- Calling for Volunteers
- Club Kit order update
- Race Report – Sutton Road Training Centre
- Next Race – Iron Mike Road Race
- Upcoming races requiring volunteers – race calendar can be found here
Calling for Volunteers
We are fast approaching the end of the Winter season! That means the Summer Road season is coming and so are Tuesday evening Criterium races! Please check the RMS calendar and fill up the Road Race volunteer spots so we can lock those in. Keep an eye out for the Crit season races to appear within the next few weeks and pick your volunteer date to get that out of the way. We will also be offering a Crit Season pass again this year. More information to come on pricing and how to purchase.
For the remainder of the year, we are looking for:
- Race Directors
- Finish Line Marshals
- Traffic Controllers (ETC-certified)
- Van Drivers
Without volunteers filling these roles, we risk not being able to run races, so we’re asking everyone to consider giving back to the club for a day. The more people who share the load, the easier it is for everyone to enjoy a full race season.
If you can help this next race or volunteer for any race during the season, please reply to the committee mailbox (copied) or go to the volunteer calendar at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pkECTVAgOENts06YdwLNOaAI44JwQend/edit?pli=1&gid=1832900212#gid=1832900212
Thanks for helping keep our racing community strong and hope to see you out there soon.
Club Kit order update
Jimmy from MVMNT has advised us that our order has been delayed due to the manufacturer relocating their factory during the month of August. Production of the order is now due to be completed mid-September, with delivery expected soon after that. Thanks for your patience. The kit will definitely be worth the wait!
Race Report – Sutton Road Training Centre
Today’s E/F/G race drew just two starters, both racing in E grade — there were no F or G grade entrants this round. David
Gunther and Alex Sommariva rode the entire thirty minutes as a pair, sharing even turns on the front throughout, before
Gunther won the sprint to the line.
A grade (3 starters) and B grade (9 starters) rolled out together at 14:10 for the longest race of the day. The A grade trio raced as one group for the full fifty minutes. Chris Murphy set the tone early, taking on the bulk of the pace-
making from the first ten minutes and remaining the rider most often on the front for the rest of the race. Matt McAuliffe also took his share of turns, including a notable pull in the closing laps, while Lewis Cressy showed the effort late — a shake of the head through the line with fifteen minutes to go — but held on far more comfortably than his last visit to Sutton, when he’d been dropped by lap three. Cressy tended to lead the group over the top of the climb on his own turns, and the three riders were relaxed enough at the midpoint to be chatting down the back straight about when the bell laps would be called. It came down to a group finish, with Chris Murphy taking the win.
B grade produced the race of the day. Craig Lindenmayer tested the legs with a small probing attack around the ten-minute mark, but it didn’t draw company and the bunch reformed. The decisive move came with sixteen minutes to go: Matt Benedetti attacked hard up the hill just after the start/finish straight, and Craig Lindenmayer was the only rider sharp enough to go with him, catching the rest of the field by surprise. Behind, the chase group never really got organised — repeatedly described as being in disarray, with no one willing to commit to closing the gap. The margin grew steadily through the second half of the race, from an initial read of around ten to twelve seconds to over twenty seconds by the bell lap, by which point Benedetti and Lindenmayer had the race for first and second sewn up between them. The chase group shed riders as the laps wound down. Rowan McMurray, who had still been in the front third of the group at lap three, lost touch by lap five and was the last of the chasers home. Geoff Hinchcliffe was found dropping away around the ten-minute to go mark and Paul Scherl came off the back of the remaining group in the closing minutes. Andrew Murrell led the survivors home for third, just ahead of new rider Jorge Robinson in fourth, with Todd Sowter fifth and Christophe Barberet sixth.
C grade (4 starters) and D grade (9 of 10 entered) rolled out together at 15:10. Ed Logue punctured on the way to the start line — the only such incident of the day — and with the field’s agreement, repaired it and rejoined the race from lap two. Despite the lost lap, Logue rode his way back into the action and was on the front of the group as it came through mid-race. With nine minutes to go, Ian Preston attacked off the front, opening a gap on the other three riders. Simon Porombka ultimately took the win, with Preston’s move good enough for second, Victor Boumard third, and Logue a credible fourth given his delayed start. Norris Robertson did not finish.
A big field of ten entered D grade, though Steven Simms was a late no-show, leaving nine to roll out together. Howard
Galloway lost contact early and spent the rest of the race chasing alone. The pack was all over the shop mid-way through the race, even the officials finding it hard to know who was where. With the race so splintered the race director was finding it difficult to ascertain ‘for whom the bell should toll’, and in the end he stuffed it up. Luck for all of us that riders knew where they were and, in the end, Owain Tilley took the win from Kevin Newhouse and Michael Reppion.
Nathan Spillane – Race Director
Photos thanks to Ian Hutchings
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Photos of a rescued turtle below, thanks to Michael Fawke
Next Race – Iron Mike
This is a classic handicap race with a trophy up for grabs. The genesis of the ACT Veterans Cycling Club dates back to the late 70’s when Eric Aldin put an advertisement in the paper for cyclists to form the Canberra Old Boys Cycling Club. One of the members of the Old Boys was Milos ‘Mike’ Paral who died as a result of an accident at the Goulburn Velodrome. The ‘Iron Mike’ race, from Uriarra Rd through to the end of the bitumen, was named in his honour.
Race start and finish on Uriarra Road at SFP western car park. Race goes past the homestead to end of bitumen and return.
Cost is $10. Here is the link to register – https://rms.crmcc.org.au/calendar?5030583
Registration cut-off is 6:30pm Friday. We require a minimum of 20 riders to run this race.
Race director Craig Lindenmayer, Marshal Mick Hanbury, ETC Darren Blackhurst, ETC Alison Hale, ETC Jonathan Chowns, Van Driver _________ and first aid Matthew Sainsbery.
Hartley Lifecare Cycle Challenge
This year the Hartley Challenge is in Canberra! Website and further details below. Note that this event involves having a sponsor to cover the entry fee for a Team of up to 12 riders. If you are interested in creating or joining a Team, get in touch with us and we can see if we can facilitate connecting you up with like-minded people.
https://www.hartley.org.au/event/the-hartley-cycle-challenge-2026/home
Hartley are excited to bring the annual fundraising event to Canberra this year, where riders, supporters, volunteers, and the community will come together for an inspiring weekend of cycling and fundraising. Every kilometre ridden and every dollar raised helps Hartley Lifecare continue providing opportunities and support for people with disability in Canberra. This year’s route takes riders on an unforgettable two-day journey from the 20-21 of November through Canberra and the surrounding region, showcasing iconic sights, scenic landscapes, and welcoming local communities.
Upcoming races needing volunteers
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. https://rms.crmcc.org.au/calendar
CRMCC Committee
President – David Parker
Vice President – Dave Buckley
Secretary – Michael Fawke
Treasurer – Mark Vardy
Handicapper – Rob Langridge
E-mail committee@crmcc.org.au
