Hello Vets,
In the Bleat this week;
• Allan Bontjer thank you
• From the Desk of the Handicapper
• From the Desk of the Race Committee
• 2021 AGM – Held in a COVID Safe Environment
• COVID-19 Restrictions
• Racing this Week
• Race Reports
Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc
Allan Bontjer thank you
Thank you to all for your kind words and concerns. Also for contributing towards the club fundraiser to assist my family through this difficult time. Because of your generosity, I will be able to rest and recover without the stress of not being able to work until next year.
I am doing OK. Fractured ribs still healing, but able to rest at home under Doctors orders not to work, drive or go out by myself.
Thanks Again,
Allan Bontjer
From the Desk of the Handicapper
Allan Bontjer fundraiser
Many thanks to those who contributed to the fundraiser. There were many categories: those who entered but didn’t race; those who raced, those who raced and donated, and those who donated. In all, over $2,500 was raised which will help Allan through a bit of a cash crunch while he can’t work. See Allan’s message above.
The sprint primes provided plenty of excitement with Pat Rooke winning by a few mm in F grade while Steve Crispin went solo in A grade. Conan Liu’s effort in B grade was quite memorable, as he was well back when he started his sprint on the back straight and pushed all the way to overhaul the leaders just before the line, but then suffered a complete lactic acid meltdown. I thought I had a chance in C grade until 80m to go when Lance Purdon went past as though I was standing still.
Prime winners;
A Steve Crispin Photo 4
B Conan Liu Photo 1
C Lance Purdon Photo 3
D Anthony Dick Photo 2 (Ian Morton photo bomb!)
E Phil Anderson
F Pat Rooke
Handicaps
This weeks handicaps;
– Brendan Lakey B to A
– Philip Anderson E to D
– Pat Rooke F to E
Rob Langridge
Handicapper
From the Desk of the Race Committee
Pre entries
Pre entry for crits assists organisers and saves a rush in the office before race starts. It also means riders details don’t need to be decoded from a mess of scrawls. Riders also save time before race start not having to sign on.
However, pre entry will put you in your assigned grade as per RMS. If you want to race down a grade you need to talk to the handicapper beforehand. If you want to race up, you need to get the race officials to update the race sign on sheets.
Ian McVay
2021 AGM – Held in a COVID Safe Environment
The AGM for 2021 will be held on Monday 15th February 2021 at 7:00pm in the Loft Meeting Room at the Raiders Club Weston.
COVID-19 Restrictions
There are conditions for travelers from other states.
Members should stay home if you have been feeling unwell or showing symptoms of COVID-19 or been in contact with someone who has felt unwell in the past 2 weeks.
RACING THIS WEEK:
Tuesday, 15st December: Stromlo Criterium – Christmas Wheel Race
Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
Heats E/F/G 5:50 25 m 2 laps
A/C 6:20 A 30m 2, C 25m 2
B/D 6:50 B 30m 2, D 25m 2
Final1st 5 riders of each grade from heats @7:35
– 4 laps with each grade handicapped
Race Director: Ian McVay Contact: Email: imcvay@grapevine.com.au Ph 0406 378 509
Marshals: Mark Vardy
Wednesday, 16th December: Track Racing
Track has concluded for 2020. Track racing will resume in the New Year on Wednesday 6th January.
Sunday, 20th December
Road has concluded for 2020. Racing will resume in the New Year on Sunday 24th January.
RACE REPORTS:
Track Racing – 9th December
Wednesday 9 December was track racing session 9 for the 2020-21 season. It was the final session before Christmas and hosted the Christmas Wheel Race, a 6-lap trophy handicap. The evening was balmy and clear with a slight headwind in the back straight. Attendance was a little below par, with 14 riders equally represented by A and B grades.
The 8-lap A grade scratch race started at a good pace with Ben Robey and Ben Davis taking the initial turns. On lap 3 Steve Jones rolled into the lead and upped the pace. The pace stayed high as John Paul De Sousa, Wayne Benham and Warwick Wilson took turns at the front. On lap 6 Craig Kentwell attacked over Warwick Wilson and Ben Robey took up the pursuit. Craig soon had a substantial gap and looked strong. Ben Robey kept up the pursuit until the final lap but could make only limited inroads into Craig’s lead. By the final lap, Ben was tiring and fell back. Steve Jones surged up to Craig and sat level with his wheel, ready to pounce as the finish approached. Steve was the ultimate victor, followed in by Craig Kentwell and Warwick Wilson in that order.
