- From the desk of the President
- Next Road Race on 26 April 2025 – Apollo Road
- Sutton Super Series
- Sutton Super Series – Race 1 Report 5 April 2025
- Crits Race Report Tuesday 1 April 2025
- Upcoming races requiring volunteers – race calendar can be found here
From the Desk of the President
From the Desk of the President
We reflect upon what a great 2024-25 criterium season we put on. From 8 October 2024 to 1 April 2025, 1,974 riders contested 26 criteriums including the Grade of Origin, the downtube shifter crit, the Christmas wheel race, and the Club championships. On average, 76 riders lined up each Tuesday, and 61 of you bought our season crit pass. We’re keen to finish our analysis to see how many members took full advantage of our pass and broke even.
We implemented our new sign-on procedures, entry chute and roll out, and allowed auto-registration for crit pass holders. This season you rolled away to the sound of ‘beep beep beep’ with our timing clock in full use at SFP this summer. Rain or smoke did not deter 22 of you, and we had our maximum crit attendance of 99 riders on the evening of 22 October with ABCD doing 28 mins and EFG 20 mins before sunset.
We held our Club champs this season during 1 night instead of across 2 consecutive Tuesday nights, and we think this worked out well. For the podium winners, we adorned your fridge with magnets instead of around your necks. Apart from lowering the cost to produce these, we think this provides some added utility for your well-earned trinkets.
Such a successful season is not possible without your help as club volunteers and riders. In particular, we thank Ian Hutchings for his continued passion in opening up SFP for us every week, and capturing us in our weakest and strongest moments, as fleeting as they may be. I would like to the Committee members in making the season happen, including past committee members. Thanks also to Ben Healy for handling the software coding to get our RMS system inline to be able to handle the crit pass.
We look forward to seeing you during the Sutton Super series and out at our road races.
Conan
CRMCC President
Next Race – Apollo Road
Ready to test your climbing before the cold kicks in? Need to shake off those kgs from your Easter chocolate binge?
Our next open road race takes in one of the most scenic routes in the ACT: the climb to the Honeysuckle Creek campground along Apollo Road. Riding this road in the afternoon light is like nothing else in the Capital Region.
Registration by 5pm on Friday 25 April.
Racing kicks off 1:30pm on Saturday 26 April.
We have a full complement of volunteers doing their bit to keep the Club racing, now all we need is a minimum of 20 racers by registration cutoff!
If driving to the start, please consider parking at the campground at the top (where your warm clothes will be waiting for you in your car) or at Tharwa.
Further details are in the RMS calendar at https://rms.crmcc.org.au/calendar. We’ll provide any further information as it comes up.
Sutton Super Series
Six races will be held over the winter season at the Sutton Road Training Centre, with riders accumulating the points gained as per the list :
1st 10 points
2nd 8 points
3rd 6 points
4th 4 points
5th 3 points
6th+ 2 points
This scoring system differs from the RMS. 10 points will still be awarded to the winner even if only one rider starts the race.
Riders with the most points accumulated at the end of the series will be crowned grand champions for their grade.
Here are the main rules:
- The final round will be worth double points and riders that participate in all races will get a bonus 12 points.
- Prizes such as gift vouchers will be presented after the final race for first, second and third places.
- Riders must compete in the final race to receive a prize and be present at the prize ceremony.
- Riders who are promoted will take half their points with them to the higher grade.
- Point scores will be kept for each grade and updated after each round.
- If more than one rider finishes with the same final score, a count-back of the overall results will determine the higher place getter.
- The races may not all be scratch races, with a points race as another option.
Riders intending to compete in the series should make themselves familiar with all the rules. Any feedback will be welcome prior to the first race but it won’t be possible to make changes to the format after that.
Sutton Super Series – Race 1 Report
The first race of the Sutton Road Driver Training Centre Super Series for
2025 produced champagne racing on a sunny Saturday autumn afternoon (with a
spanking Nor’Westerly breeze).
