Hello Vets,

In the Bleat this week;

  • Naas Bridge Replacement
  • Bicycle Advisory Group
  • From the Desk of the Handicapper
  • ACT Veterans Cycling Club Trophies and Medals
  • 2020 Australasian Masters Cycling Championships, NZ
  • Gunning Marshals
  • Racing this Week
  • From the Race Committee
  • Race Reports

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

Ian Morton

Naas Bridge Replacement

ACT Government is about to replace the bridge on the Naas Rd over the Gudgenby River. Details are https://www.cityservices.act.gov.au/Infrastructure-Projects/rural2/naas-road-bridge. Once completed, this will expand the options for racing in the south of the ACT.

Bicycle Advisory Group

The ACT Government’s Bicycle Advisory Group (BAG) meets regularly to discuss issues around cycling in the ACT. It is attended by government officials looking after roads and cycling infrastructure, the NCA, Pedal Power and CCC. Pedal Power is particularly active, having substantial capacity to undertake lobbying. As such, much of the agenda is taken up with issues of importance to Pedal Power members. A particular focus of Pedal Power is to move cyclists off-road. This may not suit Vets riders.

Having representation on the BAG provides us with the opportunity to raise issues of importance for our racing in the ACT and for members training and commuting on ACT roads. For example, the entry to Stromlo Forest Park from Opperman Avenue will soon be a problem for cyclists once the new pool opens. For small individual issues such as broken glass and potholes, use the ACT Government Fix My Street feedback page to report the problem. If you have any bigger issues you’d like raised with ACT Government, please let me know.

Ian McVay
Race Committee

From the Desk of the Handicapper

Promotions

Ben Davis C to B
Kirsty Cummin D to C
Leanne Tennant E to D

Rob Langridge
Handicapper

ACT Veterans Cycling Club Trophies and Medals

The club currently has a number of perpetual trophies, and also purchases and distributes individual trophies and medals for a range of events. The cost of purchasing and engraving trophies and medals has increased in recent years, as we have had to change suppliers. It also takes a substantive part of a committee member’s time and personal expense to organise trophies and medals throughout the year. A list of trophies and medals provided by the club, together with estimated costs are at;
https://sites.google.com/a/actvets.cc/w3/files/memberfiles/ACTVets_List_of_Trophies_and_Medals.pdf

The estimated TOTAL COST of trophies per annum is $2,500.

Often medals are prepared but are not collected. And, as we do not have a clubhouse to store them, trophies are presented to members and then have to be collected from members for the next year’s race.

The Committee would like to seek members’ views on options for dealing with trophies and medals.

Possible options are:
1. Status quo
2. Have ‘virtual’ medals, i.e. we have medals that are ‘presented’ for photos but members don’t keep them
3. Retain only championship trophies, i.e. for Road, TT and Crit
4. Have no trophies or medals

Please consider what approach the club should take with medals and trophies and provide feedback to committee members at committee@actvets.cc.

2020 Australasian Masters Cycling Championships, NZ

The first Australasian Masters Cycling Championships will be held in New Zealand over Easter 2020. Details are on their Website: http://masterscycling.co.nz/

Australian Masters are also able enter the NZ age group championships the following week, details: https://age-group-road-nationals.cyclingnewzealand.nz/.

Gunning Marshals

The Gunning 2 Day event will held on the weekend of the 2/3 May 2020. To be able to run the event, we need the assistance of marshals, lead and tail drivers and general helpers.

All helpers are reimbursed for this event. We currently only have one helper and need 6 each day to run the event.

Family members and friends are OK to come and assist as volunteers. If you are willing to assist, please contact the race committee (race.committee@actvets.cc).

