Hello Vets,

In the Bleat this week;

  • From the Desk of the Handicapper
  • Racing this Week
  • From the Race Committee
  • Race Reports

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

Ian Morton

From the Desk of the Handicapper

The Apollo

Twenty-seven hardy souls braved chilly and windy conditions to compete in this year’s edition of ever popular Apollo. I’m sure everyone got toasty-warm during the 7km climb with much of it in the sun and out of the strongest gusts of wind, however, at the Honeysuckle Creek camping ground it was a different matter. Three degrees and light flurries of 2 mm snowflakes made for a unique atmosphere for those enjoying their post-race cuppa. There were no surprises among the winners but special mention must go to Roger Northcote who hauled his 90kg+ frame up the mountain in 64 minutes to get himself on the B grade podium!

Promotions

Paul Welsh B to A
Darren Blackhurst B to C
Peter Young B to C

Rob Langridge
Handicapper

RACING THIS WEEK:

Saturday, 20th July: Dalton Graded Scratch

Where: Travel to Gunning, Left onto Dalton Road at Gunning, Approx 10Km to Dalton. Park in quarry at left 100 meters before town.
When: 1:30 pm.
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number
Race Description:
Dalton – Gunning – Boorowa Rd
ABCD do 2 laps Dalton to Gunning. 1st to Dalton then U Turn at Start area. EFG do 1 lap. Then all head west on Boorowa Rd to end of bitumen (3k) and return to Dalton. Turn then north onto Rugby Rd to end of bitumen (5k) and return to finish in Dalton.

Race Director: Simon Milnes Contact: Email: simonmilnes@bigpond.com    Ph  0407296418

Marshals: Sue Bowden, Duane Toohey, Wayne Spratford, Philip Anderson, Stuart Carling

From the Race Committee

Dalton race on 20 July

We have a 1st aider and marshal for the race on Saturday.

Upcoming Marshal Roster

Thank you to those who have already volunteered to help. Nominees, in blue have been selected based on results from the previous race season and the period since they last helped at a race. Nominees are requested to advise their availability/unavailability to the race committee (race.committee@actvets.cc) as soon as possible.

Summer series crit races are held at Stromlo Forest Park on Tuesday evenings and road races are held on Sunday mornings.

Date Event Director Marshals
27-Jul Sutton Driver Training Centre Bruce Griffin
griffy996@gmail.com		 1 (finish chute) Nigel Wines
03-Aug Lookout Hill Peter Marshall
knuckle74@internode.on.net		 3 (finish chute & 2 ETCs) Steve Simms*, Robert Brunato *, Bradley McCallum
10-Aug Breadalbane Ben Davis
bdavis@internode.on.net		 5 (2 drivers, finish chute & 2 turn marshals) Jeremy Gillman-Wells, Darren Blackhurst(1st aid?), Owain Tilley, Howard Moffat Tony Sheehan
17-Aug Old Federal Highway Ian Morton
mortoni@optusnet.com.au		 4 (2 drivers, finish chute & 1 turn marshals) Peter Horch, Ross Scutts, Andrew Yates, Penelope Anderson
24-Aug Sutton Driver Training Centre Roger Northcote
roger.northcote@homeaffairs.gov.au		 1 (finish chute) Mike Hayes
31-Aug Uriarra Shane Warburton
robertothegreat975@gmail.com		 5 (finish chute & 4 ETCs) John Paul De Sousa*, David Jukes*, Robert Brunato*, Conan Liu*, Michael Payne
07-Sep Stromlo FP west – Uriarra Andrew Remely
andrew.remely@gmail.com		 4 (finish chute & 3 ETCs) Andy Matz*, Bob Miller*, Ed (Keith) Joliffe*, Gerard Tiffen
14-Sep Stromlo FP Stewart Roesler
stuart.roesler@hotmail.com		 1 (finish chute) Jeremy Ross
21-Sep Breadalbane Rainer Wilton 4 (2 drivers, [short turn & finish chute] & far turn marshal) Lewis Cressy, Rowan McMurray, Terry Merrigan, Rowan McMurray, Simon Porombka
28-Sep Dog Trap Road Rico Fitch
rico.fitch@gmail.com		 5 (2 drivers, finish chute & 2 turn marshals) Adam Potts, David Dickson, Warwick Wilson, David Johnson, Stjepan Hirsler

* denotes ETC required for ACT races.

Ian McVay
Race Committee

RACE REPORTS:

Apollo Road – 13th July

Only the most committed 25 men and two women braved the conditions for the Apollo Road race starting in near gale force winds, with the temperature at 6 degrees at the start line, but the sky was clear and the wind at their back as they set forth north to Mt Tennent.

A grade had 3 riders with Steve Crispin crossing the finish line first followed by Marc Vroomans and Neil Skipper.

B grade had the largest field with 11 riders, Paul Welsh and Craig Tozer pushing the pace on the way back over Mount Tenant splitting the field with most of the riders evenly spaced with plenty of daylight in between.

Paul Welsh crossed the line first followed by Craig Tozer and Roger Northcote.

The only sprint finish of the day saw Seymore Savell-Boss just outpace Robert Langridge.

Bruce Goodfellow closely followed by Ed Logue lead C grade home followed by Jeremy Drape in third place. The long steep climb guaranteed the riders were well spaced crossing the finish line.

With only three riders in each grade D and E grade elected to start the race together. With the wind behind them they stayed together till the first turn. The Mount Tennant climb shook Ian Morton and Rosemary Robinson off the bunch, with the climb up to Honeysuckle separating the rest.

Des (mountain goat) Brown outclimbing Kirsty McVay with Anthony Beasley coming in third.

Simon Milnes claimed E grade first convincingly. The temperature dropped to 4 degrees as the last of E grade approached the mountain top with sunshine through a light dusting of sleet. They crossed the finish line just in time as the intermittent sleet turned to steady snow. Rosemary Robinson taking second and Ian Morton third.

Snow falling at the top of Apollo Rd

Thanks to Bob Miller, Sue Powell, Kevin Wells and Graham Hendrie for finish line and ETC duty.

Also, a big thanks to Ian McVay and Graham Hendrie as always organising in the background to make the day work out well.

Ross Robinson