Masters,

In this week’s Bleat.

•  IMPORTANT NOTICE – Membership Renewals

•  From the Desk of the Handicapper

•  Racing this Week

•  Race Report

Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc

IMPORTANT NOTICE – Membership Renewals

A reminder that 2022 memberships are now due for renewal. For insurance purposes, members must be financial in order to race. To renew your membership go to the following link https://memberdesq.sportstg.com//index.cfm?fuseaction=main&OrgID=10244 and log in with your Username and Password. If you have forgotten your Username and/or Password, you can use the retrieval options by clicking on ‘Forgotten your Password?’

Please do not leave renewing your membership until the day you plan to race, as a separate manual process is required by the race committee to upload membership details into RMS so that you can enter online. If you leave it until the last minute, it is likely that you will receive an error message indicating that you are not financial. Pre-race registration will continue to be required for all races in 2022.

[Editors Note: I don’t like the design of the new GameDay website. They have put light grey buttons on a white background which makes it very hard to find the ‘Next’ button to go to the next page. You’ll have to look closely to see them.]

Race Numbers

If you have forgotten to bring your race number or have recently joined the club and have not yet received your race number, please use a handwritten number that reflects your ‘official’ race number (ie the number you used to register for the race) and ensure that your race number is accurately recorded in the finishing chute. Last week some riders raced using a ‘visitor’ number (ie a 700 series number) which are reserved for trial riders. If you use an incorrect number, it is difficult for the race committee to reconcile the results with the list of registered riders and your results will be omitted from the official results in RMS.

If you require a new race number please contact membership@actvets.cc and a new number will be sent to you.

From the Desk of the Handicapper

Promotions

Bruce Goodfellow B to A
Jason Irwin C to B
Michael Larkin D to C
Craig Kentwell D to C

Mark Harris wins A grade

Unless someone scours the club results to prove me wrong, Mark Harris has created club history by being the first M7 rider to win an A grade criterium race. This was Mark’s first win in this grade since 2018. He has a very long history with the club, having debuted in a C grade scratch race at Lookout Hill back in 1996. Since then he’s accumulated 481 club events and about 70 wins! Although primarily a crit rider in club events now, Mark had a golden period in Feb–April 2000 when he won six consecutive road races. He also proved unbeatable in criteriums in 2006–2007, where he recorded 10 wins from 12 starts, and early 2015 with eight wins from 10 starts. In recent years he’s also been NSW and Australian criterium age champion.

Rob Langridge
Handicapper

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 11th January: Stromlo Criterium

Note: Pre-registration required by 11 Jan 2022 3:50 pm.

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

No late entries accepted.

Where: Stromlo Forest Park

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 7:30 30 min + 2 laps

Race Director:  Michael Langdon Contact: Email: micklan.ml@gmail.com    Ph  0416 621 698

Marshals:David Johnson

Thursday, 13th January: Track Racing

Note that Track Racing will be held on Thursday evening, on a trial basis, for the next 4 weeks.

The Program for Wednesday is;
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice;
6.00pm – 6.30pm: 8-lap graded scratch race;
6.30pm – 6.50pm: Re-scheduled Christmas Wheel Race (6-lap handicap);
6.50pm – 7.10pm: Italian Pursuit.

Sunday, 16th January: No Scheduled Road Race

RACE REPORT:

SFP Criterium – 4th January

With Tim Bailey’s forecast of hot and windy conditions and good numbers it was always going to be a tough night and we weren’t disappointed.

G Grade

G was a 2 horse race with Mike and Bernard swapping off for most of the race until Mike hit the turbos and rode away, handicapper was very interested in the strength of M Spoljaric and I think he will see himself re graded.

F Grade

Bob Miller was the only F grader to challenge the conditions and was up against that Man in Mirror. He decided to roll away with E Grade, was strong the whole race and held on until the end with the higher grade strong effort.

E Grade

It was Ladies Night in E grade with 6 riders fronting up with little action throughout the race with either the heat stopping the riders from attacking or the general agreement for no attacks until In the end it came down to a last lap frenzy with Pat Rooke too strong taking out the win ahead of Cat Riley.

D Grade

A sizable field of 15 riders started the race with only 1 DNF. Once again the heat played a pivotal role in slowing down the riders and reducing the number of attacks during the race. Initially Liz Lowe and Tony Sheehan animated the race with a strong attack until it was all back together with a bunch sprint going to Michael Larkin with 2nd going to Craig Kentwell and 3rd Kevin Newhouse.

C Grade

14 riders decided to tackle the race. Damian Copeland jumped early however was pulled back slowly with a strong attack from Dominator who was later quoted as saying “Racing Was the winner”, and due to a mix up with an A grader sitting on the front of C grade. He was bought back only to be hit hard by a dominant move by Jason Irwin which proved to be the move of the night riding away with the win and will be expected to be in B grade next week minor places went to Wayne Benham and Bruce McMillan.

B Grade

From the outset we knew we were in for a race with Peter Young and Darren Blackhurst getting away and working extremely well a big effort from Bruce Goodfellow and Matt Hinchcliffe bought the break back together and the race was on. With the bell lap going and a big attack coming from Michael Langdon our Track Specialist we thought it was over. Unfortunately a gust of wind pushed him into the gutter and a strong finishing Bruce G was able to come over the top and take the win.

A Grade

From the outset Mark Harris looked strong getting away with Ben Carmody for 6 laps until a strong surge from Nick Stewart bought it back together. Nick then continued over the top and put a gap in with fellow breakaway rider Mark Harris. The two stayed away with Rainer and Terra at different stages trying to bridge however the combination and the willingness to work together saw Mark and Nick pull away with Mark eventually taking the sprint from Nick. 3rd place was a bunch sprint that Rainer won with ease.

Big thanks to Jason Chalker sweeper and Marshall extraordinaire and Ex Club Prez Dougal Torrance who was doing his own work on the sideline helping the ladies across the track and working the chute finish line.

Gerard Tiffen