Capital Region Masters Cycling Club

Masters,

In this week’s Bleat;

•  Possible Closure of Stromlo Forest Park

•  From the Committee

•  Racing this Week

•  Race Report

Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc

Possible Closure of Stromlo Forest Park

Due to the heavy rain this evening (Monday), the Stromlo Forest Park facility may close again which could include the Crit Track. We haven’t had any advice yet but please keep an eye out for the Bleat, Facebook or Twitter for notification of any update in the situation.

From the Committee

CRMCC Club kit order

We have had some interest in doing another CRMCC Club kit order. Could anyone interested in having the kit portal open again please email info@mvmnt.club with the items you would be interested in and even the potential size if known (eg. Medium bibs, medium jersey, large socks) and Jimmy will gauge whether there is enough interest for an order. This would be for delivery before Christmas – 5-6 weeks delivery time. Thank you!

First Aid Qualifications

Could members who are First Aid qualified to email the Race Committee (race.committee@actvets.cc) so we can build a Master list for future reference?

Reduced Membership Fee for Remainder of 2022

A reduced membership fee of $80 is now available for new members and non-financial members wishing to rejoin the club between now and 31 December 2022. Register via the AVCC online membership portal at https://memberdesq.sportstg.com//index.cfm?fuseaction=main&OrgID=10244

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 1^st November: Stromlo Criterium

All racing entries from last week will be transferred to this week unless members indicate they would prefer alternate events.

Note: Registration required by 1 Nov 2022 3:50 pm.
Any requests for Grade changes should be sorted out with the Handicapper prior to registration.
Late entries may be considered in exceptional circumstances. Please email race.committee@actvets.cc

Where: Stromlo Forest Park

Race Description:
B/D 5:50 B 35m 2, D 30m 2
E/F/G 6:25 22 min 2 laps
A/C 6:55 A 35m 2, C 30m 2
Sunset @ 7:33

Race Director: Ed Logue Contact: Email: mistered007@yahoo.com    Ph  0421 955 454

Marshals: Tom Stewart-Moore

ps For those members riding home after the race, don’t forget your lights. It will be getting dark soon after the racing.

Thursday, 3^rd November: Track Racing

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 – 7.00pm: 20-lap Points race.
7.00pm– 7.20pm: Italian Pursuit.

Sunday, 6^th November – Sutton Driver Training

Reminder: All riders must register on the CRMCC Web site (https://rms.actvets.cc/calendar) by 5/11/2022 8:00 PM prior to the race. There is no registration at the event.
Late entries may be considered in exceptional circumstances. Please email race.committee@actvets.cc

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

Where: Approx 0.5 km along Sutton Rd from intersection of Sutton Rd and Pialligo Avenue.
When: 1:30 pm.
Race Description:
A/B: 9:00am 50 mins plus 1 lap
C/D: 10:00am 40mins plus 1 lap
E/F/G: 10:50am 30 mins plus 1 lap
Riders are to race in their ‘Road’ grade.

Race Director:  Vacant Contact: Email: tba    Ph tba

Marshals: Vacant, Vacant, Vacant, Vacant – Van driver

RACE REPORTS:

SFP Criterium – 25^th October

Due to the rain over the previous weekend, the Stromlo Forest Park facility was closed. The Race Committee was unable to negotiate access arrangements for the Crit racing so the event had to be canceled.

Track Racing – 27^th October

Thursday 27 October saw the second track racing session for the 2022-23 season. The weather was unpredictable, with scattered showers as the evening approached. However, conditions for racing were, ultimately, quite good. There was no rain and even a little sun made an appearance. There was a brisk headwind in the back straight, the usual wind direction for the Bundadome. Attendance (14 riders) was reasonable for the conditions. The B grade roll up was excellent at 10 riders.

With only 4 riders, the 8-lap A grade scratch race could have been quite tame. It was led out by Tim Jolly with Conan Liu taking over on lap 2 and kicking up the pace. Hamish Anderson and Craig Kentwell then rolled through their turns. Craig must have felt good as he did almost two laps on the front before handing off to Tim Jolly. On Lap 6 Conan Liu put in an attack and gained several metres lead, which he held until the bell lap. At this point Craig Kentwell put in the decisive attack, scorching around the final lap to confirm his good form by taking an emphatic win. Tim Jolly and Conan Liu took second and third places respectively.

