Hello Vets,

In the Bleat this week;

  • ACT Vets goes Cashless
  • From the Desk of the Handicapper
  • 2019 ACT Hill Climb Championships
  • Racing this Week
  • From the Race Committee
  • Race Reports

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

Ian Morton

ACT Vets goes Cashless

Commencing Tuesday 5 November 2019, members will have the option to pay their $10 race fee using their credit or debit card so there should be no excuses for not having cash or the correct change! The club will be using the Square card reader which will accept mobile wallets, contactless (‘tap and go’) and chip cards. Cash payments will still be accepted.

At this stage, the non-cash payment option will only be used at the Stromlo crit races as we have a reliable internet connection. If you are planning to pay by card, please allow extra time to register, as we only have one card reader available to take payments and registration will take longer than paying by cash.

Kirsti McVay
Treasurer

From the Desk of the Handicapper

Passing and being passed

We run two races at once on Tuesday nights to maximise race length for each grade. With the extra race time comes the responsibility to ensure the inevitable overtaking manoeuvre, when the faster grade passes the slower, is done cleanly and fairly.

  • Lead riders of the faster grade should call out well before they reach the other group that they are approaching.
  • A call of ‘left’ or ‘right’ should be made to instruct the riders in the front group where they should ride. (Remember the front chain ring is on the Right side)
  • Riders in the middle of the front group should also yell this instruction to the front riders.
  • Riders at the front should slow their pace a little to allow a quicker pass, and then NOT try to catch the tail end of the quicker group once it’s passed.
  • The slower group should also be aware that there may be riders just off the main bunch who also want to pass, so be alert for extra calls to keep to one side.
  • Riders in the front bunch must not try to look back to see what’s going on as this will certainly cause a crash.
  • Riders in the slower group should stay in their group and not use the faster bunch as a means to launch an attack.
  • Likewise, when approaching the slower group, riders in the faster group should not use the passing manoeuvre as a means to attack or gain advantage on their bunch.

Orderly overtaking will result in happy riders, less headaches for the race director and eliminate the need to disqualify riders gaining an unfair advantage (as well as reduce the number of dummies spat near the race director’s timing clock!)

Promotions

Dave Meyer C to B
Liam Zeller C to B
Ben Healy/Jon Barlow Tandem D to C

Rob Langridge
Handicapper

2019 ACT Hill Climb Championships

Cycling ACT is looking forward to hosting the 2019 ACT Hill Climb Championships on November 9. The event will be in the same format as last year, starting at the Cotter pumping station at 8AM and finishing at the top of Stromlo.

To race in the event you will need either a Cycling Australia Ride+ or Race membership, but there is a link below that will give anyone who hasn’t already been a member a free one week membership.

You can claim the ACT championship regardless of what state you are from, so come along for a chance to win a title!

Apart from the date, time and location, please emphasise that:

  • entries close on Wednesday 6th November at 11:59PM. No on-the-day entries will be accepted.
  • registration will be at the Casurina Sands Carpark
  • the rego desk will be open from 7:15 to 7:45
  • we will be issuing numbers and timing tags (riders cannot wear their own numbers)
  • riders must provide their licence at registration and collect it upon returning their timing tag and number at the finish

We are also seeking volunteers for the day, including;

  • Registration desk assistants
  • Handlers
  • Finish marshalls
  • Set up and Pack down assistants

Anyone keen to help out please email act.info@cycling.org.au

Relevant links are:

Kind regards,

Rowan McMurray

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 5th November: Stromlo Criterium – Graded Scratch

Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
B/D 5:50 B 35m+2, D 30m+2
E/F/G 6:25 22 min + 2 laps
A/C 6:55 A 35m+2, C 30m+2

Race Director: Susan Frost Contact: Email: suefrost@tpg.com.au    Ph  0408636975

Marshals: Felipe Lopes Reis

Wednesday, 6th November: Track Racing

The Program for Wednesday is;
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice;
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 8-lap graded scratch race;
6.20pm – 6.50pm: 20-Lap points race;
6.50pm – 7.20pm: Italian Pursuit.

Sunday, 10th November: Sutton Driver Training

Where: Approx 0.5 km along Sutton Rd from intersection of Sutton Rd and Pialligo Avenue.
When: 9:00 am.
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number
Race Description:
A/B: 9.00am 50 mins 1 lap
C/D: 10.00am 40 mins 1 lap
E/F/G: 10.50am 30 mins 1 lap

Race Director: Bryan Holloway Contact: Email: bholls001@hotmail.com    Ph  0407 383938

Marshals: Stuart Roesler

From the Race Committee

New RMS

The update of RMS, which works better on mobile devices, has been implemented. Bookmarks to the old RMS no longer work. You need to follow the updated links to the Race Calendar and Results from our home page at actvets.cc.

