ACT Veterans Weekly Bleat, Monday 12th November, 2018

Hello Vets,

In this week’s Bleat;

• From the Desk of the Handicapper
• Australian Paralympic Committee Talent Search
• Racing this Week
• Race Reports

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

Ian Morton

From the Desk of the Handicapper

The changes this week;

Promotions
– Gerard Tiffen B to A
– Filipe Lopes Reis C to B

Rob Langridge
Handicapper

Australian Paralympic Committee Talent Search 18th Nov

The Australian Paralympic Committee and our sporting partners are searching for the next generation of Paralympic athletes. If you believe you have the potential to compete at the Paralympic Games, please join us at our upcoming testing session in Bruce;

AIS Sport Halls
Leverrier St, Bruce
Sunday 18 November, 11am-3pm

Eligible disability types include but are not limited to:
– Impaired muscle power
– Short stature
– Ataxia, athetosis and hypertonia
– Limb deficiency and dysmelia
– Leg length difference
– Impaired passive range of motion
– Vision impairment
– Intellectual impairment

For more information: http://paralympic.org.au/talent-search-registration-form

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 13th November: Stromlo Criterium

Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
A/C @5:50 A 38m+2, C 33m+2
B/D @6:35 B 38m+2, D 33m+2
E/F/G @7:15 25 min + 2 laps

Race Director:  Simon Porombka Contact: Email: simonjohnp@hotmail.com    Ph  0418232639

Marshals: David Witteveen

Wednesday, 14th November: Track Racing

The Program for Wednesday is as follows;
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice;
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 8-lap graded scratch race;
6.20pm – 6.40pm: 4-lap handicap race;
6.40pm – 7.00pm: 6-lap win & out race;
7.00pm – 7.20pm: Italian Pursuit.

Sunday, 18th November: Old Federal Highway Graded Scratch

Where: Turn left off new Federal Hwy (dual carriageway) after Bywong Rd. The intersection is signposted to Gundaroo and approx 9 km after Sutton Rd overpass. Park in gravel pit on corner of next intersection about 100 m in from highway.
When: 9:00 am.
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
ABCD 4 laps (48km)
EFG 3 laps (36km)

Race Director: Mark K Taylor Contact: Email: markandanita4u@bigpond.com    Ph  0408884984

Marshals: David Witham, Tim Brown, John Stokman, Darren Garnon, Brendan Byatt

More ETCs needed!

Less than 10% of club members are currently Event Traffic Controllers. Having enough controllers available in the club is critical to our ability to run races in the ACT. It is likely we will also need to have ETCs for NSW races in the future. Only a couple of training courses are held during the year so please consider attending.

An additional course has been scheduled for 24 November. Details are available on Blended Learning’s web site: http://www.blendedlearning.edu.au/home/courses/programs-courses/event-traffic-controller/

Members previously accredited as ATCs will need to do the updated training course to get ETC accreditation but do not need to be mentored.

Please register for a place ASAP as numbers are limited. Register directly with Blended Learning via email info@blendedlearning.edu.au or phone 6230 4633 and indicate you are from our club.

UPDATE: There will be an opportunity to undertake ETC mentoring at the Uriarra race on Sunday 25 November.

Race directors for 2019

I am looking for race directors for next year’s races. Please have a look at the race calendar in RMS and let me know if you are interested in directing any particular races. You do not need to have previously directed a race but should have experience racing and marshalling with the club. Directing is not an arduous undertaking, there are detailed instructions and club members are on hand to help.

Not Volunteering

Club racing is reliant on volunteers to direct and marshal at races. For 2019, there are around 250 volunteer positions required, not accounting for driving the van, opening and closing Stromlo for crits, or track racing. As such, there is an expectation that racing club members will contribute to club events. However, we accept that there will be some members who may not be able to volunteer for legitimate reasons e.g. living interstate.

Many members continually offer to help when requests are made. Others will wait to be ‘tapped on the shoulder’ before offering. However, there are a small number of members who do not respond at all to volunteering requests. For non-contributing racing members, the committee will consider introducing a ‘no help, no race’ policy.

Upcoming Marshal Roster

Thank you to those who have already volunteered to help. Nominees, in in blue have been selected based on results from the previous race season and the period since they last helped at a race. Nominees are requested to advise their availability/unavailability to the race committee (race.committee@actvets.cc) as soon as possible.

Summer series crit races are held at Stromlo Forest Park on Tuesday evenings and road races are held on Sunday mornings.

* denotes ETC required for ACT races.

Ian McVay
Race Committee

RACE REPORTS:

Stromlo Criterium – 6th November

B and D grade were away first for the evening. Both grades started aggressively with Dougal Torrance launching off the front of B grade solo and small groups forming in D. Gillian Lugg rallied her chase group on D which soon joined the leaders to form the race winning break. With B and D riders spread around the whole course by half way, Gerrard Tiffen and Paul Hollings turned up the heat on B to build a solid gap to the chasers. GT proved too strong in the end taking a comfortable solo win in B. Paul held on for second with Aaron Sedgmen winning the sprint for the reduced field . Steven Simms won the sprint for his D grade break-away companions just ahead of the fast finishing Gillian Lugg and Elizabeth Low.

E and F grade followed next. The E grade bunch kept together with a solid pace. Dale Dummett coming home first ahead of Ian Morton and Penelope Anderson. F grade saw an early break with Brandie O’Connor and Tish Halligan off the front early with Ross Robinson and Bob Miller working well to join them. Chris Copeland put in a solid finish to spring to third behind Ross Robinson in first and Brandie O’Connor runner up.

A and C raced against fading light and ominous rain clouds. Michael Foulds and Ed Pellegrino opened the account in A grade with an early attack. Mark Tarracini, Robin Mules and Ed Pellegrino were aggressive throughout the race with each attacking multiple times. Ben Morrison was too strong in the bunch sprint taking first, followed by Matthew Corby and Brendan Lakey. C grade similarly saw numerous attempts at a break away with the bunch not letting anyone get too far away. In the end, Iver Lange won the sprint ahead of Felipe Lopes Reis and Michael Hanbury.

Thank you to Simon Wells for expert marshalling, Simon Whitehead for First Aid and Phil Coulton for opening, closing and handy advice.

Damien Copeland

Track Racing – 7th November

Cancelled due to rain.

Graeme O’Neill