The B Grade scratch race had ten riders and was a busy affair with lots of activity in the bunch. Fortunately, all riders were sensible and well disciplined. There was an orderly change of riders over the first 6 laps with the bunch travelling at a good tempo. The race became more tactical on lap 7 with riders positioned above the pace line waiting for the bell lap and cranking up the pace. At the bell, Alison Hale and James Newhouse launched out with the remaining bunch in hot pursuit. Alison was uncatchable and surged on for the win. Mark Canaider got the better of James Newhouse and took second place leaving James to take third, just ahead of a compact bunch, closing at a fast rate.

The second event was a 2-lap standing start handicap race. This event was split into two races of 7 riders, made up from A and B grades. Phil Coulton made an incredible start in race 1 and looked unbeatable over the first lap. However, Phil must have over cooked the first lap, as he was swamped by the bunch on lap 2. Ed Garnett paced himself well to take the win. Craig Kentwell did well to pass most of the bunch and take second. Alison Hale made her usual strong finish to take third place. Race 2 was a very close fought affair with riders converging to a tight bunch at the finish. Bruce Griffin took a fine win from Tim Jolly in second and Mark Canaider in third place.

The final event for the evening was the usual Italian Pursuit. The teamwork from both teams was a big improvement on last week’s effort. Phil Coulton made a good start for team 2 and the B grade riders Colin Calderwood, Alison Hale and Ed Garnett built on Phil’s effort to give team 2 a 15-metre lead after four laps. Hamish Anderson and Tim Jolly did their best over the final laps for Team 1. However, Craig Kentwell and Conan Liu were not willing to give up their advantage and took an impressive win. Conan was so motivated that he did an extra half lap at full pace to make sure there was no miscalculation.

Major place getters were as follows:
8-Lap Scratch: (A1 Grade) Tim Jolly, Conan Liu. (A2 Grade) Craig Kentwell, Hamish Anderson. (B Grade) Alison Hale, Mark Canaider, James Newhouse. 2-Lap Handicap: (Race 1) Ed Garnett, Craig Kentwell, Alison Hale. (Race 2) Bruce Griffin Tim Jolly, Mark Canaider. Combined Italian Pursuit: Winner Team 2 (Conan Liu, Colin Calderwood, Craig Kentwell, Alison Hale, Ed Garnett, Phil Coulton).

Season Point Score Update:
Tim Jolly (37), Craig Kentwell (34), Alison Hale (33), Hamish Anderson (31), Ed Garnett (30), James Newhouse (29), Mark Canaider (28), Conan Liu (28), Bruce Griffin (25), Colin Calderwood (23), Warwick Wilson (17), John Paul De Sousa (16).

Graeme O’Neill

Masters,

In this week’s Bleat;

•  Closure of Stromlo Forest Park

•  From the Desk of the Handicapper

•  From the Committee

•  Racing this Week

•  Race Report

Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc

Closure of Stromlo Forest Park

Due to recent heavy rain, the Stromlo Forest Park facility is currently closed, including the Crit Track.

The Race Committee has a meeting scheduled for Tuesday afternoon 3pm with SFP Management to discuss being able to use the Criterium Track despite the site closure this week and going forward. At this stage we remain optimistic that Crits will go ahead, so plan to race. We will confirm by 4pm tomorrow.

From the Desk of the Handicapper

Handicaps

Ally Roche E to D

Rob Langridge
Club Handicapper

From the Committee

CRMCC Club kit order

We have had some interest in doing another CRMCC Club kit order. Could anyone interested in having the kit portal open again please email info@mvmnt.club with the items you would be interested in and even the potential size if known (eg. Medium bibs, medium jersey, large socks) and Jimmy will gauge whether there is enough interest for an order. This would be for delivery before Christmas – 5-6 weeks delivery time. Thank you!

First Aid Qualifications

Could members who are First Aid qualified to email the Race Committee (race.committee@actvets.cc) so we can build a Master list for future reference?

Reduced Membership Fee for Remainder of 2022

A reduced membership fee of $80 is now available for new members and non-financial members wishing to rejoin the club between now and 31 December 2022. Register via the AVCC online membership portal at https://memberdesq.sportstg.com//index.cfm?fuseaction=main&OrgID=10244

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 18^th October: Stromlo Criterium

PLEASE NOTE THE ABOVE ADVICE AS TO WHETHER RACING WILLL PROCEED.

