ACT Veterans Weekly Bleat, Monday 17th December, 2018

Hello Vets,

In this week’s Bleat;

• Registration Renewal for 2019
• Christmas Wheel Race
• Racing this Week
• Race Reports

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

Ian Morton

Registration Renewal for 2019

Note: For new members who registered after 1 Oct, your membership is valid up until the end of 2019.

2019 membership renewals are due by 31 December 2018. 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 2019.

It is preferable to renew prior to the end of December if you intend to race in 2019. 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 2019 is $120
• Non competitive membership for 2018 is $5

Upon renewal, your 2019 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.

Please note that all members are expected to contribute to club administrative functions during the year. These may include: directing or marshalling races, providing first aid or joining the club committee.

Kirsti McVay
Membership Secretary

Christmas Wheel Race

Roll up! Roll Up!

The Crit races due to be held on December 18th marks our Christmas Wheel Race. Catering will be provided and the top 5 riders from each grade will run off at the end of the night in a handicap. Prizes are on offer for first to third in the final. To encourage conversation and families to attend, the club will provide catering for the event.

Dougal Torrence
Club President

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 18th December: Christmas Wheel Race

Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
Preliminary Heats
E/F/G @5:50 25 m + 2 laps
A/C @6:20 A 30m+2, C 25m+2
B/D @6:50 B 30m+2, D 25m+2
Final
Top 5 finishers in each Grade
5 laps @7:35

Race Director:  Chris Daly Contact: Email: daly_chris@yahoo.com    Ph  0459223958

Wednesday, 12th December: No Track Racing

1st Aiders Needed

The Club requires the presence of a 1st Aider at all races. We usually get a 1st Aider from Sport Medicine Australia, however they are having trouble ensure availability of people to attend our races. As such, we may become more reliant on club members to provide 1st aid support.

Ideally all members should have 1st aid qualifications. If you have an accident you want the people you are riding with to know how to provide you with potentially lifesaving help.

Members are encouraged to undertake 1st aid training and will be reimbursed for the training costs if they offer 1st Aider support for club races.

No Mirrors in races

Some riders have been racing with a mirror on their bike. While it is understandable that this occurs when riders commute to the race, it has caused some discussion about whether this should be allowed to continue. A mirror may provide an advantage to see riders attacking from behind and it may be unsafe for a rider to not be watching what’s happening in front of them.

I have checked with AVCC and according to AVCC Racing rules and regulations Rule 6d “Only equipment sanctioned and approved by the AVCC Inc shall be permitted in races under its patronage.” The use of mirrors on the bike or helmet in races has not been sanctioned or approved by the AVCC. Please ensure you remove any mirrors and that handle bar ends are plugged before racing.

Upcoming Marshal Roster

Thank you to those who have already volunteered to help. Nominees, 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 – 11th December

17 riders braved the heavy rain, lightning and constant large groups of kangaroos and ducks to race. The most any grade had in one race was four. All riders were given the option to race and agreed to press on. The rain was intense and constant, right up until the final lap of the final grade, where it stopped.

There was one A grade rider, Seymour Savell Boss who rode with the B graders. Br grade was won by Bruce Goodfellow, with Tony Rowley second and Ian Preston in 3rd place.

There were three C graders who together from start to finish, with Gillian Lugg finishing first, Mark Kitchen second and Kirsty Cummin in third place.

Again, there were three riders in D grade, where David Gillies finished over the line first, Sam Whitsed second and Bruce Griffin in third.

E grade had two riders and they finished with Will Robb and Ian Morton. F grade had three riders with Chris Copeland coming in, followed by Howard Moffat and Trish Halligan. Andre Svenson was the sole G grade rider.

Thankfully all riders stayed upright.

Thanks to Andrew Chamberlain and Nicholas Hedley who stepped in to help with the Marshalling.

