Hello Vets,
In the Bleat this week;
- Reminder: Cashless Payment
- Annual General Meeting
- From the Desk of the Handicapper
- Replacement Marshal
- Keith Joliffe Accident
- ACT Veterans Cycling Club Trophies and Medals
- Event Traffic Controller’s Course
- 2020 Australasian Masters Cycling Championships, NZ
- University Study
- Gunning Marshals
- Racing this Week
- From the Race Committee
- Race Reports
Please send me your contributions at: TheBleat@actvets.cc
Ian Morton
Reminder: Cashless Payment
A reminder that we do have a Cashless Payment option at the Crit Racing for the Race Fee.
Annual General Meeting
Dear Members,
As you are aware, the Annual General Meeting for the club will be held on the 17th of February . This is your chance to have an influence on the direction of the club for the next year. Please come along and contribute your ideas.
As advised, I will be stepping down as President this year although I intend to stay on the committee to assist the transition. A few other long term committee members will also be stepping down at the same time, notably Phill Coulton (racing approvals), Jan Koehler, (Secretary) and Kim Malcolm (medals).
Membership of the committee gives you an opportunity to influence the direction of the club, help with the development of new courses and the racing calendar. Members of the committee are professional and easy to work with.
I’m really keen that members nominate for these positions or general membership of the committee to ensure that the club remains strong and can provide regular racing.
Dougal Torrance
President ACT Veterans Cycling Club.
Notice of Annual General Meeting 2020Members are advised that the Annual General Meeting – Items of Business should be advised to the Secretary 14 Days prior to the meeting to be considered at the meeting; – Apologies also to the Secretary.
Details to be provided to the Secretary prior to the AGM, via email at secretary@actvets.cc Phill Coulton |
Members wishing to nominate for a Committee position can download a nomination form here
From the Desk of the Handicapper
Promotions
This week’s promotions;
– Michael Fawke B to A
– Graham Tanton C to B
– Tony Sheenan E to D
– David Gunther E to D
Rob Langridge
Handicapper
Replacement Marshal
A replacement marshal is required for the Old Federal Highway on 23rd Feb. Anyone who is able to fill in, please let the race committee know: race.committee@actvets.cc
Keith Joliffe Accident
Some members will be aware that club member, Keith Joliffe had a nasty bike accident recently while out on a training ride. Keith has provided the following account of his accident and would like to convey his appreciation to club members for their fabulous help and support. We wish Keith all the best for a speedy recovery.
Heading off for the Monday Northside F-grade training ride. Ginninderra Creek bike path near Melba. Didn’t see a stick left there by the famous hailstorm. Without warning I was Superman and the bike had come to an instantaneous stop from 25kph. Back arched, I hit the ground on my chest and felt like a truck had belted me. The helmet and full-finger gloves did their job. I was hunched over groaning as though winded, and thought the broad pain across my back and chest might be heart attack, so even though I had no concussion symptoms, I could move all my limbs and the always fabulous ambos called by my wonderful walker-rescuers couldn’t elicit pain when prodding my spine, we concluded soft tissue and they took me to Calvary. Wrong. The Calvary CT Scan showed up fractures. I had to lie flat on my back on morphine and Endone for two days awaiting a bed at Canberra Hospital Neurosurgical Unit. Nil by mouth including my usual medications which caused hypertension problems later. The upshot is bark off in several places, a broken front tooth and Oh, how could I forget: Polytrauma (PBC), T5 sub endplate # 27% LOH w/ surrounding paraspinal haematoma; Left ribs 2-4 and R ribs 4-6 #s; T4 endplate # w wedging; L T1 TP #; Hypertension. Summary: 6 fractured ribs, 2 compressed thoracic vertebrae; another X-ray in two weeks time to ensure the vertebrae aren’t still compressing. Best case recovery time 6 weeks. Worst case scenario surgery.
