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

It was great to see the warm weather has encouraged many riders out to last Tuesday’s crit races. There were many new riders and I’ve put all in the grades where they raced but I’m sure there’ll be many promotions soon.

Promotions

Conan Liu B to A
James Curran D to C

New riders take note

The races are run by volunteers on a revolving basis with the number one priority being rider safety. Us oldies tend not to bounce back up after hitting the pavement at 40km/h. Therefore, the race director has the ultimate power to extend or shorten the race at any time to unsure it’s conducted safely. The director’s main aim is to avoid two grades finishing together on the same lap or any other dangerous situation that may arise. The director may call two laps to go and NOT ring the bell on the next lap to ensure a safe race. Yes, this is annoying if your breakaway can’t sustain the additional momentum, and your chance for solo victory goes down the toilet, but the director is doing it for the safety of all riders, not to deliberately torpedo your cycling glory. While racing it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the other grade and breakaways in your own grade, be aware of calls to move over when being passed (usually to the left [this is the opposite side to where your chain rings are]), pay particular attention to the instructions of the director and respond appropriately. Please let the director know if boards weren’t visible or of you couldn’t follow the instructions. Constructive feedback is good. Not that there were any incidents on Tuesday, but yelling at officials in the heat of the moment doesn’t help the situation. All members will also be volunteers at some time during the season.

Rob Langridge
Handicapper

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 22th October: Stromlo Criterium – Graded Scratch

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 6:55 20 min + 2 laps

Race Director: Alain Arbaut Contact: Email: arbaut@grapevine.net.au    Ph  0400493148

Marshals: Michelle Hodgetts

Wednesday, 23rd October: Track Racing

This season’s first track racing session.

The Program for Wednesday is;
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice;
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 8-lap graded scratch race;
6.20pm – 7.00pm: 1-SS Time Trial;
7.00pm – 7.20pm: Italian Pursuit.

Sunday, 27th October: No scheduled race due to Fitz’s Challenge weekend.

From the Race Committee

New RMS

The update of RMS, which works better on mobile devices, has been implemented. Bookmarks to the old RMS no longer work. You need to follow the updated links to the Race Calendar and Results from our home page at actvets.cc.

Upcoming Race Officials Roster

With the implementation of the new Race Calendar, the publication of the upcoming Race Officials Roster in the weekly Bleat will be discontinued.

Rostered race directors AND MARSHALS are shown against each race.

Please check the calendar (http://rms.actvets.cc/calendar). If your name is followed by TBC (To Be Confirmed) you need to contact the race committee (race.committee@actvets.cc) as soon as possible to either confirm your attendance or to request a swap.

Empty race directors and marshal positions are denoted as Vacant. Some marshals for races in the ACT need to be Events Traffic Controllers (ETC) and appear as Vacant ETC.

Please review the vacancies for upcoming races and email the race committee with events you would like to help out at, rather than wait and be asked to help at a race you wanted to do. Races cannot happen without members contributing to make them happen.

Ian McVay
Race Committee

RACE REPORTS:

SFP Criterium – 15th October

After a beautiful and warm day the evening produced some spirited and exhausting racing in ‘breezy’ conditions. This showed out in the racing with the strong guys often dominant. The evening was occasionally spiced up by overly exuberant spectators of the hopping variety. Thanks to Dougal and others in controlling the recalcitrants. Apologies from myself for mistakes made during races particularly those adversely effected. Thanks to most of you for being gracious about these mistakes.

B Grade started proceedings with strong riding off the start and soon passed D. But with the pace came a steady stream of casualties and by mid race a group of 12 consolidated. This continued to shed victims and once off the back few, if any, managed to return. Finally Conan won with several bike lengths in a powerful downhill sprint from Paul Ledbrook then Paul Hollingsworth following.

D Grade followed and the 27 riders began to break up very early. This after initial work on the front by Rico, Russell and friends. The strength of the tandem into the wind and their speed down the straight left all but a few able to hang on by mid race. James Curran being among the tenacious. The result was the entire track with scattered B and D riders. So the tandem with Elton(the diesel) Ivers and John Barlow second engine( as if he needs one) won cleanly followed by strong men David Rowe and still fighting James Curran.

E Grade was next with a good group of 15 and following with a much smaller, but just as tenacious F grade. Both were far more civilised. The groups largely remained intact with Gai and Bruce taking the wind solo for G. In the end Gai managed to hold out the wily Bruce.

In F grade Dennis was seen on the front frequently and these grades clearly get on better than the faster grades with less desire to punish each other. For E In the finale Joshua Quilliam took honours with Penelope Anderson 2nd and Ian Morton third. For F it was Michele Hodges from Mike Hayes and Sue Frost. (with so many comebacks maybe we will see Bill again?) My apologies again for poor communication.

A Grade. From the start it was full on. Team Tiffen well warmed up and straight out of the blocks. Jeremy Ross went off the front first lap and held this for some time with mad racing behind patrolled at front by team mates. With 10 to go it essentially came back together but didn’t slow up. Finally Jeremy went off the front again joined by team mate another Jeremy (Gillman-Wells) working together they held off the peloton with Jeremy R taking a well deserved win from Jeremy G-W cruising into second. The sprint behind was a close third to Matthew Corby.

Another large and powerful C grade with some returning and new riders. Racing was also hard but despite a slight split with 18 to go remained intact though a strong attack from Garreth Paton and others eventually sitting up. The finale saw more riders attack with new rider Seb Dunne the strongest. He was followed by Ben Zeller and Bryan Holloway. The last laps were confused by a passing A grade and some C riders were disadvantaged. Apologies to them.

All in all a big turn out of riders and some tough racing.

Thanks to Travis Simon Dougal and Kirsti.

Michael Reppion

Track Racing – 16th October

Unfortunately, the season’s first track session on 16 October was rained out. The same race program will be used for the upcoming track session on 23 October.

Graeme O’Neill