Hello Vets,

In the Bleat this week;

•  Event Traffic Controller Training

•  Racing this Week

•  Race Report

Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc

Event Traffic Controller Training

The last ETC training course was cancelled due to lack of enrolments. Only two members wanted to attend! We need to have more members become ETC’s so we can run races in the ACT. And given current problems with racing in NSW, these are the only races we can currently run.

Possible dates to run courses are Saturday 5 June and Saturday 24 July. Please nominate to undertake the training to race.committee@actvets.cc We should look to get enough members attending so as to utilise both dates.

Ian McVay
Race Committee

RACING THIS WEEK:

There are no events this week.

RACE REPORT:

Uriarra – 24th April

A fine, warm and sunny day greeted around 60 riders for the 24 April Uriarra Road Race. Lots of smiling faces on the start line in such perfect conditions. Within 30 minutes of the start tho a coolish cross wind sprung up, this turned the false flat from Uriarra crossing into a bit of a slog. Given the race was longer than normal and a bit more climbing than normal and the change in the winds we only had a small number of DNFs as most riders dealt with the conditions and were likely just glad to be racing on the road again.

Thanks to the crew, ETCs Bruce Goodspeed, Tony Weir and Howard Moffat and finish line team Howard Galloway and Gavin Stephens. Thanks also to Russell Marston and Ian McVay for help with the set-up and pack down. Thanks also to our ever present first-aider Simon Whitehead also in his role as sweep. Bernie Crowe dominated G grade again, while he didn’t complete the course he did complete the one hour ride he set his sights on, well done Bernie.

F Grade seemed to split pretty early under pressure from Jan Kohler. Most riders ending up riding on their own for most of the race. Jan managed to catch some of the E grade riders despite giving them a 2 minute start. The handicapper might have a close look at that performance. First place to Jan Kohler, 2nd to Cat Riley and 3rd to Chris Copland.

E Grade rode together for the first lap before the bunch split in 2 on lap 2. The lead group of 3, Russell Marston, Alex Sommariva and visitor Jodie Barker stayed together to fight out the final sprint to the finish line. Russell just piping Alex on the line with Jodie not far behind.

D Grade seemed to recognize the task ahead of them doing 3 laps and worked well together staying pretty much as a bunch until the final climb and the sprint down the hill to the line. There were five riders in contention as they hurtled down the hill to the finish line. Frank O’Sullivan out sprinting Alain Arbaut with Robert Langridge only meters behind in third.

C Grade rode conservatively on the first lap even having a bit of a chat as they passed the start finish line on the first return from Uriarra. Lap 2 the pressure went on with 5 riders getting away. These 5 where still together as the third lap began. With half a lap to go this had reduced to 4. By the time they where heading for the finish line there where only 3. Ed Logue with a gap on the other two was first over the line with Dale Kleeman out sprinting Ian Preston for third.

B grade where racing hard early but did stay together for the most part. Lap 2 saw a split with a group of 6 off the front and smaller groups behind. In the run into the finish it was a 2 up sprint with Gerard Walsh out lasting Tristan Fuge, the were 3 racing for the last of the minor places with Simon Priest taking out third.

A Grade like B grade were still together on the first lap but lap 2 saw the bunch splinter with a group of 3 off the front and the rest all over the course. The three leaders stayed together closely making each other on the final lap. It came down to a 3 up sprint with all three riders within 2 bike lengths of each other. Callum Henshaw taking the win over Steve Crispin and Jimmy Carroll.

Brian Chugg

Hello Vets,

In the Bleat this week;

•  From the Desk of the Handicapper

•  Racing this Week

•  Race Report

Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc

From the Desk of the Handicapper

On-line registration

Week one of on-line registration went reasonably smoothly. The expected Friday afternoon rush of grade change requests didn’t eventuate and I only made a couple of grade changes. I can change handicaps after the registration cut-off, but all requests should be made well prior to the registration cut-off time. You probably will not get a quick turnaround for a grade change request on a Friday afternoon as I work full time.