Upcoming Race Officials Roster

With the implementation of the new Race Calendar, the publication of the upcoming Race Officials Roster in the weekly Bleat will be discontinued.

Rostered race directors AND MARSHALS are shown against each race.

Please check the calendar (http://rms.actvets.cc/calendar). If your name is followed by TBC (To Be Confirmed) you need to contact the race committee (race.committee@actvets.cc) as soon as possible to either confirm your attendance or to request a swap.

Empty race directors and marshal positions are denoted as Vacant. Some marshals for races in the ACT need to be Events Traffic Controllers (ETC) and appear as Vacant ETC.

Please review the vacancies for upcoming races and email the race committee with events you would like to help out at, rather than wait and be asked to help at a race you wanted to do. Races cannot happen without members contributing to make them happen.

Ian McVay
Race Committee

RACE REPORTS:

Track Racing – 30th October

A very balmy 27 degrees and almost calm conditions greeted the 19 competitors to the evening’s track session. With 12 in A Grade and 7 in B Grade, there were enough numbers to make all events entertaining. As the ever present Graham O’Neil was away, Alec Millett filled in to keep proceedings flowing and reinforce the safety message(s).

It was good to see the two new starters to the season in James Newhouse and Warwick Wilson joined by two other (new) faces in the return of track stalwarts, the evergreen machine Mark Harris and enduro Rowan McMurray (the latter now well back from his Transcontinental Race (#7) across Europe).

The first race of the evening was the 8 Lap A Grade scratch. Mark Harris simply blasted away from the fence with ACT Vets El Presidente’ (Dougal Torrence) in hot pursuit. Dougal’s pursuit lasted a grand 3/4 of a lap and by the time Mark had crossed the finish line to complete the first lap, Dougal was absorbed back into the chasing pack which was by now completely strung out over 70 metres! Michael Langdon added some extra watts in the ensuing laps and closed the gap to Mark who was, by lap 4, looking over his shoulder and slowing ever so slightly. Michael caught, then sat behind, Mark with 2 laps to go with the gap back to Hamish Anderson and a recharged Dougal also closing. On the bell lap, Michael and Mark were still tightly together but Michael had no answer for Mark who just squeezed enough to keep Michael on his right hip across the line. The group closed up a little with Dougal managing to get in front of Hamish to the finish with John-Paul DeSouza a few metres back in 5th. Wayne Benham came in 6th, Craig Kentwell 7th and Tony Beasley 8th.

The B Grade 8 Lap scratch was far more civil. The 9 starters included a late arriving Martin Graham and Rowan (the latter two A Graders jumping into B for some track time warmup but were not in the points and both eased to the back of the bunch before the finish so as to not rock the apple cart for the regular B Grade machinations). The bunch stayed together well and were rolling turns safely with a push coming on lap 5 from the ever foxing Phil Anderson and Phil Coulton. This prompted others to start jockeying for position with both Ian Birch and Warwick Wilson moving forwards. At the bell, the bunch was still basically together and remained so for an entertaining last lap with 4 riders crossing the finish line in very close company. Warwick crossed for the win, Phil (Coulton) just edged Ian Drayton for 2nd with Ross Scutts coming in 4th. Other placegetters were Phil Anderson in 5th, James Newhouse in 6th and Ken Birch in 7th (the latter who was presented with his 2018/19 Season Omnium Shield before the evening’s proceedings commenced. Congratulations Ken!!).

The next event was the 2 Lap Handicap. This is one of the harder events tactically as handicap times are calculated from last season so current ‘new season’ form can render handicap times derived from late last season a little ‘optimistic’ (I’m sure when Graham O’Neil returns in 3 weeks he will make any adjustments as he feels necessary).

With 3 riders electing not to start in A Grade (being Mark, Michael and Ben Robey), the field was on their respective times leaving the fence correctly. Although everyone was putting in big efforts, the field was very much strung out and never really grouped at the finish other than Hamish clearly cursing Martin as the latter pipped the former who had nothing left in the tank for 2nd and 3rd places. Wayne crossed the line in 1st, Craig in 4th, Dougal 5th, John-Paul 6th, Ben Davis 7th, Tony 8th, and Rowan 9th.

