Masters,
In this week’s Bleat;
• 2023 Annual General Meeting
• From the Desk of the Handicapper
• From the Race Committee
• Five Peaks Challenge
• Racing this Week
• Race Report
Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc
2023 Annual General Meeting
The AGM for the Capital Region Masters Cycling Club for 2023 will be held on Monday 13th February at 7:00pm at the Raiders Club Weston.
Members are invited to attend in person or can join via a zoom meeting (link to be advised).
For those that use zoom we need you to register your attendance. Use Chat in zoom to fully identify yourself. For example “Joe Blow is attending CRMCC AGM”.
NOTE: Any Apologies should be advised to the secretary.
Craig Tozer
Secretary Capital Region Masters Cycling Club
secretary@actvets.cc
ps We are always seeking members who are willing to join the Committee. You can download a nomination from: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Tt7NK_6jAoJRclpWUiMxWRqO1aaT_5pH
From the Desk of the Handicapper
Crankys Bicycle Worx
Kevin Newhouse was the latest winner of the $180 Crankys Bicycle Worx Major Tune Service gift voucher. Many thanks to Stu at Crankys Bicycle Worx for this wonderful prize.
Previous winner Stephen Terracini was subsequently promoted to B grade. Will the prize have a similar effect on Kevin?
Promotions
Brian Peak C to B
Michael McGurgan C to D
Linda Stals E to D
Ashley Sked E to D
Rob Langridge
Handicapper
From the Race Committee
Road Races and Directors
Road Races up to April 2 have been loaded into RMS though they are not open for registration yet.
We are still lacking a few Race Directors for upcoming races. Anyone able to assist, please advise the Race Committee (race.committe@actvets.cc).
Registration for 2023
All members must be registered prior to racing in 2023.
Five Peaks Challenge
The Five Peaks Challenge non-competitive cyclo-sportive bike riding event is on again in Canberra on Sunday 23 April 2023. It is a personal challenge conducted by the Murrumbidgee Canberra Rotary Club with all profits going to charity.
There are two ride lengths: 120 km and 88 km and you can bypass as many of the peaks as you desire. You ride the peaks and your partner does the flat.
Full details and registration are at: https://www.rotaryrides.org.au/
RACING THIS WEEK:
Tuesday, 24th January: Stromlo Criterium
Note: Registration required by 24 Jan 2023 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 45m 2, D 40m 2
E/F/G 6:40 30 min 2 laps
A/C 7:15 A 45m 2, C 40m 2
Sunset @ 8:13
Race Director: Michael Rowland Contact: Email: mikrowland@hotmail.com Ph: 0466 623 692
Marshals: Kerrie Muir
Thursday, 26th January: Track Racing
The Program for Thursday is;
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice.
8-lap graded scratch,
1-lap SS Time Trial,
2-lap Handicap,
Italian Pursuit
Sunday, 29th January – No scheduled race
RACE REPORTS:
SFP Criterium – 17th January
The evening of racing commenced with a warm start for both E and F/G grades. E grade had a great turn out of numbers with the addition of a visitor from Tumut. The bunch rolled away with all riders staying together as Ashley Sked positioned himself on the front, setting a solid start to the race. F/G grades started off but found it challenging to stay together with fewer numbers making for less opportunities for racers to find a good sit behind others. The wind picked up slightly halfway through the race, perhaps adding to the challenge for the smaller F/G grade bunch. Ashley Sked continued his commanding ride in E grade and with one lap to go Chris Copeland attempted to break away from the rest, however was outsprinted by Linda Stals who took the win. Robert Craine rode to take the win in F grade, while Robyn Smallwood was first across the line in G.
The slight breeze subsided for A and C grades, providing conditions ideal for racers who prefer to sit in and be towed around. Clearly Daniel Lekhac did not like the idea of other A grade members getting a free ride around the course and attacked aggressively in the first part of A grade’s race, with Steve Crispin welding on the front to bring Lekhac’s attacks back. Conversely, C grade was more sedate with a number of riders sharing time at the front. Eventually Daniel Lekhac retired from the race, which was followed by attacks from Steve Crispin and others, with Crispin and Rainer Wilton managing to get a good gap from the rest of the bunch. C grade continued to work well together. Steve Crispin and Rainer Wilton swapped turns, lapped the remainder of the A grade field and took first and second place respectively. Matthew Corby won the contested A grade bunch sprint, while Ross Goggin won the seated grupetto sprint. The final lap of C grade found most of the bunch in an optimal position to wind up for the sprint with Jarrod Taylor taking a convincing win which was duly noted by the club handicapper.
