Masters,
In this week’s Bleat;
• Vale Pat Carey
• From the Race Committee
• From the Committee
• Racing this Week
• Race Report
Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc
Vale Pat Carey
Pat Carey passed away on Thursday 18th August at Claire Holland after a sudden illness.
Pat was a member of the Vets from 1996 to 2011. He rode in well over 200 events.
He was a keen triathlete and joined the Vets to improve his cycling leg. He participated in the Hawaiian Ironman event. He rode with the Mice and recently rode with Pedal Power. He will be missed. Our condolences go out to his wife Val and family.
Funeral arrangement will be advised later.
From the Race Committee
Club Championship
We still require two more marshals to assist with this weekend’s Club Championship on Mountain Creek Road. Please contact the Race Committee (race.committee@actvets.cc) if you can assist.
And a reminder that the event is a NSW race which means we will incur professional traffic controller fees so a minimum of 30 competitors is required to be viable.
From the Committee
Active Travel Plan
The ACT Government has released a draft Active Travel Plan, which outlines a pathway to boost active travel in the territory. It includes an interactive cycling infrastructure map where you as members of the cycling community can make suggestions directly. There are several ways for you to have a say on the plan before 24 August 2022.
The Club is considering making a submission that will focus on enhancing the riding experience for those who ride to races, and the use of end of trip facilities.
RACING THIS WEEK:
Saturday, 27th August – Mountain Creek Road – Club Championship
Reminder: All riders must register on the CRMCC Web site (https://rms.actvets.cc/calendar) by 26/8/2022 8:00 PM prior to the race. There is no registration at the event.
Late entries may be accepted in exceptional circumstances. All late entries must be lodged with the Race Committee race.committee@actvets.com.au, not through the Race Director on the day.
Any requests for Grade changes should be sorted out with the Handicapper prior to registration.
Where: Cnr Mtn Creek Rd and Fairlight Rd
*** Do not park in front of the Fire Shed ***
When: 1:30 pm.
Race Description:
From Mtn Creek Rd and Fairlight Rd intersection to 10km and return 1 lap.
Race Director: Matt Hinchcliffe Contact: Email: hinchymatt1@gmail.com Ph 0423 476 341
Marshals: Michael Hanbury, David Buckley, Vacant, Vacant, Van driver – Steven Simms
RACE REPORT:
Sutton Driver Traing Centre – Graded Scratch – 20th August
First up was A Grade with 8 starters. In the first couple of laps the pace was quite fast with the main bunch of 6 holding together quite well with only 2 just off the back. By the time 5th lap came past the lap times were getting faster and the race was breaking up with a Strong group of 3 riders out in front including Tristan Dimmock, Daniel Lekhac and Steve Crispin followed by 2 more then a lone rider. In the 6th lap the gap had grown even more with the trio working well together. This was the time for 1 of the chasers Rainer Wilton to call it not feeling great for the race abandoned. This left the next 2 chasers both Paul Scherl and Gerard Tiffen isolated. Lap 8 saw Crispin showing his strength and splitting the lead bunch and going solo from this point eventually taking a dominant win, Dimmock tried his best to follow on solo finishing a clear 2nd. Lekhac now paying for his efforts starting to fade and seem to sit up a bit to wait for the chase from behind. With only a few laps to go the next 3 places came back together working well into the final lap coming down the final straight Lekhac lead the trio for 3rd in front of Tiffen 4th and Scherl 5th.
Out on the track at the same time was B grade with only 5 starters and 3 no shows. B grade was a very civilized race with a chain dropped by Craig Tozer on the 2nd lap the race was neutralized by all rider allowing the chain to be fixed and race to continue together. This was also followed by a little confusion with Paul Welsh still off the back heading into the first climb off the straight Calls from Conan Lui could be heard from the finish line to neutralize again allowing him to return. Its not sure if this was agreed by all or was just a tactic employed by Conan to ensure he didn’t have to work to much and be fresh for the final sprint. Either way the group again complied and were all back together swapping turns and all riding hard this group remained as 1 group for the rest of the race. As they entered the final straight for the last time it appeared from the finish line that they all came to a standstill and no one wanting to lead out the sprint. As they continued rolling down the straight you could see the pace pick up and with 150m to go it was Conan Lui coming to the front being pushed to his limits by Craig Tozer and Daniel Crocker eventually taking the close victory over Tozer 2nd, Crocker 3rd and Peter Young 4th.
C Grade had the biggest field of 14 starters including 1 new rider to the vets in Luke Phillips. The first couple of laps the entire bunch stayed together before a couple of riders starting to be dropped. In lap 6 Bruce Mcmillan was unlucky and dropped a chain also but unfortunately due to the size of the field Bruce wasn’t afforded the same courtesy as his B-grade counterpart. He re-joined the main bunch but a lap down. With the large group having some strong efforts on the front by Darren Blackhurst and Ian Preston it was Anthony Beasley leading the group into the Bell lap making up for his disappointment last weekend. As the sprint opened up down the long finishing straight it was Tobis Mclenaghan proving to strong finishing a good bike length in front of Matt Hinchcliffe 2nd and Darren Blackhurst 3rd.
D Grade had 6 starters rolling out together and settling into a rhythm for the first half of the race with 4 out in front followed by 2 solo dropped riders. This pattern continued for several laps with Peta Brill and Michael Hanbury pulling some strong turn on the front. But with 3 laps to go it was Marc Cisterna broke away from the group going solo for the win which will gain plenty of interest from the handicapper. Peta Brill also finishing stronger leaving the rest of the bunch also on the final lap to finish 2nd and Michael Handbury 3rd.
E and F grade rolled out together and consisted of 3 riders and 4 riders in each grade respectively. Only 1 lap into the race Lindsay Graham called it quits stating “I wasn’t ready for the hills today” but good effort for giving it a go anyway. E and F grades then broke up into their respective grades and the pairing of Allan Bontjer and Alison Hale putting a gap into fellow E grader Ian Morton this move proving to much for Ian in difficult conditions to close down on his own. Alison and Allan working with each other to make sure Ian couldn’t make it back. As they both rounded the last bend onto the straight for the final time it was Alison Hale who opened up a small gap which she maintained all the way to the finish for 1st place Allan Bontjer 2nd and Ian Morton 3rd. F Grade had the chase of the day with Chris Copeland who was dropped early and had a good distance to catch his rivals must have finally warmed up and hit form late closing a gap of over 100m on his own in the space of a lap to be back with the leader just before the bell lap. In the end it was this effort that might have been his undoing as he had nothing left come the sprint eventually finishing 3rd. Michelle Hodgetts and Elizabeth Lowe were battling it out lap after lap before the return of Copland however when it cam to the final sprint down the straight it was Elizabeth Lowe out sprinting Michelle Hodgetts in a close finish.
A special thanks to Terry Danaher and Craig Kentwell for assisting with marshalling cleaning the track and recording results. Another big thanks to Paul Robey who pulled out of racing to assist as First Aider last minute without whom the race could not haver been held.
Jason Irwin
