Masters,
In this week’s Bleat;
• From the Desk of the President
• 2022 Annual General Meeting
• From the Race Committee
• From the Desk of the Handicapper
• Racing this Week
• Race Reports
Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc
From the Desk of the President
Dear CRMCCers,
As I complete my Presidency of Capital Region Masters Cycling Club, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank the committee and all the volunteers that have helped make the club what it is. If we think back to some of the challenges that we’ve all had to overcome in the past couple of years, I think we can all agree that it has been a tumultuous time, heat waves, bush fires, global pandemics, the retirement from van mgt of Graham, working with local state governments and their ever-changing rules have all impacted on what we want to do, which is race our bikes together.
Thankfully, the strength within the club, to try and maintain a race program and to race in a fun and supportive environment has triumphed far more often than not. And that is testament to all involved.
The committee is still working hard on many things, one of the main items being NSW race approvals and what the club needs to do to compete across the border. We have completed the administrative tasks for the renaming of the club, we are now closing in on club kit designs (look out for upcoming voting opportunity) and we will also look to add livery to the van and roadside race branding (think banners and flags etc.). There are still many lessons to be learned from last year’s club evaluation report. And I hope the incoming President/committee can build upon the work completed to date following the evaluation.
So, it is soon time to hand over to a new president and committee to further the work we have done – which given the above elements has been considerable and I am very proud of the work completed.
If you’re interested in joining the committee, contact secretary@actvets.cc for a nomination form. The AGM will be on Monday 14 February 2022 at 7.00pm Raiders Club Weston
New Cycling Gear
The CRMCC Committee has been exploring options for a new kit design for the club. We give our sincere thanks to Jimmy Carroll for his time and effort to develop different design options. These have been shortlisted to three jersey designs for members to vote upon. The winning design will be paired with navy blue knicks.
Please review the design images below and vote once. Voting will close at 5pm next Sunday 30 January, and we will announce the winning design in next week’s Bleat.
Please note that the full club name will appear on the back of the jersey, and the wording ACTVETS 1993 will appear on the back of the collar.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7B6GBG7
Seymour Savell-Boss
ACT Vets Cycling Club President.
2022 Annual General Meeting – Held in a COVID Safe Environment
The AGM for 2022 will be held on Monday 14th February 2022 at 7:00pm in the Loft Meeting Room at the Raiders Club Weston.
Those attending the AGM will be required to wear a mask.
NOTE: Any Apologies should be advised to the secretary.
Thinking of Joining the Committee
You’d be very welcome. Talk to a current committee member to find out more and submit a nomination form 7 days prior to the AGM on the 14th February 2022.
Russell Marston
Secretary ACT Veterans Cycling Club
secretary@actvets.cc
From the Race Committee
Replacement Marshall Required
A replacement Marshall is required for tomorrow night’s Criterium. Please advise the Race Committee at race.committee@actvets.cc is you can assist.
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
Alison Hale D to C
Anthony Dick D to C
Pat Rooke E to D
Hall of Shame
Dougal Torrance C to B
Rob Langridge
Handicapper
RACING THIS WEEK:
Tuesday, 25th January: Stromlo Criterium
Note: Pre-registration required by 25 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:
B/D 5:50 B 45m+2, D 40m+2
E/F/G 6:40 30 min + 2 laps
A/C 7:15 A 45m+2, C 40m+2
Race Director: Damian Copeland Contact: Email: damiancopeland@me.com Ph 0450 903 676
Marshals: tba
Thursday, 27th January: Track Racing
Note that we had to make track bookings for Feb/March and have decided on a Thursday track evening for the remainder of the season.
The Program for Thursday is;
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice;
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 8-lap graded scratch race;
6.20pm – 6.50pm: 4-lap handicap;
6.50pm – 7.10pm: 10-lap points race
7.10pm – 7.30pm: Italian pursuit.
