Masters, In this week’s Bleat

  • Winter track training sessions for novices and experienced riders
  • Next Road Race – Iron Mike Classic Handicap 17 August 1.30 PM
  • Race report for Sutton Super Series round 5 – Eoin Rothery
  • Handicapper’s musings
  • NSW Masters Road Championships at Gunning CRMCC results
  • CRMCC members competing at 2024 World Triathlon Multisport Championships in Townsville
  • Upcoming races requiring volunteers – race calendar can be found here
  • GMD – Gym Meals Direct – offer for club members

WINTER TRACK TRAINING SESSIONS FOR NOVICES AND EXPERIENCED RIDERS

We are offering 3x 1hr track sessions every Sunday afternoon fortnight, with the next one on Sun 18 August 2-3pm, and ending on 15 September. The goal of this training is to stimulate and reinvigorate our track program. Participants must be members or trial riders to register and pay $5 per session online https://rms.crmcc.org.au/calendar?5021616 . We require a minimum of 2 riders to register to run these sessions. This is for track practice only, no racing, no moto-pacing.

We are also providing this opportunity for club members unacquainted with the art of fixed wheel riding, to come out and try track in the hope that you will join our Thurs afternoon racing program from October 2024. These track practice sessions will be staffed by knowledgeable ‘Club track wardens’, who will open up the velodrome for our booked timeslots, brief participants particularly novices about protocol and safety. Novices wishing to learn on one of the club’s donated track bikes should establish early contact with membership@crmcc.org.au so that we can fit you to the bike.

Note that the velodrome has a high bank and road bikes and street fixies are not appropriate for this venue. Please only bring your kids along as spectators if they are actively (not passively) supervised, due to the risk of serious injury with riders exiting and entering the velodrome gate.

Conan
CRMCC President

Next Road Race – Iron Mike Classic Handicap this Saturday from 1.30pm

BLING ALERT!! The Berguild Family Trophy and medals for the top three finishers in one of the club classic races.

We need an ETC for the start of the race, which would be around 30 minutes work.

The handicap race will begin and finish around 2km north of the roundabout at Uriarra Road and Opperman Ave – the main entry to Stromlo Forest Park.
The course is an out-and-back, down to Uriarra Crossing, left along Uriarra Road, continue along Brindabella Road until the end of the bitumen past Condor Creek, u-turn and back to the start. Distance is approximately 47-48km.

Remember the club’s most recent handicap race at Lookout Hill had a winner from F grade.

Recent winners of Iron Mike –
2023 – Marc Vroomans (B)
2022 – Brenton Clark (then C)
2021 – not run
2020 – Ben Healy (then C)
2019 – Brad Peppinck (A2)
2018 – Paul Hollings (A2)

Race registration cut-off is Friday 16th August at 9pm. Cost is $10.
You need to register by looking up the calendar entry in the RMS https://rms.crmcc.org.au/calendar?5019060

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 event, you must convince a committee member (not the Race Director) of your club member financial status for insurance purposes, before being allowed to participate.

You must wear your CRMCC assigned race number to race. 

The history of Iron Mike
https://capitalregionmasterscyclingclub.org.au/trophy-cabinet/#IronMike

Race report for Sutton Super Series round 5

Note – the Committee reprimanded two riders for not wearing their race numbers on their jerseys, by docking them of the points they would have earned. This is a reminder for all members who register for a race that there are a set of rules and regulations under which we operate.


E and F had the best of the day, sunny and no wind.  Everyone started together where every lap saw one off the back until it was a two up race between Russell Marston and Michael Reppion, with Russell getting up for the win.  Chris Copeland (F) had been first dropped but reeled in David Gunther and Jonathon Chowns for third over the line. 