ACT Veterans Cycling Club Trophies and Medals
The club currently has a number of perpetual trophies, and also purchases and distributes individual trophies and medals for a range of events. The cost of purchasing and engraving trophies and medals has increased in recent years, as we have had to change suppliers. It also takes a substantive part of a committee member’s time and personal expense to organise trophies and medals throughout the year. A list of trophies and medals provided by the club, together with estimated costs are at;
https://sites.google.com/a/actvets.cc/w3/files/memberfiles/ACTVets_List_of_Trophies_and_Medals.pdf
The estimated TOTAL COST of trophies per annum is $2,500.
Often medals are prepared but are not collected. And, as we do not have a clubhouse to store them, trophies are presented to members and then have to be collected from members for the next year’s race.
The Committee would like to seek members’ views on options for dealing with trophies and medals.
Possible options are:
1. Status quo
2. Have ‘virtual’ medals, i.e. we have medals that are ‘presented’ for photos but members don’t keep them
3. Retain only championship trophies, i.e. for Road, TT and Crit
4. Have no trophies or medals
Please consider what approach the club should take with medals and trophies and provide feedback to committee members at committee@actvets.cc.
Event Traffic Controller’s Course – 15 February 2020
An Event Traffic Controllers (ETC) Course will be held on Saturday 15 February 2020 from 09:30-16:30. The venue for the course is the Office of Regulatory Services (TCCS Depot), 255 Canberra Ave, Fyshwick, ACT 2609. Enter to the Training Room is via Lithgow and Wiluna Streets.
An ETC qualification is required in order to be able to marshal at Club events in the ACT in any role requiring the stopping of traffic. We rely on a healthy stock of ETCs in order to be able to run road races in the ACT. The Club offers reimbursement to ETCs for their service at races, which is a nice way to subsidise your future race fees. The Club has negotiated with the ACT Government to provide the ETC course at no charge to the Club or members! It is completely free! There is also a live mentoring component which you can do at one of our ACT road races.
So, please, if you are not already an ETC, sign up for the course.
Members who already have an ETC qualification do not need to undertake the course again.
If you can attend, please contact Blended Learning International (our training partner), CEO Lisa Materano on Mobile: +61 438 134 558; or e-mail: lmaterano@blendedlearning.edu.au. Copy the Race Committee (race.committee@actvets.cc) on the e-mail so we can keep track of which of our members have enrolled.
2020 Australasian Masters Cycling Championships, NZ
The first Australasian Masters Cycling Championships will be held in New Zealand over Easter 2020. Details are on their Website: http://masterscycling.co.nz/
Australian Masters are also able enter the NZ age group championships the following week, details: https://age-group-road-nationals.cyclingnewzealand.nz/.
University Study
The University of Canberra and the Australian Institute of Sport are running a study examining the impact of exercise, sport and healthy living on the epigenetic signature of immune cells in various population groups. We are looking for highly active 65-80 year olds to undergo a blood test and answer some questions on activity levels and health history. The blood test would take place at the AIS and would take no more than 20 min.
If you are interested, please Email: nicole.vlahovich@canberra.edu.au.
Gunning Marshals
The Gunning 2 Day event will held on the weekend of the 2/3 May 2020. To be able to run the event, we need the assistance of Marshals, lead and tail drivers and general helpers.
Any members who are willing to assist, please contact the race committee (race.committee@actvets.cc).
RACING THIS WEEK:
COULD ALL MEMBERS PLEASE ENSURE THEY ARE FINANCIAL BEFORE RACING TO ENSURE WE ARE COMPLIANT WITH OUR INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS.
Tuesday, 4th February: Stromlo Criterium – Graded Scratch
Please check announcements regarding Smoke Levels and whether Stomlo Forest Park is closed due to adverse weather conditions.
Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
A/C 5:50 A 45m+2, C 40m+2
B/D 6:40 B 45m+2, D 40m+2
E/F/G 7:15 30 min + 2 laps
Race Director: Rosemary Robinson Contact: Email: rosemaryr2@iinet.net.au Ph 0417898917
Marshal: Alison Hale
Wednesday, 5th February: Track Racing
Note: Race session will be dependent on air quality assessment.
The Program for Wednesday is;
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice;
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 10-lap Graded Scratch;
6.20pm – 7.00pm: 2-lap Match Races;
7.00pm – 7.20pm: Italian Pursuit.