Sunday, 30th January: No Scheduled Road Race
RACE REPORTS:
SFP Criterium – 18th January
A night of racing that had everything, from cold windy (though dry) weather conditions, to kangaroo invasions and two tight peloton-catching-the-solo-breakaway-on-the-line finishes. We even had a crash, which thankfully wasn’t too serious.
E and F Grades
We started the night off with E and F grades starting out together with 6 and 3 riders respectively. The two grades quickly separated out into their own races. F grade then had a selection with Polly Templeton and Ross Heazlewood riding together and finishing in that order. Michael Spoljaric finished in third just behind them.
E grade rode at a steady pace throughout, with Pat Rooke showing her awesome sprint power at the finish to win ahead of Shirley-Anne Taylor and Mick Donaldson.
A Grade
Started with a hard attack off the line by Dan Lekhac, which he held for quite a few laps before being caught. This then inspired Nick Stewart and Marc Vroomans to go away together for about ten minutes. Marc then thought the shelter of the bunch seemed a more appealing prospect and dropped back. Not so Nick, who relished the chance to get in some high quality suffering and continued solo. Eventually three others decided it wasn’t fair for Nick to have all the pain to himself, and so went across to him, to make a break of 4. This is about the time that they caught C grade, and so ensued “The Great Shambles”. There were shouts of which side to stay from both grades, and consequently there were riders spread across the track going at various speeds. When I eventually looked from behind my hands everyone had sorted themselves out, and it was Nick away with Daniel and the bunch chasing furiously behind. With so much horsepower up the road it was always going to be hard for the bunch to pull back the break, and so it proved. Nick got the better of Daniel to take a well deserved and impressive win, with Paul Watson winning the bunch kick for third.
C Grade
This was very frisky at the start, with Mark Taylor and Vanessa Judge going up the road for quite a while. Eventually they were brought back and things settled into a fast but steady tempo. Then things got spicy! Ian Preston appeared to be trying to get away at about the time of “The Great Shambles” overtaking manoeuvre (see A grade report). Like shrapnel from an exploding bomb he appeared to have been launched up the road, valiantly trying to avoid the various groups of A graders trying to sort themselves out. C grade were likewise settling themselves, and Ian was away with an enormous gap. The bell was rung, with Ian looking supremely confident, but the bunch closing fast. Suddenly, there was the unnerving sound of a crash on Collarbone Corner. Michael Larkin had clipped a pedal and blown a tyre and was down (thankfully alone and relatively uninjured) with our first aid man Simon Whitehead very quickly on the scene. Would Ian hold on? Sadly for Ian and the many fans in the crowd cheering him on, no, he wouldn’t hold on, with Dougal Torrance catching him right on the line to take the win. Ian held on for second, with Rodney Welch getting third. It was good to see Dougal get the reward of the win after doing most of the setup and putting away of everything for the night’s racing.
D Grade
Was run at a good solid pace all night. There appeared to be various moves but all were quickly brought to heel by a watchful bunch, seemingly all intent on having a bunch gallop. Well that’s what they wanted, and so that is what they got. Alison Hale emerged triumphant in the sprint, with Anthony Dick second and Elizabeth Lowe in third.
B Grade
This was a cracking race. There were quite a few attacks going on, with the most persistent being Peter Merrick, who was away for what seemed an eternity. Eventually he was brought back, but with about five minutes or so to go Jason Irwin launched. He got to a good lead and held it, but it was always looking to be unlikely. But still he held, and with 2 laps to go there were efforts being made to get the chase going. The bunch were really hauling now, but still he held. At the bell he was still a little off the front, but the bunch were motoring. Surely they would cruelly mow him down? Coming down the straight and peering through the dim light they all appeared to be together. But wait! He was still off the front, but they were coming fast and he was pedalling squares, and then they all arrived on the line together! Had he got it or had he been caught? There was controversy among the judges and spectators on the line, and frankly it was so dark by that stage that my old eyes couldn’t really pick it. But a confident celebration after the line seemed to carry the day, and judges and fellow riders all decided he had in fact held on for a well deserved victory. Peter Merrick was a very, very close second, with Gavin Stephens a very close third.