Note: Registration required by 25 Oct 2022 5:00 pm.
Any requests for Grade changes should be sorted out with the Handicapper prior to registration.
Late entries may be considered in exceptional circumstances. Please email race.committee@actvets.cc

Where: Stromlo Forest Park

Race Description:
E/F/G 5:50 20 min 2 laps
A/C 6:15 A 30m 2, C 25m 2
B/D 6:50 B 30m 2, D 25m 2
Sunset @ 7:27

Race Director:  Bruce Griffin Contact: Email: griffy996@gmail.com    Ph  0402 000 619

Marshals: Frank Zeller

ps For those members riding home after the race, don’t forget your lights. It will be getting dark soon after the racing.

Thursday, 27^th October: Track Racing

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 – 6.40pm: 2-lap Handicap.
6.40pm – 7.00pm: Italian Pursuit.

Sunday, 30^th October: No Scheduled Race

RACE REPORT:

SFP Criterium – 18^th October

Another perfect evening for racing was met with enthusiasm and many racers leaving home without their numbers. Unfortunately this has made for an interesting report with many attacks and podiums spots going to John and Jane Doe..

A & C grades were set off precisely at 5:50 with a few late arrivals joining the racing a lap down. A grade can best be described as a series of failed attacks by individual and groups of John Does. At the fifth min Callum Henshaw attacked but he was quickly shut down by James Thorp and James Meadley, and joined by Gareth Downey and Paul Scherl to establish a mini-break. Without crosswinds and riders backing up from Bowral every move was closely watched, and all attacks were shut down. The A grade trophy was won by Gerard Tiffen who got a superb leadout from Meadley, with James Thorp second and Matt Corby backing up for a fast finishing third.

C Grade set of 15 seconds behind A grade which allowed 95% of them the vital nanseconds to attach their numbers. The race resulted in 2 long range attacks and a tense sprint home with an unfortunate single accident entering the home straight. Thanks to the 2 riders that pulled over to lend assistance to Duncan (who we wish all the best for a speedy recovery and return). Dave Buckley kicked off with the first long long long range attack around the 5 min mark and looked set to ride away until he unexpectedly sat up when he noticed the handicapper pointing at him. Ian Preston detecting a slowing pack chose this moment to take the second long range attack which kept him away until the bell lap and the sprint home. Ian would and should have won if not for A Grade deciding to take a breather after passing him and Ian choosing not to draft. In the end, Paul Clare snuck a cheeky snuck a win over Craig O’Neall who was aiming for 2 in a row with Stephen Terracini in Bronze.

B & D were next off with B grade setting a gentile pace for the entire evening with much chatter and a song being heard in the group. There were no discernible attacks or they were well covered. B grade was also very supportive of letting D grade finish before picking up the pace again with 3 laps to go. Racing for sheep stations on the final lap, Julian Singson was seen dabbing over the finish line in first followed by Andrew Yates and Tobias McLenaghan singing we are the champions.

D Grade quickly setoff behind B grade to the groans of a few thinking that the marshals would give B Grade a half a lap head start…sorry guys get peddling and get racing. The first and only real attack was through Steve Harrison mid-race after his Bowral laden legs began to warm up. Steve set a cracking pace which eventually created fractured in D grade into three groups. The sprint home was won by Sonja Falez with strongman Steve Harrison second and Andrew Peel in third.

Finally E, F & G set off and the only grades to sport all their race numbers, well done team. This group was also the only group with a certain winner, G Grader Gai Monahan set a cracking pace from start to finish and easily beat her shadow. For both E & F grades they were both comfortable settling in for the long hall and vying their time for royalty and stepping up on the podium. Starting with E grade, first was Ally Roche, followed by Linda Stals, Chris Copeland, Mick Donaldson, Rico Fitch. F Grade, Bob Miller brought home the bacon followed closely by Lindsay Graham, Paul Robey and newbie and ex professional hurdler Bob Craine. Thanks E, F & G for wearing your numbers it was greatly appreciated.

Mega Big thanks to Ross Heazlewood for marshalling and bringing his own broom, I expected to see him fly off on it when he left. Simon Whitehead for his first aiding and repair service, the handicapper Rob for getting everything opened, closed, and keeping a close eye on both Dave Buckley & Ian Preston. Finally, a special mention to Chloe Hanbury for her marshalling and sign dancing even though she doesn’t even race!

Mick Hanbury

Track Racing – 20^th October

Thursday 20 October saw the first track racing session for the 2022-23 season. The weather was quite threatening, throughout the day. However, rain held off as the racing session approached, eventually occurring well after the session was completed. There was a brisk headwind in the front straight, an unusual wind direction for the Bundadome. Attendance was poor (11 riders) but understandable, given the conditions.