Richard Hedley

Track Racing – 12th December

ACT Vets Trackie – Lt Col Phil Anderson – 30 years as Padre with the Australian Army…Thank you for your service. And also thanks for your lead outs in the Italian Pursuit…your full time track training program starts now!

A Grade 8 lap Scratch – had 5 riders – Dougal Torrance provided a fast first lap…riders needed to concentrate on holding his wheel, subsequent rotations found Dougal on the front again where he tested for enduro…3 riders were with Dougal and then a stalled pre-bell lap left the door open for the attack sprint to the line… B Grade 8 lap scratch – had 5 riders – this bunch maintained an even pace over the race with riders taking one lap turns on the front. As the pace increased; Steve Hirstler ideally positioned himself for the bell lap and out of the saddle on the back straight attacked Ross Scutts to an emphatic sprint win…

Xmas Handicap Wheel Race: this race is a great challenge @ 6 laps (2kms) – where riders push off the fence with a handicapped start… Phil Coulton and Ken Birch on the same handicaps were sniffing a chicken dinner…indeed; Phil Coulton surged away from Ken Birch on about lap 2 – at that stage it looked like Phil would hold off the chasers – however, Dougal Torrance spotted Phil way out front on lap 4 and had to chase him down, the catch by Dougal was only into the final turn to the finish line in a very exciting and fast race – well done to Dougal off scratch; overtaking all riders to win! (Image: Dougal Torrance: 1st Xmas Wheel Race Trophy 2018 (with left Phil Coulton 2nd & Hamish Anderson 3rd)

The Italian Pursuit – this race… (the last one for the night), had 5 riders per team. Team 2 had Dougal Torrance as anchor… Team 1 had a pre-start mechanical as Bruce Griffin kept “pulling his foot”…he seemed toey and affecting distraction from the Team 2 – some tweaking with an allen key by Hamish had Bruce strapped in. The whislte start was given by the starter supervised by Commisaire Paul Robey…! And – their away! A fast 5 laps – intial feedback was that Team 1 got it by not much…so Team 1 has got one back on Team 2…

Major place getters were as follows:
8-Lap Scratch Race: (A Grade): Michael Langdon, Dougal Torrance, Hamish Anderson (B Grade): Stefan Hirsler, Ross Scutts, Ken Birch
Xmas Handicap Wheel Race: Dougal Torrance, Phil Coulton; Hamish Anderson
Italian Pursuit: Team 1 – Phil Coulton, Bruce Griffin, Ross Scutts, Hamish Anderson, Michael Langdon
Season Point Score Update: Dougal Torrance (125), Ross Scutts (107), Michael Langdon (92), Phil Anderson (87), Steve Hirsler (79), Tony Beasley (62), Phil Coulton (58), Bruce Griffin (58), Wayne Benham (56)

ACT VETS trackies wishing – safe and happy riding…all the best for 2019 to eternity…

2019 rolls away on Weds 9 January.

Michael Langdon

Cotter Hill Climb Time Trial – 16th December

On a balmy Sunday morning, 16 riders turned up for the annual Cotter Hill Climb Time Trial. This year the course included an extra bit of downhill to Uriarra Village. Apparently a few people felt a bit cheated last year with the shortened course that finished at the top of the hill.

In A Grade, Nathan Spillane rocketed up the hill in a time of 12 minutes 37 seconds. David Jukes took B Grade in a time that would have seen him well placed in A Grade.

Apologies to the C and D Grade winners. In both grades, 1st and 2nd place times were the same to the nearest second and the incorrect winners were announced on the day. Checking the timing, Ian McVay was awarded C Grade and Andrew Hislop took D Grade.

In E Grade, Kirsty McVay was the fastest and Brandie O’Connor in F Grade.

Thanks to Marshals Sue Powell and Brad Peppinck. Paul Robey filled in as first aid officer due the unavailability of our regular SMA attendant. And as always, thank you to Graham Hendrie for bringing the van and performing the race timing.

Ian Morton