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