The 8-lap A grade scratch race started with Warwick Wilson leading out at a steady tempo. Tim Jolly, Hamish Anderson, Craig Kentwell and John Paul De Sousa took one lap turns on the front before Warwick Wilson again rolled into the lead on lap 6. Warwick raised the pace a notch and the pack started to drift apart. However, as the bell lap approached, the pack consolidated and started spreading up the banking, poised for the sprint. Tim Jolly led out the sprint closely followed by Craig Kentwell, John Paul De Sousa and Hamish Anderson. Tim managed to hold off the pursuers to take the win, closely followed by John Paul De Sousa in second place and Hamish Anderson third.

The B Grade scratch race began with James Newhouse leading out. Graeme O’Neill immediately dropped off the back, having pulled out of a cleat. Graeme steadied himself, dropped a lap, then rejoined the bunch on lap 2. The first four laps were orderly with riders swapping out turns and maintaining a good pace. Ed Garnett put in a solid turn, then Alison Hale carefully positioned herself high with two laps remaining. The pace came on as the bell lap approached. Initially James Newhouse and Alison Hale pulled out about 10 metres from the bunch. Alison pulled a further 5 metres on James in the final turn and surged on for the win. James held second place with Mark Canaider finishing strongly for third place.

The second event was a 1-lap standing start time trial. This event is quite technical and requires a strong initial acceleration and tidy, high-speed sprint to the finish. Not all riders had their technique honed to perfection in this first race session. However, Tim Jolly (28.82s) and John Paul De Sousa (29.12s) put in good times in A1 grade. Hamish Anderson, riding in A2 grade put in the best time (28.45s). There were also some impressive B grade times, namely Ed Garnett (29.90s), James Newhouse (30.84s) and Bruce Griffin (31.65s).

The final event for the evening was the usual Italian Pursuit. Teamwork is the crucial element for this event, but this was below par for both teams. This is understandable for the season’s first race session. Initially, Team 2 looked ragged and Team 1 rode well to gain a decent advantage after three laps. The race then went downhill for Team 1 with Craig Kentwell gapping the following riders and Hamish Anderson struggling to hold pace. Then Team 1 compounded the mistake by John Paul De Sousa passing his lead rider and heading off solo. Team 2’s transgressions were a bit to brazen for the commissaire, so the race was awarded to Team 2. Normally the technique in this race improves steadily throughout the season. At this stage, there is plenty of room for improvement.

Major place getters were as follows:
8-Lap Scratch: (A1 Grade) Tim Jolly, John Paul De Sousa. (A2 Grade) Hamish Anderson, Craig Kentwell, Warwick Wilson. (B Grade) Alison Hale, James Newhouse, Mark Canaider.
1-Lap SS TT: (A1 Grade) Tim Jolly (28.82s), John Paul De Sousa (29.12s). (A2 Grade) Hamish Anderson (28.45s), Warwick Wilson (29.30s), Craig Kentwell (30.05s). (B Grade) Ed Garnett (29.90s), James Newhouse (30.84s), Bruce Griffin (31.65s).
Combined Italian Pursuit: Winner Team 2 (Tim Jolly, Warwick Wilson, Conan Liu, Colin Calderwood, Mark Canaider, Bruce Griffin).

Season Point Score Update:
Tim Jolly (20), Hamish Anderson (18), Warwick Wilson (17), James Newhouse (16), John Paul De Sousa (16), Alison Hale (15), Craig Kentwell (15), Bruce Griffin (15), Ed Garnett (14).

Graeme O’Neill

Masters,

In this week’s Bleat;

•  From the Committee

•  Racing this Week

•  Race Report

Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc

From the Committee

Reduced Membership Fee for Remainder of 2022

A reduced membership fee of $80 is now available for new members and non-financial members wishing to rejoin the club between now and 31 December 2022. Register via the AVCC online membership portal at https://memberdesq.sportstg.com//index.cfm?fuseaction=main&OrgID=10244

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 18^th October: Stromlo Criterium

Note: Registration required by 18 Oct 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 28m 2, C 25m 2
B/D 6:25 B 28m 2, D 25m 2
E/F/G 6:55 20 min 2 laps
Sunset @ 7:20

Race Director:  Michael Hanbury Contact: Email: mickhanbury@hotmail.com    Ph  0430 515 896

Marshals: Ross Heazlewood

ps For those members riding home after the race, don’t forget your lights. It will be getting dark soon after the racing.

Thursday, 20^th October: Track Racing

Last week’s track racing session was washed out by rain. Therefore, the season’s first track racing session is rescheduled for this Thursday.