E Grade led the charge with four riders who tussled throughout in a tight
contest. Ian Morton, Russell Marston and David Gunther all did their bit for
equality by allowing Jan Koehler to do more than her fair share up front in
the early part of the race. In later laps, the lead changed repeatedly but
the foursome stayed together. No one seemed to mind when the Race Director
called “two laps” somewhat early to keep things on schedule. On the bell
lap, Russell Marston broke away in the technical corners at the top of the
course to get a small break on his rivals in the swoop down to the final
straight. He won reasonably comfortably ahead of Ian Morton, David Gunther
and Jan Koehler.
B Grade was up next in what proved to be the race of the day, with 9 riders
who set a blistering speed from the start. In the first lap, Andrew
McCosker suffered a flat and stopped to repair it. By the end of the second
lap, the pace was starting to show on Simon Costello, who was struggling to
stay with the bunch. Craig Lindenmayer and Andrew Murrell were conspicuous
at the front in the early part of the race, with Vincent Robinson and
Douglas Robertson also taking turns. Paul Scherl was lurking in the pack
with Ben McDuff and Aaron Thompson. As the race continued, Andrew McCosker
was allowed to rejoin, but not to challenge – and he latched on to a
three-way break with Andrew Murrell and Paul Scherl. Craig Lindemayer was
gapped, back to Dougal Robertson. Simon Costello continued to persevere off
the back. Vinnie Robertson was dropped, and eventually lapped. Ben McDuff
and Aaron Thompson blew up and DNFed. Vince Robertson latched back on to the
lead trio to make a quartet. On the bell lap, Paul Scherl pulled away from
Andrew Murrell in the top section of the course to open up a decisive lead.
Craig Lindenmayer held strong for third, ahead of Dougal Robertson and Simon
Costello, who managed a creditable 5th having ITTd for most of the race.
Vinnie Robinson and Andrew McCosker rounded out the finishers.
C Grade had the biggest field of the day with 10 hardened competitors. Ed
Logue, Ian Preston and Todd Gregory set the early pace with Andrew Hislop
and David Buckley chiming in. By the 3rd lap Todd and Iain Johnstone were
trailing off the back. On the 7th lap, Ian Preston made a brave solo
breakaway, and stayed away for two laps, before being reeled in by the bunch
during the bell lap. In the final stages of the race, Ed Logue rode away on
his new steed to add to his palmares. Simon Porombka stole in to 2nd place,
ahead of David Buckley.
D Grade had six stalwarts. The early laps were relatively hospitable, with
Steve Simms, Ange Hookham and Mark Vardy sharing the duties up front. Al
Bontjer was spotted in the lead in the 4th lap, with Handicapper Rob
Langridge sandbagging off the back. Shortly afterwards, Al was dropped, and
Rob eased back to keep him company. Steve and Mark then split the field,
with Ange gapped and Greg Mitchell further back. On the bell lap, Steve
took the lead and Vards was never quite able to haul him back. Steve Simms
took the win, with Mark Vardy second and Ange Hookham a creditable third.
At the end of the day, the racing was conducted in great spirit, and
everyone stayed rubber side down. Big thanks to Kate Vanderberg for
Marshalling and Paul Scherl for driving the van. Thanks also to all the
racers and spectators.
Regards
Andy Matz
Photos by Ian Hutchings:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AHPZ1BNnb/?mibextid=wwXIfr
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14VmuA9cU4/?mibextid=wwXIfr
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1A6TxLQve7/?mibextid=wwXIfr
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1YLyyVJzvy/?mibextid=wwXIfr
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15vyhmGJVw/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Crits Race Report – Tuesday 1 April 2025
A grade
It was all action from the gun in this week’s A Grade showdown, with a stacked field and no shortage of riders ready to light the jets.