Road Racing
Sunday, 9th February: Lookout Hill Graded Scratch
Note: The Race Committee will continue to monitor the fire situation and may need to move the event to Dairy Road if conditions are unsafe for racing.
Where: Observation lookout on Tidbinbilla Road about 2.5 km towards Tharwa from Point Hut / Tidbinbilla Rd intersection (or about 4.5 km from Tharwa village).
When: 9:00 am.
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number
Race Description:
Lookout Hill to Tidbinbilla Reserve and back. ABCD x 2 laps. EFG x 1 lap.
Race Director: Malcolm Paterson Contact: Email: greenleigh18@gmail.com Ph 0478225350
Marshals: Robert Brunato (ETC), Kim Malcolm (ETC), Bruce Goodspeed (ETC), Sally Thomson
From the Race Committee
Upcoming Race Officials Roster
Rostered race officials are shown against each race in the Race Calendar http://rms.actvets.cc/calendar.
If your name is followed by TBC (To Be Confirmed) you need to contact the race committee 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:
Stromlo – 28st January
This evening was clear and hot; racing was able to progress despite the spectre of the Orroral Fire cloud developing to the south. Stay safe, everyone in the Tharwa/Bredbo/Michelago area.
Thanks to Russell and Gill for managing the ever present kangaroos and ducks. This is such an important part of our racing, with many roos crossing the track whilst the ducks graze happily on the grassy verges.
B and D grade set off early. The 12 riders in B Grade set a good pace early, with a breakaway attack in lap 4 which was caught in short order. 9 riders remained in the front group after 25 minutes. There were ongoing attacks from the front, with Dougal Torrance and Michael Fawke moving ahead with 10 minutes left to race. Dougal soon re-joined the bunch, whilst Michael and Darren Blackhurst set up a strong breakaway and crossed the line in first and second spots. Michael Foulds and Rowan McMurray formed a second breakaway and were third and fourth in a sprint for the line.
D Grade, another group of 12 riders, rode a steady race, with some chatter and banter along the way. Greg Mitchell attacked with three laps to go; however the front group brought him back in, with the places going to Frank O’Sullivan in a strong sprint to the line, followed by Craig O’Neill and Ian Morton.
The next group away were E and F Grades. The three riders in F Grade rode together in a steady race. The pace picked up after the 2-lap notification, increased again at the bell and the sprint to the line was hotly contested. Mike Hayes was first across the line, closely followed by Bob Miller and Linda Stals.
E Grade rode a steady race, rotating the lead, staying together and generally working collaboratively. Tony Sheehan put in a strong sprint to the line, with David Gunther and Leanne Tennant closely contesting second and third spot. Congratulations to Howard Moffat for a strong fourth spot, and welcome to new rider Cat Riley.
The last group of the evening was graded A and C. A Grade, with 14 riders forming the largest group of the night, was quick from the get-go. The pace was fast and steady, with Tristan Dimmock and Nathan Spillane pulling away for an early attack. The bunch only slowed to avoid a kangaroo, tripping leisurely across the track. Tristan then pulled further ahead, working alone to stay ahead for several laps. Some 10 minutes from the finish, Steve Crispin attacked, Tristan re-joined the bunch and Steve finished the race with an impressive lead. 9 of the 12 riders finished, with Rainer Wilton and Marc Vroomans taking out second and third positions.
C grade, with 8 bikes in the race, had a strong lead in the ride from the tandem team of John Barlow and Ben Healy. With several attacks during the race, the final line-up was Graham Tanton first across the line, with Lance Purdon and Wayne Benham in hot pursuit for second and third spots.
Penelope Anderson
Track Racing – 29nd January
The 29 January track racing session was cancelled, by the race committee, because of an excessive and increasing airborne smoke level as the session approached. The previously proposed track program will be repeated for the coming track session on Wednesday 5 February.
Season Point Score Update:
Tony Beasley (124), Ross Scutts (119), Martin Graham (117), Hamish Anderson (107), Warwick Wilson (103), Ken Birch (99), James Newhouse (97), John Paul De Sousa (96), Dougal Torrance (95), Phil Anderson (84), Michael Langdon (73).
Graeme O’Neill