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 – 7.00pm: 1-SS Time Trial.
7.00pm – 7.20pm: Italian Pursuit.

Sunday, 23^rd October: Tidbinbilla

Reminder: All riders must register on the CRMCC Web site (https://rms.actvets.cc/calendar) by 22/10/2022 6:00 PM prior to the race. There is no registration at the event.

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

Where: Intersection of Tidbinbilla Reserve Rd and Paddy’s River Road approx 14 km from Point Hut Crossing. Parking: Off the road on either side of Paddy’s River Road. For road safety reasons, please DO NOT park on the corners of the intersection. Road traffic can be busy and dangerous, especially around the times we are finishing.
When: 9:00 am.
Race Description:
TNR to top of Pierces Creek then return to TNR for one lap – 30km.

Race Director:  tba Contact: Email: tba    Ph tba

Marshals: Ben Healy ETC, Mick Donaldson ETC, Vacant Van Driver.

RACE REPORT:

SFP Criterium – 11^th October

On a perfect evening to race bikes B and D grades were first away. Action in B Grade started early with Peter Merrick, Ed Hall and the Dominator opening up a good gap early on. It was only a few laps until the break caught D grade, and a few more laps after that the main bunch of B caught D. It was always going to make for an exciting time around collarbone corner, but it became a lot more exciting when Ed yelled out that there was a snake on the track. There were quite a few raised voices but happily no-one did anything stupid and the entire bunch got past the snake, unscathed. From our position on the start/finish line we could just see the snake wriggling away… except it wasn’t.

The snake wasn’t moving a lot, but it wasn’t going anywhere. Brian Peak, who had stepped in as first-aider for the night, and Rob Langridge rapidly mobilised to work out what was going on, and on arrival they realised that the bunches were just about to come around again. With a bit more shouting but still no silly moves everyone got past again, and it became clear that the snake just couldn’t get enough traction on the road surface to climb up the banking on the corner. Happily it found the traction before the bunch arrived again, and they were met by a clear track.

It was still Ed Hall out front looking very strong, with Dom and Peter starting to see a gap opening. Meanwhile Matt Hinchcliff decided he wanted some of the action, so he bridged over but even with his added power the trio couldn’t get back to Ed, and eventually got swallowed by the bunch with 10 minutes left on the clock. Ed held them off until the 6 minute mark, with Aaron Thompson spotting his chance as everyone else sat up and breathed a sigh of relief. He fired off the front of the bunch, but it wasn’t long until they were together again and lined up for the sprint. Heath Wade crossed the line first, closely followed by Andrew Yates and a resurgent Ed Meeuwissen. Dom Romano proved it wasn’t all bluff by finishing fourth, while Ed Hall did his best to escape the handicapper’s notice by slipping well back in the bunch despite leading on his own for a lot of the race.

In D-grade things were a lot more settled, with a split in lap 5 but things generally staying together. In the last lap things started to splinter, and Terry Danaher ended up just edging out Duncan Macdonald, Steven Harrison and Paul Morgan sprinting it out slightly behind for the third step, and then the bunch coming in a little further back again.

E, F and G were next off, and with a total of 11 riders across the three grades they went off together. There was a bit of separation early on, with Gai Monahan taking the lead in G from the start and powering home in a solo TT to take the win. In F grade Paul Robey was distanced about half way through the race but in the closing laps an otherwise strong looking Rob Langridge suddenly started losing ground, causing some speculation on whether he was trying to avoid catching the eye of the handicapper. In the end Paul showed his stamina to get past Rob but couldn’t catch Ross Heazlewood, meaning the podium was Ross, Paul and Rob.

The gentlemen of E-grade seemed to forget that we run our races with principles of equality, and spent most of the race insisting that the three women of E go first. Of course they did so, with Ally Roche and Theresa McLachlan both doing huge amounts of work. Linda Stals wasn’t being shy about it either, but held just enough back to make sure that when the gentlemen did put in an appearance she had the legs to leave them all behind. Ally followed close on her heels, with Mick Donaldson coming home for third.

The last race was A and C. It was a very strong A-grade field showing a great deal of the pink and blue colours of Cartel. They started off fast, and then C started fast behind them. It wasn’t long until Stephen Terracini and Ian Preston were off the front of C, with Terry Moore chasing. Meanwhile in A the attacks were constant, With Jimmy Carroll making some early moves and Steve Crispin testing everyone repeatedly.