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 18th February: Stromlo Criterium – Club Championship – Part 1

Note: Tomorrow’s Crit is only for age groups M6 (55-59) thru M10 (75+) and Women. Riders in M1 (30-34) thru M5 (50-54) will race next week

Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
M8 (65-69)/M9 (70-74)/M10 (75+) @5:50 30 min
Women (All ages)** @6:30 30 min
M6 (55-59)/M7 (60-64) @7:10 35 min
*Age Classification is the Age that you turn on your birthday in 2020, e.g. a rider who turns 40 in December 2020 is classed as M3 (40-44) or W2 (40-49) for all events during 2020.
**While all Women will start together, results will be recorded for 10 year ages groups (30-39, 40-49, etc).

Race Director:  Kim Malcolm Contact: Email: d.kimmalcolm@icloud.com    Ph  0418 643 623

Marshal: Simon Farnbach

Wednesday, 19th February: Track Racing

The Program for Wednesday is;
To be advised

Road Racing

Sunday, 23rd February: Old Federal Highway – Graded Scratch

Where: Turn left off new Federal Hwy (dual carriageway) onto Shingle Hill Way. The intersection is signposted to Gundaroo and approx 9 km past the 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:
Old Federal Highway Gravel Pit to Lake George and back.
ABCD 4 laps for 48km.
EFG 3 laps for 36km.

Race Director: Michael Fawke Contact: Email: twizzled801@gmail.com    Ph: 0414 685 464

Marshals: Kerrie Muir, Andrew Yates, Dominic Romano, Clayton Locke

From the Race Committee

Upcoming Race Officials Roster

Rostered race officials are shown against each race in the Race Calendar http://rms.actvets.cc/calendar.

If your name is followed by TBC (To Be Confirmed) you need to contact the race committee 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:

Sutton Driver Training Centre – 16th February

Heavy rain overnight created some large puddles and road debris at places around the track, none more so than the always slightly nervous right hand downhill sweeper halfway through the track that was reduced to one lane. The weather however was pristine and save for a few mobs of kangaroos and a lone tortoise out for wander the track was prime for fast racing.

E grade and our sole F grader rolled away first, and within the first lap three groups had formed with the first coming uncomfortably close to some of the less dormant marsupials at the start of the long straight. This structure was maintained through the entire race with every rider well and truly earning their points, none more so than Andrew Douglas and Rosemary Robinson who took turns either pulling the pack or off the front. With one lap to go it could have gone either way between these two strongest but in the end it was Rosemary comfortably a few bikes lengths ahead of Andrew in second and Stjepan Hirsler in third.

Next off the line were A and B grades. A grade were holding a fast pace coming through together at the end of lap one but that’s where the group love ended with Steve Crispin immediately making a move leading into the turn one uphill right hander. Within a lap Crispin was reeled back which was enough encouragement for Gerard Tiffen who made a move of his own. In a mirror or E grade these two were going to be the ones to watch as Crispin made a second move across to Tiffen, leaving spectators to wonder which of the two would take the win. In the end it was Crispin comfortably to Tiffen in second, and Rainer Wilton in third ahead of the remaining pack.

B grade was a very controlled affair with nobody willing to make today the day of that one glorious all or nothing ‘Jens’ style win we all dream of. Post race mutterings however suggest this may have had more to do with the presence of a tandem who’s acceleration down the home straight hill had eyes watering and legs burning. The civility wasn’t to last all day and with two laps to go newcomer Rowan Walker made a confident move that showed he is a man to be watched, by building a respectable gap that lasted until 300 meters from the line. It was at this point the sprint got very messy very quick with Rowan swamped, bounced around in the jostle, and brought down in an extremely disappointing end to his club debut. Second unluckiest was Ian Preston who had no escape and also came down. It has to be mentioned that despite his own injuries and broken bike, Ian’s main concern was for Rowan’s welfare. Check results for placings as podiums and silverware were quickly forgotten by the crowd who were quick to help fellow riders.

A very patient C and D grade rounded out the day once we were finally able to get them rolling but by this time the heat of the day had set in, sending more than one rider for an early shower. Both bunches stayed largely together throughout with the small D grade group working collectively until then end when Andrew Hislop stormed away to take the win. In C grade the bunch got spread the length of that very long finish straight by the end with Luke Bewley edging out Ed Logue in second, and Andrew Matz in third.

Craig Tozer