ACT Veterans Weekly Bleat, Monday 18th December, 2017

Hello Vets,

In the Bleat this week;

• Extreme Heat Warning
• Cycling holiday in the French Pyrenees
• Registration Renewal for 2018
• Racing this Week
• Race Reports

Please send me your contributions at: TheBleat@actvets.cc

Ian Morton

Extreme Heat Warning

Cycling holiday in the French Pyrenees, September 6-21, 2018

Its on again…..ACT Veterans cycling trip in the French Pyrenees. Has watching the Tour de France ever inspired you to want to tackle one of the famous mountains of the Pyrenees but you were put off by the cost, lack of companions or knowledge how to go about it? Here’s your chance to participate in carefully planned, graduated and guided bike rides with sag wagon support, with fellow riders from the Vets Cycling Club, all at a very low cost when compared to commercially available tours.

All inclusive cost: €2,200

This 16-day holiday includes half-board (breakfast and dinner) shared accommodation at a dedicated cycling lodge and selected hotels, pick-up and drop-off at Toulouse or Tarascon sur Ariege. Three cycling rest days are included when we will visit local cultural and scenic tourist attractions. Club handicapper Rob Langridge who participated in the 2013 Vets trip organised by Peter Southgate had the following to say about the experience: “Peter loves the Pyrenees so much that he’s bought a house there! The rides were a mixture of challenging social rides to absolute climbing epics. The atmosphere at the lodge is welcoming and lots of fun. I have many wonderful memories of a great trip and would recommend it to anyone with a reasonable level of fitness and looking for a challenge.”

For further information and to receive a detailed outline of the itinerary contact Peter Southgate peter.southgate@hotmail.com or ph. 0417181052. There will also be an information session for interested parties at a date to be advised.

Peter SouthGate

Registration Renewal for 2018

Note: For new members who registered after 1 Oct, your membership is valid up until the end of 2018.

2018 membership renewals are due by 31 December 2017. To renew, go to https://memberdesq.sportstg.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=main&OrgID=10244 or follow the prompts via our website www.actvets.cc. Click on the Login link and enter the username and password from last year. If you have forgotten your login and password , after clicking on ‘login’ – go to the tab at the top right hand side of the screen and click on ‘Username & Password’ – then forward your email address as requested in the box that will appear. SportsTG will then forward you the information.

You need to renew your membership prior to 31 December or prior to your first race in 2018.

It is preferable to renew prior to the end of December if you intend to race in 2018. Before each race, a check has to be done of all those registered to race to ensure they are financial members and covered by insurance. As a courtesy to those committee members who work hard to ensure the club complies with the terms of our insurance cover and also produce the race results, please renew your membership at least 2 days prior to racing. Membership costs are:

• A full competitive membership for 2018 is $110
• A full competitive membership for a sight impaired tandem cyclist for 2018 is $95
• Non competitive membership for 2018 is $5

Upon renewal, your 2018 licence will be emailed to you direct from SportsTG. Please print out a copy and it is suggested that you laminate it or place it in plastic for future reference during the year ahead. You will need to show this licence if you enter events run by other Veteran Cycling Clubs or the AVCC.

Please ensure that your personal particulars are always kept up to date, in particular your emergency contact details. For those members with First Aid qualifications please also update the site. It is a member’s responsibility to keep these updated via the SportsTG website.

Kirsti McVay
Membership Secretary

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 19th December: Stromlo Criterium

Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
Note the revised start times and durations
18:30 A/C 20 mins + 2
19:00 EFG 20+ 2
19:30 B/D 20+2

Race Director:  Robert Langridge
Contact: Email: langridge@netspeed.com.au    Ph  0450400658

Marshal:  Ben Davis

Track Racing

Track Racing resumes on 10 January.

Road Racing

Road Racing will resume in the new year.

RACE REPORTS:

Dairy Road – 10th December

In the combined A and B race, A was taken out by Seymour Savell-Boss with a close second to Brendan Savage and Dave Roberts third.

B graders Damian Copeland and Adam Potts did well to stay with the A graders to finish first and second respectively with Mark Taylor third.

Peter Taylor blitzed the C grade field with a six lap solo win, Alan Bontjer won the bunch sprint for second with Mark Fairweather third.

Today was the day of solo victories with David Jukes scorching the D grade field with a 10 laps off the front . Elton Carneiro was second in the bunch sprint just ahead of Gillian Lugg.

An E grade win for Graham Hendrie ahead of Brandie O’Connor. Tim Ravel was the winner in F grade and Bruce Jones G grade.

Thanks to Mark Taylor and Simon Milnes for assisting and Simon Whitehead (First Aid).

Nick Boylan

Stromlo Christmas Wheel Race – 12th December

The hotter weather and the prospect of riding in the wheel race meant that the E/F/G grade races were mainly a procession with one or two riders enthusiastically pushing the pace. Bernie Crowe took advantage of the passing F grade to get a gap on Bruce. Other results were E grade Sam Agostino, Michael Brice, and Kevin Newhouse. F grade: Sue Duckett, Mike Hayes, Edward Joliffe.

There was a bit more action in A grade. The usual suspects Steve Crispin, Ben Morrison, Anthony Evans and Mark Harris all were in attacks early on but in the end things calmed down and it was Steve Blackburn who won easily from Ben and Steve.

B grade followed the similar pattern: Greg Collis started things off with Adam Potts chasing him down, then Nick Boylan and Damian Copeland also had a dig, as did Chris Kon and Craig Tozer and then John Manning. But it was David Rae who was the best sprinter, followed by John Manning and Richard Hedley.