In C grade Ian was eventually caught and that bunch settled down a bit, just as Steve Crispin went flying by in his latest attack. He got a good gap as the rest of A got held up passing C, and in a show of sportsmanship he sat up and waited for all of A to get past and onto his wheel, before attacking them again. He was caught and the attacks kept coming from all directions, with Joel Rahman and James Thorp both putting in solid digs. Meanwhile at the finish line we were frantically calculating relative speeds and working out whether to give c-grade the 2-lap board this time or the next – eventually I made the call that there was plenty of space, and we would give it to them on the next round.

The next round arrived, and C-grade got the board. At this point they visibly sat up as everyone started to prepare for a sprint victory, and behind them A kicked off again with some powerful attacks. The gap to C disappeared rapidly, and I anticipated disaster with A grade overtaking C just as C started to sprint. I should have known better – as A grade drew up to C they spotted that it was the sprint lap and rapidly agreed to remain neutral and behind for that last third of a lap. C grade got an unimpeded sprint that was taken out by Craig O’Neall ahead of Mark Taylor and Luke Philps, and as soon as A-grade hit the line there was a shout of “right, let’s go”. Their final laps were full speed, with Mathew Corby eventually showing the benefits of his recent hill training sessions with Remco Evenepoel by taking out the win ahead of Steve Crispin and James Thorp, with Mark Vroomans close on the wheel and Rainer Wilton just missing out on a birthday podium.

Overall it was a great night of racing. I’m very grateful to A-Grade for the considerate riding in letting C have a clear sprint, and I apologise for getting those calculations so wrong! Other than that though, the weather was perfect, the racing was intense, JP bought Portuguese tarts for the marshals, and all our first-aider had to do was chase a snake off the track, so you can’t really ask for better than that.

Big thanks to John Paul for marshalling, Brian for doing first aid, Craig for getting everything opened and closed and set up, and Antonia for marshalling even though she doesn’t even race!

Rowan McMurray

Masters,

In this week’s Bleat;

•  From the Desk of the President

•  From the Desk of the Handicapper

•  From the Committee

•  Racing this Week

•  Race Report

Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc

From the Desk of the President

Unsafe Overtaking Behaviour

Last week we saw an example of unsafe overtaking behaviour by a group of B Grade riders when passing D Grade.

Riders are warned that in future, riders may be disqualified and subject to further sanctions if instances of unsafe overtaking are identified.

NSW Racing

Due to additional certification requirements for Race Directors that have been imposed by NSW Transport, we are currently not in a position to run any events in NSW. The Committee is trying to work through the issues to identify a solution but in the short term, our racing will be limited to ACT.

Help & Mentoring for those needing to refresh Skill & Techniques

As the Criterium Season is upon us if you need refresher or help in racing we have a couple of members available to assist you. Thank you for their volunteering and please make use of their skills and knowledge if you need.

To help with your confidence, skills and techniques please contact:

• Mark Taylor via email markandanita4u@bigpond.com, or
• Matt Hinchcliffe via phone 0423476341.

Kim Malcolm
CRMCC President.
president@actvets.cc

From the Desk of the Handicapper

Handicaps

Cat Riley E to D

Rob Langridge
Club Handicapper

From the Committee

Reduced Membership Fee for Remainder of 2022

A reduced membership fee of $80 is now available for new members and non-financial members wishing to rejoin the club between now and 31 December 2022. Register via the AVCC online membership portal at https://memberdesq.sportstg.com//index.cfm?fuseaction=main&OrgID=10244

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 11^th October: Stromlo Criterium

Note: Registration required by 11 Oct 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 25m 2, D 22m 2
E/F/G 6:20 E/F/G 20 m 2 laps
A/C 6:45 A 25m 2, C 22m 2
Sunset @ 7:14

Race Director:  Rowan McMurray Contact: Email: tourletour@gmail.com    Ph  0418 471 051

Marshals:John Paul De Sousa, Brian Peak

ps For those members riding home after the race, don’t forget your lights. It will be getting dark soon after the racing.

Thursday, 13^th October: Track Racing

The season’s first track racing session is scheduled for this Thursday.

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 – 7.00pm: 1-SS Time Trial.
7.00pm – 7.20pm: Italian Pursuit.

Sunday, 16^th October: No Scheduled Road Race

RACE REPORT:

SFP Criterium – 4^th October

We opened the 2022/23 Crit Season with some great racing on the first Tuesday in October. 20mins + 2 laps for all grades made for some exciting racing. First off was E, F and G Grades. A small group in E Grade took off quickly, with Cat Riley asserting dominance in this race, showing that Winter training has certainly paid off! Linda, Theresa, Chris, and Pat fought it out for minor places. F and G were combined due to low numbers, with Gai being the lone warrior for G Grade. Ross Heazlewood took out F Grade from Bob and Robert.