This week’s race will be the first time the race director will also be responsible for race timing as well as all the other tasks as a result of club legend Graham Hendrie retiring from the timing and van manager role. Therefore, it will a busy time for race director Brian Chugg, ETCs, marshals and assisting committee members. You can assist by reading the race description, arriving on time with your race number and functioning bike, following the race director’s instructions and only stand on the road when lining up to start, not 15 minutes prior when catching up on recent gossip. The tea might be cold, biscuits stale and there may be no results but this is the transition process we’ll all have to bear with.

The committee will also be trialling a race management app while the race director will use the traditional Seiko stop watch with printout and paper results sheets. Between the two systems we should be able to produce some results but you never know.

Rob Langridge
Handicapper

RACING THIS WEEK:

Saturday, 24th April – Uriarra Homestead – Graded Scratch

Reminder: All riders must pre-register on the ACT Vets website (https://rms.actvets.cc/calendar) by 23/04/2021 6:00 PM prior to the race. There is no registration on the day.

Any requests for Grade changes should be sorted out with the Handicapper prior to registration.

Where: Assemble at Uriarra Rd / Brindabella Rd, T-Junction. From North Canberra slightly faster Coppins crossing & right onto Uriarra Road. From Sth Canberra follow Cotter Road down to bridge crossing, turn right onto Brindabella Road.
When: 1:30 pm.
Race Description:
Uriarra Homestead – top of Uriarra Crossing – Condor Creek – Homestead
ABCD – Three laps
EFG – Two laps.

Race Director:  Brian Chugg Contact: Email: brian_cathy@aapt.net.au    Ph  0409 992 442

Marshals: Tony Weir ETC, Howard Galloway, Bruce Goodspeed ETC, Howard Moffat ETC, Russell Marston

RACE REPORT:

Sutton Driver Training Centre – 17th April

Magnificent conditions greeted the commencement of the winter racing season.

The winter racing season commenced in magnificent weather at the always-tough Sutton Driver Training Centre course.

A and B got underway first for their 50 plus 1 and set the template for the afternoon’s racing: a few stubborn souls trying to get away in the first half of the race before being forced to accept a bunch kick would decide the race. In the case of A, it was Christophe Barberet away early (first-lap early) before being reeled in. Brad Peppinick and Paul Scherl then had a go, but the long uphill finishing straight and steep climb immediately after seemed to suck momentum out of their escapade. The final few laps saw the eight-man bunch settle into a rhythm preparing for the final kick. With a slight headwind and uphill drag it was a strong man’s finish with a very vocal Gerard Tiffen edging out Marc Vroomans for the win and Brad Peppinick with an active third.

As much of B’s race was animated out of sight, the race director was denied the detail a good race report requires. That said, the gathered crowd was treated to the spectacle of a powerful Mark Harris gapping the eight-person race on the finishing straight to win with Bruce Goodfellow and Carmine Spagnoletti crossing the line in second and third respectively.

With 14 racers in each, the rinse-and-repeat tenor of the day continued for C and D, the only differences being the 40-plus-one and the wind shifting to blow half-hearted gusts up the finishing straight. Both finishes were tightly contested, testing the race director’s ability to take on and retain data quickly. In a pure drag race, C saw Gavin Stephens cross the line first with Ben Neal getting over Peta Brill at the death. Lance Purdon got the line honours in D and Adam Strickland and Bruce McMillian rounding out the podium spots.

The last group of the day, E and F, thankfully provided a point of difference with each fracturing from the start. Intermittent cloud saw the temperature drop some what, which may have provided the racers with a bit of relief on the three-kilometre-ish course. Alan Bontjer rode away with the race in E and was followed in by Rosemary Robinson and then Ian Morton. Cat Riley powered away in F and was chased home by Chris Copeland Pat Rooke.

A big thanks to all who attended and took part. Special thanks to Ian McVay and Rosemary Robinson who filled in on first-aid duty, and to marshall Peter Frew.

