Masters, In this week’s Bleat
- From the Desk of the President
- Next Crit Race – summer evening criterium series week 22 – Tuesday 19 March 5.50 PM
- Narrabundah Track Racing – Thursday 21 March, 5.30 PM
- Crit club champs round 2 report 12 March – Rob Langridge
- Track Racing Report 14 March – Graeme O’Neill
- Membership message
- Race calendar can be found here for other race dates needing officials
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
With the first Monument out of the way, we are starting to see the weather change, with shorter days and the end of the criterium season. Congratulations to the 83 riders who contested the Club criterium championships, including 17 of our 27 strong female membership with whom we all celebrated and acknowledged on International Women’s Day 2024. Thank you to all of the volunteers who came forward to help out with the Club champs. I want to recognise ex-President Kim Malcolm who was and is working behind the scenes organising and coordinating medals and trophies.
It was disappointing to see that we didn’t get the minimum numbers required to run the Dairy Flat Rd criterium in a race-committee selected teams format, and we had to cancel this event. We haven’t seen this format run for a while for criteriums, but a similar format is deployed every week at the track and is known as the Italian pursuit, and is a lot of fun.
As with autumnal change, the winds will be swirling at the next committee meeting on Mon 25 March. High on the agenda, is the sustainability of running club events with so few volunteers that have come forward. If you click here https://rms.crmcc.org.au/calendar and look at the calendar, you will see that we are living from week to week to staff the events, and it is the same people who are stepping up so that others can race.
When I first joined the club in 2017, filling the calendar with volunteer roles was done 6 months in advance.
Please, if you can help and commit to one of these roles on one of these dates, contact race.committee@crmcc.org.au.
As a community, my expectation is that we should be operating more equitably and transparently when it comes to volunteering. I also acknowledge that members can contribute in different ways, and we all need to balance our personal lives with cycling pursuits. The committee will be discussing mechanisms by which we can entice volunteers to come forward, including mandating it but we will need to step through a few things first. If you are uncertain as to when you last volunteered, you can look up your own event history and see for yourself by going to Results https://rms.crmcc.org.au/index and looking up your name or race number.
Conan
CRMCC President
UPCOMING RACING
Summer evening criterium series week 22 – Tuesday 19 March
Race director Allan Bontjer, marshal Elizabeth Lowe, first aid Simon Whitehead
| Grades | Time | Race Duration [ sunset @ 7:16 ] |
| E/F/G | 5:50 | 20mins + 2 laps |
| A/C | 6:15 | A 25 mins + 2 laps, C 22 mins + 2 laps |
| B/D | 6:45 | B 25 mins + 2 laps, D 22 mins + 2 laps |
Race registration cut-off is 3:50pm. Cost is $10.
You need to register by looking up the calendar entry in the RMS https://rms.crmcc.org.au/calendar
You must wear your CRMCC assigned race number to race.
Late registrations will be assessed by Race.committee@crmcc.org.au and if allowed, a late fee of $10 will be applied.
If you are unregistered and show up to the crit track, you must convince a committee member (not the Race Director) of your club member financial status for insurance purposes, before being allowed to participate.
NARRABUNDAH TRACK RACING – THURSDAY 21 MARCH, 5.30 PM
The Program for Thursday is as follows:
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice.
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 8-lap graded scratch race.
6.20pm – 6.50pm: 1-lap SS TT
6.50pm – 7.10pm: 2-lap Handicap
7.10pm – 7.30pm: Italian pursuit.
Please register and pay $10 for this session by looking up the calendar entry in the RMS https://rms.crmcc.org.au/calendar
As we have moved to online registration and payment, we no longer accept cash on the day.
This is the final competitive track session for the 23-24 season. Don’t forget the track presentation evening on 28 March. All welcome!!
RACING REPORTS
Club criterium championships round 2 Tuesday 12 March
Age championships—Why?
The is the time of year when the question is raised of why do we race all season in grades yet have aged-based championships. It may not be fair for many, but it means the best riders in each age group are rewarded, with controversy. If we conducted graded championships, former A graders, would probably win all the races down to E grade, which wouldn’t be fair on the riders who, for example, have never been promoted beyond the grade they are currently in. One model for graded championships would involve riders nominating for the highest grade they have attained in the past five years. I rode in B grade in 2020, making me eligible for B grade this year, but I would qualify for C grade next year. Of course, I’d have no hope of being competitive in the B grade race this year, but I think others in C grade wouldn’t feel cheated if I were to win C grade in 2025, especially since I’ve not won a criterium race in that time. Also, we’d probably set a minimum of five races completed before being eligible to race to stop new member sandbaggers and under-handicapped riders taking the honours. If anyone has any ideas how to conduct ‘fair’ graded championships, drop me a line at handicapper@crmcc.org.au.
