved 2 loops of the circuit with all riders finishing between just over and hour and less than an hour and twenty minutes for approximately 36 km. Well done to all riders.

5 grades were represented and only one female rider in Kirsti McVay. The quickest home on the day was Owain Tilley in 1 hour and 49 seconds closely followed by Seymour Savell-Boss with just 2 seconds in it. C grade had the largest group of participants with 8 riders.

Summary of results:
A grade Seymour Savell-Boss only competitor in this grade B grade Owain Tilley followed by Peter Taylor and David Dickson C grade Ian Preston followed by Like Healy and Ben Healy D grade Des Brown, Allan Bontjer and Simon Milnes E grade Alex Sommariva and Kirsti McVay.

Thanks to all who participated and our helpers. Thanks to Lindsay Graham for managing the start finish with Graham Hendrie.

Plenty of Marshals on hand for Traffic Controller Mentoring

Kim Malcolm