With 17 minutes left on the clock, Stu Griffiths launched the first major move, throwing down a serious attack that forced a response. Matt Darling wasn’t waiting for an invite—he bridged across like a man on a mission. Meanwhile, Jason Irwin was on the rivet, driving the pace in the chasing bunch to keep things in check.
At 15 minutes to go, Stu decided the pain cave wasn’t the place to be just yet and returned to the bunch, leaving Darling solo off the front. But not for long—Ben Morrison surged across and joined forces with Darling in a break that started to look dangerous.
By the 13-minute mark, the breakaway was humming, with Moshy and Darling holding a solid gap. Matt Corby was doing the grunt work on the front to keep the leaders honest. With 10 minutes left, the break still held strong, but Greg Harris took up the chase, grinding away at their advantage.
Then came the bridge attempt: Stu, Gerard Tiffen, and Jeremy Gillman-Wells launched out of the bunch to join the fun, but Jason was back on the front of the chase group, drilling it and keeping them within striking distance.
With 7 minutes to go, the heat started to tell—Andy Yates threw out the anchors, slipping off the back, while Glen Goggin took over pace duties to marshal the bunch. By the 6-minute mark, the chase finally reeled the break back in. Game reset. Everyone together.
But not for long.
With 3 to go, Moshy, Gerard, and Stephen Blackburn had a dig, launching a sharp move off the front. The bunch, clearly not in the mood to let anything stick, shut it down quickly.
Then came the move of the race.
Michael Tolhurst attacked hard with 2 minutes to go and got a small gap. Sensing the moment, Jason jumped clear in pursuit. The pair dangled just ahead of a surging bunch, with Gerard pulling hard behind.
Bell lap—Michael and Jason still had a slender lead. Into the final straight, Jason emptied the tank, launching one last all-or-nothing attack to hold it all the way to the line for his first A Grade win. Easily the ride of the evening.
Behind him, Stu and Moshy surged through in a drag race for second and third, just edging out the rest in a hectic bunch sprint.
B grade
B Grade lined up under calm skies but things were anything but chill once the bunch rolled out. Right from the jump, Michael Fawke was on the front with intent, laying down a solid tempo just 5 minutes in and setting the tone for what would be a war of attrition.
With 13 minutes to go, things were still all together—but the tension was building like a spring ready to snap.
By 8 minutes to go, the pressure was showing—the elastic started to stretch, and riders were beginning to dangle off the back. No attacks had stuck yet, but the pace was clearly hot.
With 6 minutes remaining, Krusty Bryant took over and cranked up the intensity even further. Riders were getting shelled out the back as the speed crept up another notch. One lap later, Michael Fawke was back on the front again, hammering like a metronome and keeping the bunch strung out.
Then, with 2 laps to go, the race lit up. Fawke threw down a late-race move, punching off the front and establishing a small but promising gap. Christophe Barberet wasn’t content to let him go and launched a bridging effort, with a long stretch of daylight back to the chasing group. Suddenly, it was a two-man escape with a real shot at glory.
Final lap, and the bunch wasn’t done yet. Paul Scherl took a flyer, trying to snatch victory with a bold solo move. But it all came back together in the dying moments—game on for a drag race to the line.
In the final sprint, it was Craig Lindenmayer who timed it to perfection, flying past in a blanket finish to take the win. A dead heat for the final podium spots saw Paul Scherl edge into second, just ahead of Gareth Downey in third.
C grade
It was a game of moves and counter-moves in this week’s C Grade contest, with no shortage of attacking spirit and a solo win to top it off.
The early stages were calm and controlled, with the bunch staying tight through the first few laps. At 16 minutes to go, it was all together, but not for long—Ben Healy decided it was time to lift the tempo, hitting the front and putting some sting in the legs behind him.
At 14 to go, Boyd Statton found himself off the front with a small gap, teasing a breakaway as the bunch hesitated. That sparked a flurry of action—by 12 to go, Mark Vardy threw down an attack of his own and opened up space ahead of the bunch.