A and C Grade were next, with A Grade taking off at a rate of knots and simply never let up (I was secretly happy I was watching from the sidelines). A small group made their way off the front for most of the race, with Kris McCreath taking the win from Brad Peppink and Steve Crispin, with James Meadley and Dan Lekhac performing strongly in the break. C Grade battled it out in a large bunch with Nick Jeffries taking the win over Rodney Welch and Luke Philps.

B and D Grades were racing against the light to complete their efforts. A few DNFs in B Grade shows the high pace that was put on by the front runners. It ended in a sprint where Dom Romano finished off a long home straight sprint to take the win, from Aaron Thomson and Peter Young. D Grade was a fairly modest size, but still kept up a strong pace with Terry Danaher taking the win from Brian Chugg and Steven Harrison.

Thanks go to volunteers Micahel Foulds and Simon Whitehead, and President Kim Malcolm for opening up and closing things down at the end of the night.

David Parker

Masters,

In this week’s Bleat;

•  From the Desk of the President

•  Meet your Committee

•  Track Racing

•  From the Committee

•  Disruption Taskforce Update

•  Racing this Week

Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc

From the Desk of the President

Start of the Crit Season

Tomorrow marks the start of the Summer Crit Racing season. To ensure we have a safe start to the season, riders are reminded to observe the following practices on the track;

• When a faster bunch overtakes a slower bunch give plenty of warning, DO NOT cut across the racing line of the slower bunch as you are passing.
• When cornering, hold your line around the corner. DO NOT cut across the line of riders on your inside or outside.
• Be confident and communicate well in the pack.
• No overlapping of wheels, or putting on brakes suddenly.
• Remember “inside is suicide” especially when overtaking on a corner – please avoid.
• If your grade finishes first, after you have crossed the finish be mindful that the other grade might still be racing so keep out of their way.
• Watch for Kangaroos or other wildlife and warn your fellow riders.

Remember you can get 1 lap out for a mechanical eg chain off, puncture repair, and as long as not in last 2 laps of the race. Let the Race Director know.

Help & Mentoring for those needing to refresh Skill & Techniques

As the Criterium Season is upon us if you need refresher or help in racing we have a couple of members available to assist you. Thank you for their volunteering and please make use of their skills and knowledge if you need.

To help with your confidence, skills and techniques please contact:

• Mark Taylor via email markandanita4u@bigpond.com, or
• Matt Hinchcliffe via phone 0423476341.

Kim Malcolm
CRMCC President.
president@actvets.cc

From the Desk of the Handicapper

Get your handicap requests in

For those of you who haven’t taken a single pedal stroke since March and have just dusted off the bike this weekend, make sure you are in your correct grade before starting on Tuesday. Grade changes cannot be made on the starting line. Email handicapper@actvets.cc to request a grade change.

Riders who seek a demotion and subsequently win will feature in The Bleat’s ‘Hall of Shame‘ column.

CRuMbs out and about

Podium debut for new club uniform?

Peta Brill took out Women’s Golden Wheelrace at the Wagga track carnival over the weekend. Photo shows Peta on the top step with sash. On Peta’s left is Karen Clutson (3rd) and on her far right is Ali Hale 4th. Although riding for Vikings, all three were looking splendid in the new club uniform. There was a time when riders would have been banned for life for such a uniform violation. Great job Jimmy for organising design, manufacture and delivery!

Rob Langridge
Club Handicapper

Meet your Committee

Vice President: David Parker

I am a 36-year-old M2 cyclist. I grew up in Newcastle and moved to Canberra 12 years ago. I took up cycling through a connection with Ride 365 and joined the ANU Cycling Club in 2012. I took up the sport quickly and was named Male cyclist of the year in 2013 and 2014 for the ANU Club, climbing through the ranks from E Grade to A Grade. I was then a founding member of Phoenix Cycling Collective and raced with them in the National Road Series (NRS) in 2014 and 2015, as well as at the Road National Championships in Ballarat in those years.

Mid-way through 2015 however, I succumbed to injury and then illness as I struggled mentally and physically with the rehab. I lost a considerable amount of weight over the next 6 months to the point where I was admitted to Northside Eating Disorder Clinic in Sydney for a total period of 17 weeks 24/7 inpatient care for anorexia nervosa, anxiety, and OCD. This time was a period of weight restoration, structured meal plans, cognitive therapy, psychologist, and psychiatrist sessions. I also spent my 30th birthday in inpatient care.

