• Notice of AGM
  • Crit Reminder – Membership and Regrading
  • International Women’s Day
  • Next Race – Stromlo Crits – Adjusted times for Extreme Heat
  • NARRABUNDAH TRACK RACING
  • Race Report – Crits
  • Upcoming races requiring volunteers – race calendar can be found here

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND CALL FOR NOMINATIONS TO THE COMMITTEE

You are all invited to the 2026 AGM for the Capital Region Masters Cycling Club, to be held on Monday 2 February at 7pm via Google meet:

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/iqu-ajfv-cvs

Or dial: ‪(AU) +61 3 8594 6345‬ PIN: ‪701 509 747‬#

Want to make sure that the Club continues our no-frills, affordable racing into 2026 at different venues? Did you like the return to racing at the Gravel Pit this year? Or race crits in winter? The Club currently plans to return to more road racing venues, and consider other racing types, from April 2026. 

The Club’s ability to run races, including returning to road racing to other venues in the NSW and the ACT, will be limited if we don’t get enough help from members joining the Committee or helping out in other ways. The more people help out, the less burden there is to keep the Club running.

Due to some Committee members stepping down in 2026, several Committee positions will be open. You can use the Committee nomination form or email committee@crmcc.org.auif you wish to nominate. Executive roles (President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Membership) along with general Committee membership roles will be available and you will be well supported. If you have specific questions about vacant committee roles and responsibilities, please contact committee@crmcc.org.au.

The agenda for the AGM will include:

– reports from Committee members on success and challenges of the Club in 2025, include financial, membership, and racing reports;

– looking forward to racing in 2026;

– nominations for and appointment of Committee members for 2026.

Please note that this meeting is not an in-person AGM. If online mode of attendance is a problem for you, please contact committee@crmcc.org.au. 

Simon Costello

Treasurer & Secretary

Crit Reminder – Membership and Regrading

If you are planning on racing Crits in 2026, please note the following updates on membership and grading:

Membership renewal

This is a reminder that you will need to renew your club membership before you will be able to race.

To renew membership online, please go to https://capitalregionmasterscyclingclub.org.au/membership/ and follow the instructions under: “Steps for renewing your annual membership”.

Once you have renewed, a member of the committee must manually update the RMS to make you active, so please note the following time cut-offs to allow this to happen:

  • If you are a Crit Season Pass holder, please ensure that you renew your membership before 12:40 tomorrow. You will not immediately be shown as an entrant, but this will be updated by us before the race.
  • If you enter races individually, please ensure that you renew your membership before 10am tomorrow. This is to allow us to update you in the system and get back to you in time to be able to enter before the normal 12:40 cut-off.

Criterium Regrading

As previously communicated in the Bleat (https://capitalregionmasterscyclingclub.org.au/2025/12/crmcc-weekly-bleat-08-december-2025/), we have completed a regrading exercise that is intended to improve the spread of racers across the grades.

Before racing, please check to see if your grade has changed and if so ensure that you attend the correct race.

New grades can be found at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Phf94jPvGo7OA_4nG71MfhY8oj5ePTz4/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102624606282391619796&rtpof=true&sd=true

Note: We will not be able to make any changes to individual grades on the day. Going forward, grades can be discussed with Rob our handicapper at: handicapper@crmcc.org.au

International Women’s Day – 8th March 2026

We’re looking for volunteers to help organise a club event to celebrate International Women’s Day. This would be a great opportunity for someone who’s passionate about inclusion, community, and cycling to shape an event that highlights and supports the women in our club. Support will be available from the committee, and the scope can be tailored to suit your time and ideas—whether that’s coordinating a ride, a social gathering, or something a bit different.

If you’re interested in getting involved or would like to know more, we’d love to hear from you. Just speak to one of the committee members or mail us at: committee@crmcc.org.au

Next Race – Crits at Stromlo Forest Park – Tuesday 27 January 2026

Excessive Heat – Change to Criterium race times / durations

The temperature for tomorrow’s Crit Race (27th Jan) is forecast to reach 36 degrees.

The club policy states that once temperatures reach 36 degrees, the start of racing will be delayed and events shorted.

If the temperature reaches 38 degrees, racing will be cancelled.

As the heat is forecast to be at least 36 degrees at 5pm tomorrow, we have decided to delay the start of racing until 6:20pm and we will shorten each race to ensure we can still fit all races into the evening.

Updated times can be found on the calendar at: https://rms.crmcc.org.au/calendar

If you are intending to race, please ensure you drink plenty of water before, during and after the race. Riders who feel unwell during the race should stop and seek assistance from the First Aid attendant.

Please note, the first timeslot also holds the Women’s specific criterium grade (20mins) to foster participation and confidence in riding on the Stromlo Forest Park criterium track. Perfect for women and non-binary riders who are looking for an introductory ride or those that prefer cycling in a smaller group.