Nicholas Stewart

Hello Vets,

In the Bleat this week;

•  2020/21 Summer Season Results

•  ETC Course on 17 April 2021

•  From the Desk of the Handicapper

•  Racing this Week

Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc

2020/21 Summer Season Results

Congratulations to:
Women: 1st Place – Penelope Anderson (153); 2nd Place – Pat Rooke (80); 3rd Place – Rosemary Robinson (72)
Men: 1st Place – Gerard Tiffen (167); 2nd Place – Lance Purdon (154); 3rd Place – Marc Vroomans (124)

NOTE: Presentations to the winners occurs at the Christmas Wheel Race at the end of the year.

Some crit riders impressed the Handicapper so much that they also deserve a mention:
Women: Vanessa Judge and Terri Moore (D to C grade); Alison Hale (E to D); Pat Rooke (F to E) and Peta Brill (C to B).
Men: Joel Rahman (D to A grade) (a stand out effort); Adam Strickland, Mark Harradine, David Jukes, John Stokman, Andrew Terracini (D to B); Gareth Downey (C to A)

ETC Course on 17 April 2021

The ACT Government has approved a course for Event Traffic Controllers next Saturday, 17 April 2017.

We are awaiting confirmation of the course location, but they are usually held at the ACT Parks Maintenance Depot at 13 Lithgow Street, Fyshwick. Course participants should expect the course will run most of the day – indicatively from 9:00am-4:30pm.

ETCs are essential for the ACT Vets to be able to run races in the ACT, and due to COVID-19 we have not been able to run the course for some time. If you are not already a qualified ETC, please consider whether you would be available to attend the course. Please send your expressions of interest to race.committee@actvets.cc as soon as possible. We will need to have final numbers by COB on Thursday 15 April 2021.

Many thanks for your support.

From the Desk of the Handicapper

Vets Out and About

Rowan McMurray has endured what most club members would consider the unendurable and become the first finisher in this year’s Indian-Pacific Wheel Race (IPWR). Rowan somehow pedalled the 5,500 km from Perth to Sydney in only 12 days, starting on 30 March and finishing on 7 April.

On Tuesday last week, remote race followers (dot watchers) Alex Sommariva, Steve Jones and two others rode down south to meet him and escort him to Parliament House where he was meeting his family for a lunch date. Alex was confused by Rowan’s approach to Canberra as he was travelling along the very lumpy Boboyan Rd from Adaminaby, rather than the more direct route from Cooma. Rowan’s choice of route also ensured that other competitors had to follow the same way into Canberra, but it was probably much more pleasant that being buzzed by cars while riding on the shoulder of the Monaro Highway. It also avoided riding past the spot where British ultra-distance rider Mike Hall was tragically mowed down in the early hours of 31 March 2017 during the inaugural IPWR. Alex thoroughly enjoy his day out, and was quite surprised at the pace Rowan was able to maintain on his luggage-laden bike. Rowan finished safely in Sydney the following day to be the first finisher. I wonder if Rowan then rode back to Canberra or got a lift?

Long distance riding is obviously a different type of riding compared with track, road or criteriums. I wondered hypothetically that if the club held a 1,000km graded scratch race who would be the riders who would power on to the finish while others, such as the handicapper, would find themselves about one fifth into the race on the side of the road crying for their mothers. In a head-to-head contest would Rowan win A grade over Steve Crispin and Gerard Tiffen? Something to debate sometime.

Rowan on the bike paths south of Canberra	Rowan and Alex Sommariva	Rowan is greeted by race organisers as first to finish

Rob Langridge
Handicapper

RACING THIS WEEK:

Saturday, 17th April – Sutton Driver Training Criterium – Graded

Reminder: All riders must pre-register on the ACT Vets website (https://rms.actvets.cc/calendar) prior to the race. There is no registration on the day.

Where: Approx 0.5 km along Sutton Rd from intersection of Sutton Rd and Pialligo Avenue.
When: 1:30 pm.
Race Description:
A/B: 1.30pm 50 mins + 1 lap
C/D: 2.30pm 40 mins + 1 lap
E/F/G: 3.20pm 30 mins 1 lap
Riders are to race in their ‘Road’ grade.