Criterium Championships Part II
The age championships can sometimes come up with surprises but in part II they generally followed the form guide. Of the four categories of rider, horsepower and brains, horsepower and no brains, no horsepower and no brains and brains but no horsepower, generally, winners here came from the first category.
The M1s, with only two starters, got to mingle with the other grades. Tristan Dimmock shot off for a solo attack but was soon pegged back and then was shuffled to the back of the race when the M2 race lit up and the other M1 rider James Thorp jumped on the faster train. In the final laps, James then rode away from the M2 bunch to win by a huge margin from Tristan and everyone else.
The M2s got into the action early, leading to a breakaway group of Dan Lekhac, Toby McLenaghan, Greg Harris and M1 James Thorp. Greg was a surprise casualty mid-way through, heading for the sheds for an early shower. It would have taken some clever tactics by Jason and Dan to upset sprinter Toby in the run for home, and their bag of tricks was empty on this occasion. Toby dashed home ahead of Jason and Dan.
Ben Morrison kicked off the action early by riding away from the rest of the M3s but realised he couldn’t ride the M2 breakaway, so returned to the safety of the mothership. Given that he was up against current Australian masters’ crit champ Ben, visitor Pete Fox certainly rued choosing the age champs as his trial ride. Pete was quickly disposed to the DNF category along with a few others. Meanwhile a bunch of Nathan Rickerby, Ben, Andrew McCosker and no-number Matt Pooley continued to circle in an orderly fashion. With five minutes remaining the podium was set when Andrew dropped off. Nathan and Matt then continued on until the inevitable; the club’s best sprinter left them for dead. Matt got the better of Nathan among Ben’s wake.
Rainer Wilton made the M4 race easy for us to follow by destroying it within a couple of minutes. With a substantial easterly blowing, Rainer tore up the home straight gutter, disposing of all but Denis Mungoven and club motorbike Trent Smyth. Todd Sowter missed the start, arriving only after the split. We explained that he couldn’t have a late start and pointed out where he would have been dropped. Todd headed home, satisfied with his virtual championship DNF. Craig Lindenmayer battled on for a solo 4th. In the home straight after 30 minutes of relentless circling, Rainer out sprinted Denis to take victory after the motor bike did the last lap lead-out.
The M5s was once again the battle of Stephen Crispin against the might of the Tiffen mob of Gerard Tiffen, Michael Tolhurst, Jeremy Gillman-Wells. Three against one, on paper, doesn’t seem fair, but Crispy is always up for a challenge and giving it his all! The first break was Steve and Michael, but when this was nullified Jeremy and Gerard got away a few minutes later, with Steve then joining them at the eight-minute mark. This was the ‘selection’, with Michael Tolhurst assuming the role of bunch policeman to ensure the breakaway stuck. While the three leaders continued to circle, the sight of the two laps to go board ignited Michael’s interest in securing fourth. He attacked the bunch but was being closely pursued by Marc Vroomans and Paul Scherl. Jeremy had a few goes off the front in the latter stages but Steve was able to easily chase these down. Knowing he couldn’t beat Gerard in the home straight, Steve went early but Gerard somehow hung on to pass him in the home straight to present him another Tiffen sandwich on the podium. The third Tiffen Michael secured fourth, followed by Paul and Marc.
Race director – Rob Langridge
Links to photos of the medallists here https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACTVets/permalink/2106087123095005/ and a pic from a great contributor to the club – Ian Hutchings – that sums up racing at Stromlo Forest Park – https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=7210500229071154&set=gm.2105936256443425&idorvanity=205419349828468
TRACK RACING REPORT- THURSDAY 14 MARCH
Thursday 14 March was the tenth track session for 2024. There is only one more competitive session before track racing concludes with a presentation evening on 28 March. It was a cool, overcast evening with quite a strong headwind in the front straight. Attendance was 9 riders – 5 in A grade and 4 in B grade.
The 8-lap A grade scratch race started with Craig Kentwell leading out at an easy pace. Craig did almost three laps on the front, gradually ramping up the pace. There was a short turn on the front by John Paul De Sousa with a hand off to Conan Liu. By this stage, the pace was quite swift. Warwick Wilson then did two and a half laps on the front holding the pace high. The pack was quite bunched on lap 7 when Hamish Anderson suddenly launched a ferocious attack. Hamish’s initial acceleration seemed to shock the bunch as it took several seconds for the riders to react. This gave Hamish a commanding lead. John Paul De Sousa and Conan Liu took up a pursuit. However, Hamish was unstoppable and surged to a very creditable win. Conan pipped John Paul for second place with John Paul taking a comfortable third spot.