Since then, has not exactly been a smooth road, but small steps have seen me come back to cycling after finding some strength and fitness through CrossFit. I have only been back into cycling for about a year but have very much appreciated the strong community support and motivation that riding, and racing provides. I have joined CRMCC and Canberra Cycling Club as well as Cartel Racing Team and Per4mance Lab Coaching to help continue my journey and look forward to riding and racing with the community for years to come.

Track Racing

NARRABUNDAH TRACK PRACTICE SESSION
THURSDAY 6 OCTOBER 5.30 PM – 7.00 PM
ALL WELCOME – DONT MISS IT !!

Daylight saving will soon be with us, and that means MASTERS TRACK RACING!!!!!

The track racing season will kick off with a Practice Session starting at 5.30pm on Thursday 6 October. There will be no racing. All interested riders are invited – particularly new riders and track novices. It is a great opportunity to give track a try!

Please note that Narrabundah Track is a high-banked, oval track suitable only for conventional fixed gear track bikes with a high bottom bracket. We are unable to accommodate road bikes on this track.

Notes:

• Narrabundah track is located off Goyder Street in Narrabundah.
• We welcome riders to try a high-banked track for the first time.
• New riders can get practical advice on gearing, bunch riding & track etiquette.
• Interested riders can try out a track bike (see note following).
• Experienced riders can tune up the machinery & motor.
• All riders can express their preference for events & races.
• The practice session will be around 1hr 30 mins starting at 5.30pm.
• There is no formal structure to the practice. We can assist with introductory training, if requested.
• You can do your own thing, if you prefer.

A few basics on track etiquette for the practice session:

• Use the designated track positions for cruising, tempo or fast pacing.
  (The faster you ride the higher you should be positioned on track. Overtake outside other riders).
• Hold your line – don’t make changes of speed or position unless you are clear of other riders.
• Be very careful if you are crossing or moving on / off the track.
  (It is your responsibility not to impede other riders in this situation).
• Start from the fence and be aware of riders approaching.
• It is best to wear clear or light tinted goggles.
  (the shaded portions of track have very low visibility with regular sunnies).
• All riders will need to be cautious, as there will be novice riders at the practice session.

Spare Track Bikes

We have access to spare track bikes if you are a novice and wish to try track racing. Note that you will need to bring your own pedals. You may need to pump up tyres (we will have a pump available) and adjust saddle / bar position. You will need to check over the bike for safety purposes. Although we will assist as far as practical, equipment safety and providing tools for fitting / adjustments is your responsibility.

Racing

Regular track racing will start on Thursday 13 October.

Last year was a great season with a dedicated track group and 32 riders participating over the season. However, why should they have all the fun. If you have thought about it, come and give it a try. We would like at 5 – 10 more regulars this season.

From the Committee

Reduced Membership Fee for Remainder of 2022

A reduced membership fee of $80 is now available for new members and non-financial members wishing to rejoin the club between now and 31 December 2022. Register via the AVCC online membership portal at https://memberdesq.sportstg.com//index.cfm?fuseaction=main&OrgID=10244

Disruption Taskforce Update

Car park impacts

Selected car parks across the city will be closed or have reduced capacity with areas fenced off due to construction commencing on the raising London Circuit project.

The first to be impacted will be the City Hill car park on the corner of London Circuit and Constitution Avenue from the end of September.

Intersection upgrade

Prior to road closures being implemented to enable construction to raise London Circuit, the ACT Government will improve access to the city at two key locations before the end of the year. These two locations are the Coranderrk Street/Parkes Way roundabout and the northern side of Vernon Circle.

For more information vist: https://www.builtforcbr.act.gov.au/travel-impacts

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 4^th October: Stromlo Criterium

Note: Registration required by 4 Oct 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:
All races: Twenty minutes plus 2 laps
E/F/G 20m + 2 @ 5:50
A/C 20m + 2 @ 6:15
B/D 20m + 2 @ 6:40
Sunset @ 7:09

Race Director:  David Parker Contact: Email: david.parker@hotmail.com.au    Ph  0418 427 355

Marshals: Michael Foulds

ps For those members riding home after the race, don’t forget your lights. It will be getting dark soon after the racing.

Thursday, 6^th October: Track Practice Session

Details above.

Sunday, 9^th October: No Scheduled Road Race