Then at 10 to go, it was Ian Preston lighting it up on the back straight, launching a punchy move and grabbing a small advantage before it was all reeled in.
By 5 minutes to go, it was status quo restored—the bunch had reset, but the legs were starting to feel the toll of the attacks.
At 4 to go, Ben Healy gave it another nudge—attacking once again on the back straight, testing who still had something left in the tank. The bunch responded and shut it down quickly, but it was clear: the fireworks weren’t done yet.
Bell lap, and that’s when the move that mattered launched. Mark Vardy, already active earlier, hit the gas one last time and got clear. The bunch hesitated just long enough—and that was all he needed.
Vardy held his gap all the way to the line, riding solo into the sunset with daylight second for a dominant win.
Behind him, Wesley Pendlebury and Rob Langridge put in a strong chase, crossing the line in 2nd and 3rd respectively, with clear air between them and the rest of the field.
D Grade
There’s no such thing as a “relaxed” D Grade race anymore—this one was full tilt from the start, with attacks, pressure, and a drag race to the line.
Right from the gun, Ange Hookham set the tone—16 minutes to go, she hit the front and dialled up the tempo, stringing out the bunch and putting early pressure on the group.
By 13 minutes to go, things were still all together, but the tension was building. At 10 to go, Ange wasn’t done—she lit the jets again, launching off the front and grabbing a small gap. The elastic started to snap as riders were jettisoned out the back, feeling the sting of the surge. The hurt was well and truly on.
Despite the early fireworks, the bunch regathered by 5 minutes to go, setting the stage for a tactical finish. Attacks came and went in the closing laps, but with tired legs and fresh memories of the mid-race burn, nothing stuck.
It all came down to a classic bunch sprint—and in the final kick, Timothy Moore proved fastest, timing his run to perfection and claiming the win. Andrew Peel powered home for second, with David Gunther rounding out the podium in third.
E grade
E Grade kicked off with an early burst of intensity, and the pace never really let up. Jan Koehler was straight to the front, towing a group of 4 riders along at a blistering tempo, while visitor Rick Cadwallader found himself unable to match the pace, slipping off the back early on.
At 6 minutes to go, Jan was still pushing hard, making the bunch feel every turn of the pedals. The elastic started to stretch as small gaps began appearing between the riders. The pressure was on.
By 3 minutes to go, it was another visitor, Dario Matera, who took over at the front. He ramped up the effort, stretching the elastic even further, forcing riders like Chris Copeland to dig deep to stay on terms.
As the final minute loomed, Jan and Mick Donaldson were rolling turns on the back straight, sharing the work while maintaining a fast pace. Their efforts were too much for Dario and Chris, who were gapped off the back and forced to watch the leaders pull away.
Then, with just 2 laps to go, it all came back together, though Rick was still chasing hard behind, trying to bridge back into contention.
In the final lap, Dario made his move when it counted, snatching the win from a fast-approaching pack. Chris Copeland came in strong for second, while Mick Donaldson held off the rest of the field to take third.
Rainer W with an assist from ChatGPT
Photos from Ian Hutchings:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15z5TwuNtz/?mibextid=wwXIfr
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AD3kNHZwJ/?mibextid=wwXIfr
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BM8eknZhp/?mibextid=wwXIfr
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14ZoVy537d/?mibextid=wwXIfr
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DtbeWtyfJ/?mibextid=wwXIfr
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/153bah8mAE/?mibextid=wwXIfr
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BfbF4eikP/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Upcoming races needing volunteers
2025
10 May 2025 – Lookout Hill
Race Director, van driver, first aid
17 May 2025 – Sutton Driver Training Centre
van driver, first aid
31 May 2025 – Uriarra Homestead
Race Director, 3 ETC, van driver, first aid
Please contact committee@crmcc.org.au if you can fill any of these roles for the club. Also look at the dates in the 2025 calendar where you could help the club. https://rms.crmcc.org.au/calendar
Thank you to those members who have offered their services to fill roles so our races can run.