My thanks to Mark Porter for marshalling, and Simon Whitehead for doing the first aid which was unfortunately required on the night. Special thanks to Dougal as mentioned previously for doing most of the setup and packing away on the night.
Mark Harris
Track Racing – 20th January
The seventh track racing session for the 2021-22 season ran on Thursday 20 January. The weather was overcast for most of the day. However, there was no rain, so racing could proceed. There was a strong, wind from an unusual direction creating a challenging headwind into and around the first turn. We had 15 riders participating, 8 in A grade and 7 in B grade. After a long absence, Lindy Hou returned to race on a tandem with Kerry Knowler. We also had Peter Brooks giving track a go for the first time.
The 8-lap A grade scratch race started with Dougal Torrance leading out and immediately establishing a fast tempo. By lap 5, John Paul DeSousa was holding a solid pace at the front when Michael Langdon put in an attacking feint. This stirred the pack into an immediate response. Michael gave up his advantage after a lap. By this stage, the whole pack was looking very toey. Riders were splayed up the banking at least three abreast. This continued until the approach to the bell lap when Michael Langdon put in a further attack that spread out riders over the bell lap. Michael cruised to a comfortable victory with John Paul De Sousa and Dougal Torrance in pursuit for second and third places respectively.
The B Grade scratch race proceeded with fairly orderly turns at a solid, but slightly variable, pace. The bunch held together until the final lap, at which point Alison Hale accelerated off the front with the pack suddenly energised, in pursuit. Sarah Stephens and Bruce Griffin were hot in pursuit, but could not claw back the metres gained in Alison’s initial acceleration. Alison took the win with Sarah and Bruce taking second and third spots respectively.
The next event was an interesting 1-lap, standing start, time trial. It was no surprise that Michal Langdon set the fastest time of 27.35 seconds. The next best times in A grade were 29.29s by John Paul De Sousa and 29.93s by Dougal Torrance. The upset of the evening was a fabulous 29.48s by Sarah Stephens from B grade. This time could have given her third place in A grade, had she been eligible. The second and third best times in B grade were 31.35s by Alison Hale and 31.70s by Bruce Griffin.
A 2-lap handicap was held after the time trials. This race was all-in with a mixed field of A and B grade riders. The event was closely contested with B grade figuring prominently in the final results, Ken Birch took a very creditable win, just ahead of Sarah Stephens and Alison Hale in that order. The A2 grade dominated the remaining positions with 4 – 6 placings being taken by James Newhouse, Warwick Wilson and Tony Beasley.
The final event for the evening was, as usual, an Italian Pursuit. This event unfolded with greater predictability than normal. Pat Rooke and Alison Hale sent team 2 off to a great start and the remaining riders in team 2 never looked like giving up the initial advantage. Michael Langdon was able to cruise through the final lap, for a victory to team 2.
Major place getters were as follows:
8-Lap Scratch: (A1 Grade) Michael Langdon, John Paul De Sousa, Dougal Torrance. (A2 Grade) Tony Beasley, Kerry Knowler / Lindy Hou tandem, Warwick Wilson,. (B Grade) Alison Hale, Sarah Stephens, Bruce Griffin.
2-Lap Handicap: Ken Birch, Sarah Stephens, Alison Hale, James Newhouse, Warwick Wilson, Tony Beasley.
Combined Italian Pursuit: Winner Team 2 (Michael Langdon, Warwick Wilson, Alison Hale, Pat Rooke, Tony Beasley).
Season Point Score Update:
Alison Hale (140), Tony Beasley (128), Ken Birch (107), James Newhouse (103), Michael Langdon (90), Craig Kentwell (88), John Paul De Sousa (85), Steve Jones (79), Bruce Griffin (70), Graeme O’Neill (69), Phil Coulton (64), Warwick Wilson (62), Rowan McMurray (53), Kerry Knowler (47), Sarah Stephens (35), Pat Rooke (32).
Graeme O’Neill