Race Director:  Nicholas Stewart Contact: Email: nicholasastewart5@gmail.com    Ph  0499 999 056

Marshals: Peter Frew, Ian McVay

Hello Vets,

In the Bleat this week;

•  From the Desk of the President

•  From the Race Committee

•  Racing this Week

Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc

From the Desk of the President

Dear Members,

I hope that you have all had a relaxing, ride-filled Easter break.

Well that’s a wrap for 2020/21 Summer crits, road and track season! I hope that everyone that was able to get out and race had a lot of fun and enjoyed the challenges that racing brings.

Whilst there were additional challenges – more on those below – this year, we are now looking forward to getting as much racing as is possible, given the restrictions being imposed upon the club.

We also said thank you to Graham Hendrie for his many years of service as the van driver, timekeeper, race recorder, well basically pretty much everything needed to operationalise our race schedule.

We now move into a new era where not only will we need to get all of the ‘Graham’ duties reassigned but also make sure the van is prepared for each week’s particular race. We will continue to seek support from the members to ensure the club can continue racing as often as possible. Please be patient and supportive of the committee, race directors and marshalls whilst we are in this transition phase and be assured, we are doing everything we can.

Last but not least, I hope those involved in last Tuesday’s racing incident are healing swiftly. Thanks to Simon our first aider for helping Ken Birch and Dennis Puniard roadside.

Best Regards,

Seymour Savell-Boss
ACT Vets Cycling Club President.

From the Race Committee

Update on race approvals

The Committee understands a sense of frustration with race cancellations in 2021. Whilst we have had a Tuesday night crit race cancelled by Stromlo park management due to weather, a number of cancellations have been caused by increasing race approval requirements in NSW. Members may be aware that racing in NSW requires three levels of sign off, the local council, the local police and then regional police. This can take many months to process.

NSW shires that ACT Vets race in have applied new conditions for racing in 2021 including requiring Traffic Control Plans (TCP) developed by accredited individuals. NSW now also requires NSW accredited people similar to the ACT’s Event Traffic Controllers (ETC) to run the races. Unfortunately those people accredited as ETCs in the ACT are not accredited in NSW, even though the same standard is applied. The club has explored the option of paying accredited people in NSW, however the estimated cost of around $1,700 per race to hire external providers is beyond the club’s finances. This may put this year’s events at Gunning as well as all other races scheduled for NSW under threat. The club is exploring multiple avenues to try to resolve these issues and the Committee will update members as soon as we are able to provide further information.

Members may be aware that although the process to approve races is far simpler in the ACT, the process still requires multiple steps including submission of a Temporary Traffic Management Plans (TTMPs) and the use of trained Event Traffic Controllers (ETC) to set out the signage and control traffic. A further challenge in the ACT is the closure of some roads due to bush fire damage.

The club has a pool of ACT accredited ETCs however the pool is limited and needs to be expanded. Those seeking to assist the club in running races can nominate themselves for ETC training or join the Committee to assist with the race approval process.

Compulsory Race Pre-Entry

In order to reduce administrative overhead, the Committee has decided to require pre-entry for all future races. Pre-entry is done via RMS Calendar by clicking ‘Details’ for the required race, entering your race number and then paying by credit card using our Square payment link. Check the entry close off time for upcoming events and make sure you enter beforehand.

No on-the-day entries will be allowed at events. In the event of a race being cancelled, riders will be offered pre-entry to a following event. No refunds will be provided.

Riders will need to enter and ride in their assigned grades. The handicapper has confirmed that this needs to happen. It you want to ride in a different grade you will need to have the handicapper change you grade before the race. No grade changes will be allowed at the race. Visitors will need to fill in the AVCC Trial Membership Form and send it to the Committee prior to the event to be assigned an entry.

We understand this may represent problems for some members. RMS is not accessible for visually impaired members and other members do not have internet access. There will also be issues around tandems entering for some events as to how both riders will be assigned to a single grade. We will endeavour to work through these issues with members.

Ian McVay
Race Committee

RACING THIS WEEK:

There are no events this week.