The B Grade scratch race ran at steady pace for the initial 3 laps with James Newhouse, Mark Canaider and Alison Hale taking turns at the front. On lap 4 Ken Birch took the lead and slowed the pace slightly. Graeme O’Neill then took over at the front for lap 5. By this time, the bunch was getting toey, with riders splayed up the banking ready for an attack. Ian Drayton launched the attack on lap 6 with Phil Anderson in hot pursuit. The attack shattered the bunch. Ian and Phil gained a significant lead as riders streamed around a slowing Graeme O’Neill. They held on to an advantage until the bell lap, when the bunch finally caught up. Phil Anderson reacted and put in a strong final lap for the win. Ian Drayton was overtaken by Mark Canaider and James Newhouse who took second and third placings in that order.
The evening’s final event was the Christmas handicap with 14 riders on the start line. The limit riders charged out of the blocks. Ken Birch, 5 seconds off limit, started at a suicidal pace and had taken over the lead and established an early gap within the first two laps. However, it could not last. After his early lead, Ken fell back and drifted towards the rear. Mark Canaider was also 5 seconds off limit and pushing hard in the early stages. However, Mark also overdid the early pace and fell back. By Lap 4, the A grade riders were starting to close the gap to the B grade leaders. The catch came at the end of lap 4 as the lead riders from B grade began to slow. In the final 2 laps, Ben Davis, Warwick Wilson, Ben Robey and Wayne Benham streamed around the lead B grade rider (Ian Drayton) and scrambled for the finish. Ultimately Ben Davis took the win from Warwick Wilson in second and Ben Robey in third place. It was a significant win for Ben as he is now the only club rider to win the Christmas Track Handicap trophy twice. He first won this trophy in 2013. Congratulations to Ben on a gutsy, well-earned win.
Results
Firstly, a revision to results for last week’s chaotic Italian Pursuit. It appears that one rider from Team 1 dropped out early and was not noticed. The win therefore goes to Team 2 (Martin Graham, Warwick Wilson, Ben Robey, John Paul De Sousa, James Newhouse, Phil Coulton, Alison Hale). Season points have been adjusted to reflect this.
Major place getters for Wednesday were as follows:
8-Lap Scratch: (A Grade) Steve Jones, Craig Kentwell, Warwick Wilson. (B Grade) Phil Anderson, Mark Canaider, James Newhouse. 6-lap Christmas Wheel Race Handicap: Ben Davis, Warwick Wilson, Ben Robey, Wayne Benham, Ian Drayton.
Season Point Score Update:
Phil Anderson (124), Ian Drayton (114), Steve Jones (113), John Paul De Sousa (111), Phil Coulton (105), Ken Birch (103), James Newhouse (99), Bruce Griffin (85), Alison Hale (83), Ben Robey (82).
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all club members from the Track Group.
Graeme O’Neill
Uriarra Crossing Time Trial – 13th December
Was it the rain peppering the windshield on the drive out, or the daunting task of an all out effort up the three sisters that ensured only a small group of the toughest racers showed up for Sunday’s Time Trial at Uriarra Crossing? The weather gods were kind in the end; the rain stopped and the road dried before the start, allowing the race to go ahead.
Fourteen keen souls took on the challenge, with Steve Crispin taking out first place with a cracking time of 6:32, followed closely by Daniel Lekhac (6:43) and Bradley Peppink (7:14) in 3rd. Emma Padovan was the only lady to tackle the climb, winning C grade with a time of 7:52, a result that would have won B grade and put her in 4th place in A grade.
Congrats to all that made their way out to the last Time Trial of the year, the next hill climb TT is at Mount Majura on January 24th.
Results:
A 6:32 Steve Crispin
A 6:43 Daniel Lekhac
A 7:14 Bradley Peppinck
A 7:53 Rainer Wilton
B 8:26 Peter Young
C 7:52 Emma Padovan
C 8:18 Daniel Ward
C 8:22 Peter Balint
C 8:33 John Paul De Sousa
C 9:08 Ian McVay
C 9:18 Andrew Matz
D 9:13 David Hennessy
D 9:31 Lance Purdon
F 12:03 Chris Copeland
Jason McAvoy
Race Referee