The 8-lap B grade race had four starters. The first four laps were orderly with riders taking one lap turns on the front. Ben Davis rolled to the front on lap 5 and cranked up the pace, gapping the following rider and energising the bunch to pursue. Ben, Sarah Stephens and Phil Coulton proceeded to crank out the remaining laps as a tight trio. Sarah surged out on the final lap with Ben pursuing and closing over the last half lap. However, Sarah was too strong and took a clear win followed by Ben in second and Phil in third.
The next scheduled event was a 200 m fly, a flying start time trial over 200m. The times were all fairly good. Hamish Anderson set the standard in his favourite event at 13.03 s (55.3 km/hr). John Paul De Sousa (13.28s, 54.2 km/hr) and Conan Liu (13.87s, 51.9 km/hr) were the next best times. Sarah Stephens (14.00s, 51.4 km/hr) was the fastest in B grade.
The third programmed event was a 4-lap Handicap. This event had 10 riders with A and B grade combined. Limit rider Graeme O’Neill held out for just over two laps before the pursuers surged past him, In the final two laps Conan Liu and Hamish Anderson asserted themselves gaining first and second place respectively. Sarah Stephens put in a good performance to take out third place from a difficult handicap,
The session’s final event was the usual Italian pursuit. The teams had 4 riders. Team 2 looked the goods with a fast, smooth first lap. However, Team 1’s Ben Davis led at the first changeover, despite the team looking a bit ragged. Great mid race laps by Warwick Wilson and Hamish Anderson gave Team 1 a healthy lead at the final changeover. John Paul De Sousa cruised to victory. However, Conan Liu impressed by making up around 6 – 8 metres in the final lap and only being 4 metres adrift at the finish.
Major place getters were as follows:
8-Lap Scratch: (A grade) Hamish Anderson, Conan Liu, John Paul De Sousa (B grade) Sarah Stephens, Ben Davis, Phil Coulton.
200m Fly: Hamish Anderson (13.03s, 55.3 km/hr), John Paul De Sousa (13.28s, 54.2 km/hr), Conan Liu (13.87s, 51.9 km/hr), Sarah Stephens (14.00s, 51.4 km/hr).
4-lap Handicap: (A&B Grades) Conan Liu, Hamish Anderson, Sarah Stephens.
Italian Pursuit: Winner Team 1 (John Paul De Sousa, Warwick Wilson, Hamish Anderson, Ben Davis).
Final Omnium Points Score
Conan Liu (16), Hamish Anderson (15), Ben Davis (14), Graeme O’Neill (11), John Paul De Sousa, (10), Phil Coulton (10), Warwick Wilson (9), Steve Jones (8), Alison Hale (8), Kerry Knowler (7), Sarah Stephens (5), Gavin Stephens (4).
Final Season Point Score
Conan Liu (339), John Paul De Sousa (318), Hamish Anderson (234), Graeme O’Neill (224), Alison Hale (208), Sarah Stephens (189), Craig Kentwell (171), Warwick Wilson (160), Phil Coulton (158), Steve Jones (144), Kerry Knowler (122), Ben Davis (119), Martin Graham (86), Wayne Benham (73), Ed Garnett (70).
Congratulation to Conan Liu for taking out both the 23-24 Track Championship and Omnium Championship.
Graeme O’Neill
MEMBERSHIP MESSAGE
To renew your financial membership for 2024
Please carefully follow the instructions below to renew your racing membership for 2024 with the Capital Region Masters Cycling Club of the Australian Veteran Cycling Council Inc.
As previously stated, the annual racing licence for 2024 is $140, comprising $120 for the national component, and $20 club component for running races.
• To start the $140 race licence process click here https://amc.helloclub.com/register?membership=657ed9ff637993bde7bcf446. This is for both new and renewing members
• The membership system has moved to Hello Club from SportsTG, and your previous account credentials will NOT work with this system. You will need to create a new membership account, irrespective of how many years you have been a member of the club.
• Do NOT sign in using a previous AVCC account, click CONTINUE.
• Read and agree to the terms and conditions.
• Sign up with email, Google or Facebook. Follow the prompts to enter your contact details and emergency contact details.
• Pay $140 via credit card.
• If successful, you will receive an email from ‘Australian Veteran Cycling Council reply+australian-veteran-cycling-council@helloclub.com’ to inform you that your registration has been completed.
• Contact membership@crmcc.org.au if you have questions or if you encounter any issues.
Conan
CRMCC Club Membership Officer
The Bleat
If you would like to contribute to the Club and put the Bleat together each week, please contact us!