A and B were next and set a good pace.  Several attempted breaks including from Matt Darling and Denis Mungoven were pulled back early.  Bradley Peppinck suffered a puncture and had a long walk back from the other end of the course.  Still all together near the end it came down to a sprint with Rainer Wilton getting up over Denis with Gerard Tiffen third.    B grade were on a good day and looked like they could almost catch A grade at times.  Similar to A there were a few attempted breaks including by Dimitar Dojcinoski, Mathew Corby and Mick Rose.  By lap eight the latter two had got away and although caught near the finish Mick took first with Conan Liu second and Matt Pooley third.

C and D finished the day off with a short 40 minute race.  There was a fair bit of attrition in C with a few getting unhitched.  Andrew Yates was often prominent at the front passing the finish and pipped Gavin Stephens for the win by half a wheel – I think it was a bike throw that did it?  D grade were taking it a bit easier, in fact so easy that Rob Langridge freewheeled the straight most times.   Allan Bontjer was going well near the front till about halfway but then came unstick on one of the hills.  Simon Porombka had the second puncture of the day with another long walk home, but did get going again later.  Rob attacked on the last downhill corner and led into the straight, but it was another close finish with Damian Copeland taking the win ahead of Warwick Wilson and Kevin Newhouse. 

There was a little bit of drama during the proceedings as a crow stole the battery charger for the timing clock and took it bush.  Luckily our eagle eye marshal Mark Harris was on to it having seen the crow acting suspiciously and tracked the charger down later. 

Eoin Rothery

Photos from round 5 of the Sutton Super Series courtesy of Ian Hutchings are here – https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACTVets/permalink/2208002079570175/ , https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACTVets/permalink/2208008452902871/ , https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACTVets/permalink/2208010232902693/ and https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACTVets/permalink/2208005159569867/ .

CRMCC members at the NSW Masters Road Championships at Gunning

Several members competed in the road races at the NSW Masters Road championships held at Gunning on the past weekend.

Dan Lekhac – 7th in M2
Ben Morrison – 7th in M3
Michael Tolhurst – 2nd in M5
Steve Crispin – 3rd in M5
Chris Short – 3rd in M7
Bruce McMillan – 1st in M9
Alex Sommariva – 3rd in M10
Kate Vandenberg – 3rd in W3
Peta Brill – 3rd in W5

Handicapper’s musing

Downgrades and how not to abuse them.

Maintaining a high level of fitness all season is not a simple task. Riders occasionally may request a downgrade when returning from a crash, illness or an overindulgent holiday. The purpose of the downgrade is to ride with the lower grade and access one’s form without overly upsetting the flow of the race by attacking or chasing down attacks. It’s certainly not the opportunity to thrash the lower grade riders in the finishing sprint. If riding after requesting a downgrade, please respect the riders in the lower grade by allowing them to compete fairly for line honours. 

Rob Langridge

Handicapper

CRMCC members competing at 2024 World Triathlon Multisport Championships in Townsville

The Multisport World Championships begin in Townsville this Friday, 16th August. Good luck to the following CRMCC members who are representing Australia in the competition:

Matt Pooley – Sprint Duathlon, Cross Duathlon and Cross Triathlon
Craig Lindenmayer – Sprint Duathlon and Standard Duathlon
Darren Blackhurst  – Sprint Duathlon and Standard Duathlon
Polly Templeton – Aquathlon
James Thorp – Standard Duathlon
Seppo Kael – Cross Triathlon
Julie Kael – Cross Triathlon

Craig

Upcoming races need volunteers

17 August 2024 – Iron Mike handicap – Stromlo Forest Park western car park:
We need an ETC.

7 September 2024 – Club Championship – Uriarra Homestead:
We require a race director and two ETCs.

21 September 2024 – Sutton Driving Training Centre – Graded scratch:
We need a marshal and a van driver.
Please contact race.committee@crmcc.org.au if you can fill any of these roles for the club.

Thank you to those members who have offered their services to fill roles so our races are run.

GMD – Gym Meals Direct – offer for club members

An offer to club members from local business GMD Canberra.