The pace was hot in C grade and gradually riders dropped off and headed for the shade. Tim Brown was the fastest, then came Allan Bontjer and rival Mark Fairweather.

D grade’s highlight was the turnout in Christmas jerseys by Gill, Kristy and Tess. Having won the fashion stakes Gill Lugg also got second place in a close finish behind Darren Symons. Third was Felipe Lopes Reis.

The wheel race suffered from a lack of delegation of tasks by my part and I found that I wasn’t very efficient and commentating, counting laps and setting off riders at the correct time. I sent F grade of too early and then Sue Duckett rode like a scalded cat to thrash her fellow F graders by miles so there was no hope of anyone getting close. Steve Crispin pushed on valiantly to pass most of the riders who’d been set off at the right time, but the damage had been done. Michael Brice and Peter Jovanovic claimed second and third places.

Following the finals, the medal presentations for the race winners and the summer and winter season points winners was made by club president Dougal Torrence.

Rob Langridge

Rob Langridge

Narrabundah Track Racing – 13th December

Session 10 for the track racing season was the final race session before the Christmas break. Traditionally, this session hosts the Christmas Wheel Race and a Christmas celebration. On race day, the weather gods finally favoured this event, as it was warm and fine. The attendance was good with 21 riders of which 14 were from A grade.

The A grade scratch race was quite fast with no one holding back for the later wheel race. Kerry Knowler and Lindy Hou established the early pace. As riders took turns at pace making, the speed gradually increased. Michael Langdon, Ben Robey and Hamish Anderson established an 8 metre gap around lap 5. However, the remaining pack clung on until the front group realised it was too early and gave up the attack. With two laps to go John Manning made a determined attack from a consolidated pack. He soon had a 10 metre gap. However, Steve Jones and Michael Langdon were in pursuit and it was just too far out. As the bell lap commenced Steve and Michael were within striking distance of John. There was a close fought duel near the line, from which Steve Jones emerged as winner, with Michael and John finishing in second and third respectively.

The B grade scratch was a little tamer with a slow early pace as riders were conserving energy for the Wheel Race. However, by mid race the competitive instincts took over and the pace quickened markedly. The small pack stuck together as the laps counted down. Phil Anderson, Steve Hirsler and Sue Powell attacked into the bell lap and subsequently contested a close sprint. Phil Anderson took the sprint from Steve Hirsler and Sue Powell, in that order.

After a ten minute break for B grade to recover, the Christmas Wheel Race was started. The Wheel Race is a 6-Lap handicap race and an important trophy race for the track season. A total of nineteen riders contested the race, with handicaps spread over 24 seconds. The race was quite satisfying for the handicapper because the field slowly converged, as intended, with the laps counting down. By the beginning of the bell lap most riders were in or around the lead bunch. Michael Langdon had put in a great ride from the scratch mark to make the lead group. Although Michael was almost spent from the effort, he put in a final burst to gain 5 metres by the middle of the bell lap. Fortunately for Michael, having the scratch rider leading at this point was enough to intimidate the pack. No one made any further attacks and Michael staggered over the line with nothing left in the tank. It was a fantastic win because Michael had a huge handicap to overcome. As Michael finished, Dave Mullins and Hamish Anderson were locked together in a final sprint for second place. Hamish just took Dave on the line by a few centimetres. Ben Robey, Paul Kennedy, Alec Millett and Tony Beasley then surged in after good rides that had put them in contention for the final positions.

Next up was a pleasant celebration of the track season to date and the coming Christmas break. The track season is currently quite successful. Thirty six riders have participated in events so far this season with a peak turnout of around 24 riders per session. Next year’s racing resumes on Wednesday 10 January. If anyone is considering track racing, the new-year would be a good time to start.

Major place getters were as follows:
8-Lap Scratch Race: (A Grade): Steve Jones, Michael Langdon, John Manning. (B Grade): Phil Anderson, Steve Hirsler, Sue Powell. 6-Lap Christmas Wheel Race: (Handicap): Michael Langdon, Hamish Anderson, Dave Mullens.

Season Point Score Update:
Michael Langdon (184), Hamish Anderson (153), Tony Beasley (135), Ross Scutts (125), John Paul DeSousa (112), Paul Kennedy (111), Phil Coulton (104), Steve Hirsler (90), Ben Robey (84).

Merry Christmas to all club members and their families.

Graeme O’Neill

Dairy Road – 17th December

A grade was a fierce battle with no successful attacks in an On/Off race. An in-form Seymour Savell-Boss won the nearly 60kmh sprint making him the “King of the Flat” with three wins in a row on the Dairy Flat course. Steve Crispin came a close second with Paul Scherl and Dave Roberts a joint third.

Last week David Jukes soloed to victory in D grade, this week he wins the bunch sprint in B grade. May be he can win the next Dairy Flat in A grade to take the “King of the Flat” title of Seymour. Adam Potts with an improving sprint was second with last week’s C grade winner Peter Taylor third.

The joint C/D grade race looked like there was a lot of following, chasing down the attacks from Ian Preston and Chris Nolan. The race was won with an impressive sprint from Luke Laffan, beating a returning to-form Alan Bontjer with Tony Beasley third.

In G grade Bernie Crowe stormed past Bruce Jones ten yards from the line to win with Bruce second.

E grade was a “looking at each other” type of race with the forever watchful Alex Sommariva sliding up the side for the win. Jonathon Chowns and Howard Moffat both on the comeback road were second and third respectively.

Thanks to Matt Haddock for marshalling and Simon Whitehead (First Aid).

Nick Boylan