Next B and D grade departed, with several attacks being made in B grade, all of which failed to stick as the bunch worked well together to chase down any riders which attempted to get away. Contrary to last week’s performance, Brendan Lakey found he had the legs to attack the bunch with 5 minutes remaining on the clock. Similar to C, D grade proved to be a civilised race with Alison Hale putting an effort in with 12 minutes to go. Towards the end of the D grade race the pace picked up a little; it was noted that a member of the bunch had a major wardrobe malfunction which may have been the cause of the tempo change as other racers preferred not to have to avert their view! Tony Sheehan was first across the line in D grade. Brendan Lakey attempted to ride off the front of B grade again on the last corner of the race, however the bunch came back together for the sprint with some impressive speed, with Tom Stewart-Moore taking the win which concluded the evening of racing.
Ed Hall
Track Racing – 19th January
Thursday’s weather was cold with the Bundadome headwind gusting on the back straight. Attendance was low with only 7 riders – this due to many Trackies being away in Adelaide for the TDU (the Algorithm Master Graeme O’Neill included); or in preparation for the Illawarra Track Carnival and too the continued annual holiday season.
A & B combined Scratch (8 laps)
The riders combined for this race – points were distributed by Grade. The bunch stayed together well in the windy conditions. Tim Jolly did his usual 2 laps on the front. He then stayed high on the track not moving to the back of the bunch. The pace was consistent – and then on lap 4 Tim Jolly lifted the pace with the other riders chasing to come back together for protection from the wind. The B graders rode well putting in the required efforts to cover the surges. With 1.5 laps to go Tim Jolly launched and gapped the other riders by about 40 metres to take the win in A grade – B grade stayed together, and Karen Clutson accelerated on the home turn to take the B grade win. A Grade: 1st Tim Jolly, 2nd Craig Kentwell, 3rd JP De Sousa. B Grade: 1st Karen Clutson, 2nd Ali Hale, 3rd James Newhouse.
200 Metre Fly
This is one of the most technical track events. In Sydney on the enclosed and windless Dunc Gray Velodrome (DGV), a Masters 200 Fly time in the 12-13 second range is excellent – 11 seconds range is of Masters World Championship calibre.
(Reference DGV: March 2015 – in the Masters 5 sprint flying 200 metre qualifying, multiple career Masters world champion Geoff Stoker blitzed the track in 10.975 seconds to set a new masters 5 world’s best time).
On the night – Tim Jolly’s 13.05 on an outdoor velodrome in a headwind is very impressive. 2nd fastest was Karen Clutson, 13.98 with a technically dazzling ride. And Warwick Wilson, had a great ride for 3rd fastest on 14.17. (Craig Kentwell 14.26; JP De Sousa 14.65; Ali Hale 14.66; James Newhouse 15.22).
Match Sprints
Based on the 200 Fly times riders were placed into match sprints.
1. Tim Jolly vs Craig Kentwell – in this contest Craig stayed high on the track behind Tim Jolly – ever ready to pounce – however Tim rode a strategic race from the front to block or counter any of Craig’s manoeuvres. (T. Jolly)
2. Ali Hale vs JP De Sousa – in this contest JP De Sousa started the race with a kind of snake charming track stand, this even prior to the race being deemed live – (he was not disqualified). JP then surprised Ali Hale by attacking early and then such was the snake charming skills of JP that he hypnotized himself on the back straight and slowed down and this let Ali Hale back into the match up – Ali took the opportunity and rode under JP to sprint for the win. (A. Hale)
3. Karen Clutson vs James Newhouse vs Warwick Wilson – in this contest Warwick Wilson showed good strategy to lead out the riders – James and Karen rode high on the track behind Warwick and seemed to have their own contest to counter each other – in the interim they forgot that Warwick was in front and was accelerating away in the sprinters lane to take the win. (W. Wilson)
Italian Pursuit
Team 2 on paper was at an initial disadvantage with only 3 riders. Due to the uneven team numbers the Team 2 anchor, Tim Jolly, would have to complete 2 laps. Team 1 on the other hand had 4 riders and could in theory leverage that for the win. This was not to be – Team 1 started so fast that its mid field and anchor missed the memo – gaps between riders everywhere! Team 2 started well and stayed together protecting its anchor rider. This gave Team 2 a solid win.
Michael Langdon’s Italian Pursuit commentary here.
Season Point Score Update:
Tim Jolly 222, Alison Hale 191, James Newhouse 188, Craig Kentwell 180, Conan Liu 165, Steve Jones 124, John Paul De Sousa 117, Ed Garnett 107, Wayne Benham 96, Mark Canaider 89, Graeme O’Neill 78, Ian Drayton 75, Hamish Anderson 73, Warwick Wilson 71, Karen Clutson 70.
Michael Langdon