All B Grade riders started in the handicap. There was plenty of discussion on the fence about who was where but after that settled down, each rider left at the correct time other than a couple near scratch that were a bit keen (you know who you are …). Riders pushed hard and settled into their respective pace(s) and basically reflected the staring positions at the finish with only a couple of overtaking manoeuvres occurring. Ken crossed in 1st, Phil (Coulton; who’s having his best start to the season) 2nd, Phil (Anderson) 3rd, Ian 4th, Warwick 5th, James (on his Gefsco) 6th and last year’s Club Champion Ross in 7th.

The evening’s final event, the Italian Pursuit, saw 18 riders elect to participate and then split into two teams resulting in a 9 lap event (slightly longer than normal and not particularly friendly for some of the evening’s weary legs). Comparatively, Team 1 went about their business very smoothly, with only small gaps ever between riders at any time and a consistently increasing pace for each new lead rider without any surging within the team. This resulted in a comparatively easy increase in distance over Team 2 with the latter foregoing about 60 metres by half race distance. To their absolute credit, Team 2 did indeed regroup and clawed back some distance mid-race however the task ahead was enormous and Team 1, with ‘Diesel’ John-Paul and Michael ahead of ‘Anchor’ Dougal ensured Team 1 crossed the line about 30 metres in front of Team 2 for the win.

Major place getters were as follows:
8-Lap Scratch: (A Grade) Mark Harris, Michael Langdon, Dougal Torrence. (B Grade) Warwick Wilson, Phil Coulton, Ian Drayton 2-Lap Handicap: (A Grade) Wayne Benham, Martin Graham, Hamish Anderson. (B Grade) Ken Birch, Phil Coulton, Phil Anderson Combined Italian Pursuit: Winner Team 1 (Tony Beasley, Michael Langdon, Dougal Torrence, John-Paul DeSouza, Craig Kentwell, Rowan McMurray, Ken Birch, Phil Coulton, Warwick Wilson)

Season Point Score Update:
Wayne Benham 33, Michael Langdon 32, Hamish Anderson 30, Phil Coulton 30, Ian Drayton 28, Dougal Torrance 27, Ken Birch 27, Phil Anderson 25

Alec Millett

Uriarra Graded Scratch – 3rd November

30 riders turned out on what was a great morning for racing the 46km (2 lap) Uriarra Homestead Graded Scratch race. A light northerly breeze and clear(ish) skies greeted enough riders in each grade to make for some good competitive racing.

A Grade had 4 starters with Gerard Tiffin pushing the pace all the way to the finish line to win by barely a bike length from Bradley Peppinck, with Jason Chalker just dropped in the final 50 meters to the line for third.

B Grade started with 8 riders who stayed together for almost the whole of the race. While their pace was relatively conservative, the final 250 meters saw most of the action and sorted out the sprinters from the rest of the bunch. Sean Ifland finished first, 30 meters ahead of Dave Dickson in second and Bruce Goodfellow third.

C Grade rolled away with 7 riders. On the return from their first trip out to the Condor creek turn all 7 riders were together, with Ian McVay leading the push towards the Uriarra turn. By the time the riders crossed the finish line a breakaway group of 4 riders fought it out with Peter Young a clear winner from David Stewart-Thompson in second and Andrew Matz in third place, barely a second behind David in the final sprint.

D Grade had 6 riders roll away and they were obviously having a good time out there as they cruised through the start/finish area on their first time down to the Uriarra turn. We could hear the chatter among the group from a long way off like they were out on a training ride. By the time they passed the start/finish area the second time one rider had been dropped from the quickening bunch. The finish sprint saw 2 seconds separating first to third, with Lance Purdon nudging out Tony Beasley by half a bike length for first place and a determined Alain Arbaut one second behind for third.

In E Grade it was the Kirsti McVay and Sally Thompson show. When Kirsti and Sally, who were working well together, came through the start/finish area after their first lap there were thoughts that if they continued to ride as aggressively as they were then they might just catch a cruising D grade, as they were a minute faster than D grade on their first lap. In the end Sally sprinted away in a very solid finish 9 seconds ahead of Kirsti in second place. Russell Marston completed the podium spots for third place.

Thank you to Graham Hendry for all the work he does to help make our races a success, and to our marshals Lindsay Graham, Seymour Savell-Boss, Neil Burton and Ashley Carruthers for their help in making it a safe race.

The bouquet award for the day goes to Dave Dickson who rolled straight back onto the course to save a tortoise that had ventured onto the road.

The brickbat award goes to the passengers in the 4WD with the P plate who thought it would be fun to throw their water bottles at Kirsti and Sally during the race.

 

Brian Peak