Race registration cut-off is 12:40pm. 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 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.

All riders are required to sign on before their race start.

We will be running an entry chute, where riders are called 1 by 1 onto the circuit in numerical order of sign-on.

Please remember to check the RMS Calendar for race times each week now that we are back to rotating all 3 time slots.

NARRABUNDAH TRACK RACING – THURSDAY 29 JANUARY, 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 time trial.
6.50pm – 7.10pm: 2-lap handicap.
7.10pm – 7.30pm: Italian pursuit.

Spare Track Bikes
We have several spare track bikes if you 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.
Attendance
Please register your attendance at https://rms.crmcc.org.au/calendar?5021932
Each race will cost $10, or purchase the season track pass at $80.

NARRABUNDAH TRACK RACING RESULTS – THURSDAY 22 JANUARY
The session races and place getters were as follows:
8-Lap Scratch: (A1 Grade) John Paul De Sousa. (A2 Grade) Craig Kentwell, Alison Hale. (B Grade) Ken
Birch.
200m Flying Start TT: (A1 Grade) John Paul De Sousa (13.9s). (A2 Grade) Alison Hale (15.89s), Craig
Kentwell (15.94s). (B Grade) Ken Birch (17.30s)
2-Lap Paired Match Races: Winners Alison Hale, Craig Kentwell
Italian Pursuit: Winner Team 2 (Alison Hale, Craig Kentwell).
Season Point Score:
Alison Hale (1262), John Paul De Sousa (146), Graeme O’Neill (134), Phil Coulton (126), Ken Birch
(114), Ben Davis (109), Chris Chant (103), Jess Laws (85), Dave Buckley (75), Sarah Stephens (68), Ian
Drayton (63), Craig Kentwell (51), Paul Angelatos (18), Conan Liu (15).

Race Report – SFP Crits 20 January 2026

The weekly crit at Stromlo Crit Track kicked off at 5:40 pm under classic Canberra summer
conditions—warm, dry, and with a gentle breeze that was getting stronger into the evening. The
sun was still high enough to cast long shadows across the circuit, making for a picturesque
evening of racing.
The evening featured five grades, starting with B grade. As always, the racing was aggressive
from the gun. In B grade, early attacks were quickly neutralized, with the bunch keeping a close
eye on any moves. With 16mins to go Mark Jansen went on a solo break with the bunch allowing
a quick lead to grow, with the gap hovering around 10 secs for the next 10+mins. The bunch then
started looking at each other rather than chasing. As the 2 laps to go sign went up the peloton
sent a flurry of attacks off ultimately splitting the race apart but all too little too late as Mark held
on to win comfortably with Rowan McMurray 2 nd and Bruce Goodfellow 3 rd .
E and D grades were next, E grade setting a good pace early reducing the bunch in half by
midway through the race, the remaining group of 5 worked well till the end when it came to a
bunch sprint taken out by Jonathan Chowns followed by Howard Galloway and Ian Morton.
D grade were the savvy riders of the night staying together for most of the race with only 1 out
attacks the bunch was able to contain them and quickly bring it all back together. Late in the race
Josh Quillian attacked and continued very hard till the final, eventually gaining a lead of the
length of the straight and taking the win. The bunch behind started saving their energy for the
sprint for 2 nd taken out by Steve Simms followed closely by Shirley-Anne Taylor.
The evening finishing with the fast-paced A grade and the ever-competitive C grade. Each field
lined up with a healthy contingent of regulars. A grade was animated by a few breakaway
attempts, but the peloton was determined not to let anyone get away, this only caused casualties
out the back and slowly reducing the numbers until the final sprint taken out by Kris McCreath
over Steve Crispin and Nicholas Stewart.
C Grade saw strong solo effort by David Parker early, but the group worked well together to
eventually bring him back after about 15mins solo. The bunch then proceeded to roll around the
course for the next 15mins with few attacks of note. By this time David had recovered to go again
breaking away once more and going around A grade a 1 point. This time David stayed
away for the win with the peloton sprinting for 2 nd this was taken by Simon Junakovic and 3 rd went
to Charles Black
Thanks to the volunteers Vincent Robinson, Matthew Sainsbery, Michael Fawke and Ian
Hutchings for another safe and exciting night of racing!

Jason Irwin – Race Director

Photos thanks to Ian Hutchings

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BirRWXeRF

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GLGZMYecS

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DQK78CCSy

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1g4GVWwfD5

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1A6rcsRy6K

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ABMrcqR7A

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18AzCZ29Zb


Upcoming races needing volunteers

We have multiple vacancies for race directors for SFP crits.

Please self-register as a volunteer, where you can put your name down against those roles marked ‘Vacant’ in this Google spreadsheet. We will follow-up and confirm your volunteering with an email from committee@crmcc.org.au
Thank you to those members who have offered their services to fill roles so our races can run.