Hello Vets,

In the Bleat this week;

  • Bicycle Advisory Group
  • 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

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

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, 25th February: Stromlo Criterium – Club Championship – Part 2

Note: Tomorrow’s Crit is only for Men’s age groups M1 (30-34) thru M5 (50-54).

Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.
Race Description:
M4 (45-49)/M5 (50-54) @5:50 40 min
M1 (30-34)/ M2 (35-39)/M3 (40-44) @6:40 45 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.

Race Director:  Allan Bontjer Contact: Email: allan@allanbontjer.net    Ph  0422 808 035

Marshal: Kim Malcolm

Wednesday, 26th February: Track Racing

The Program for Wednesday is;
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 8-lap Graded Scratch;
6.20pm – 6.50pm: 1-lap Screamer (Omnium Event);
6.50pm – 7.10pm: 4-Lap Handicap;
7.10pm – 7.30pm: Italian Pursuit.

Road Racing

Sunday, 1st March: Tharwa – Time Trial – Age Standard

Note: Naas Rd beyond the visitor’s centre is currently closed. We will confirm by Thursday if that section of road has been re-opened. If not, the race start will be relocated to Lookout Hill. Please check announcements in the Bleat, Facebook or Twitter.

Where: Assemble in Tharwa village or picnic area adjacent western end of Tharwa Bridge.
When: 9:00 am.
Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number
Race Description:
From carpark near bridge to Apollo Rd and return.

Race Director: Bryan Holloway Contact: Email: bholls001@hotmail.com    Ph: 0407 383 938

Marshals: John Bridge ETC, Paul Welsh ETC, Andrew Hislop

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:

Club Championships – Part 1 – 18th February

The first instalment of the Criterium Championships was conducted last Tuesday evening. There were 3 sessions. We had a warm start with the temperature still above 30. Cloud was starting to come in and the humidity level was increasing.

First up were the Men’s age groups 65-69(M8), 70-74(M9) & 75+(M10). We had 9 starters across the 3 age groups and they all started in a bunch. After 12 minutes the 75+ were still hanging on to the bunch but were starting to show signs of being dropped as they lagged at times on the main group. By the 17 minute Mijo Spoljaric and Graham Lindsay were dropped in M10 with Graham putting distance between him and Mijo well before the finish.

The M9 men was a sprint finish between the 2 contestants in Mike Hayes and Don de Smet finishing in that order.

The M8 resulted in a sprint between Tony Beasley and Howard Moffat followed by Phill Coulton.

Next up were the women who had to face some stronger winds but weather was still dry. We had 11 starters over the 4 age groups represented 30-39(W1), 40-49(W2), 50-59(W3) & 60-69(W4). No 70+(W5) women raced on the night.

Again all age groups started as a bunch. We had a visit from our resident roo population who approached from the south east, however, the runners managed to deter them from the Crit track and they grazed nearby on the running track. This occurred at the 7 minute mark and the bunch was still close together. By the 20 minute mark Miche Hodgetts and Shirley-Anne Taylor were dropped. By the 26 minute mark Sue Frost was also dropped to finish off the race on her own.

In the bunch sprint we had Kirsty Cummings, Gill Lugg and Elizabeth Lowe closely together over the finish line.

Final placings were as follows:

W1 Teresa McLaughlan 1st.

W2: Kirsty Cummin 1st and Gill Lugg 2nd.

W3: Elizabeth Lowe 1st, Alison Hale 2nd & Linda Stals 3rd.

W4: Penelope Anderson 1st, Leanne Tennant 2nd & Sue Frost 3rd.

The final session was the M6 (55-59) & M7 (60-64) and the longest session with 35 minutes plus 2 laps. Conditions changed rapidly after the start with a few drops of rain starting to fall early. We had 7 starters in M6 and 12 commenced in the M7 bunch. These groups started separately.

After 5 minutes and with rain falling Frank Sullivan was dropped from the M6 bunch. The weather deteriorated and we had a heavy downpour for a couple of minutes and while the lightening occurred in the distance as we were on the edge of the storm. During this period we had many riders withdraw (6 across both age groups) and both bunches split into groups and individuals. Rain ceased with about 15-20 minutes to go and the wind became very light. Apart from an errant water bottle making its way on the course with about 10 minutes remaining. Thanks to our newly elected President for retrieving the bottle on his mountain bike.

In the sprint for places we had the best conditions of the evening with cool and calm conditions.

Place getters were:

M6 1st Clinton Porteous, 2nd David McCook & 3rd Rob Langridge.

M7 1st Mark Harris, 2nd Michael Foulds & 3rd Owain Tilley.

For the medal winners in the men’s age groups (from 18 Feb) the medal engraving has been redone and the medals will be available at the Criterium races over the next couple of weeks. Please pick them up or let me know how I can get it to you.

Thanks to all those who helped with medal presentations Kirsti McVay, Ian McVay, Phill Coulton, Seymour Savell-Boss and also to our Marshall for the evening Simon Farnbach.

Kim Malcolm
Race Referee

 

Track Racing – 19th February

Wednesday’s track racing commenced in unstable weather conditions. A strong head wind blew down the back straight and rain threatened. Fortunately, the threatening weather system remained fairly static and no rain actually fell during the track session. The wind seemed to moderate and slightly change direction as the session progressed. Attendance was the same as the previous week, ie 15 riders, 7 A grade and 8 B grade.

The first race was an 8-lap scratch with A grade starting the proceedings. The pace was easy for the first five laps with Hamish Anderson, John Paul De Sousa, Wayne Benham, Rowan McMurray and Ben Davis taking turns on the front. When Hamish Anderson rotated to the front for a second time, he accelerated out, taking John Paul De Sousa with him. On lap 7, John Paul attacked. The bunch pursued rapidly with Rowan McMurray soon sprinting past John Paul to take a handy lead into the final lap. Rowan hung on for the win, with the remaining riders tightly bunched into the final turn. Ben Davis eclipsed Hamish Anderson by a few millimetres for second place, with Wayne Benham just behind for fourth.

In the B grade scratch, Graeme O’Neill immediately pulled out with mechanical issues, rejoining the race on lap 3. For the first 5 laps the pace was steady with turns on the front by Phil Coulton, Bruce Griffin and Ken Birch. On lap 5, James Newhouse attacked. However, Ken Birch jumped on his wheel. As the pace picked up, Tony Beasley accelerated into the lead with Ross Scutts in pursuit. Tony and Ross finished in that order for first and second. Steve Hirsler and James Newhouse emerged from the bunch to claim third and fourth.

The second event was a 200 metre flying start time trial (the ‘200 fly’) that is part of the omnium track championship. The times were very interesting with the spread from fastest to slowest around one second in A grade and similar in B grade. Dougal Torrance was on song and flew over the course in the best time of in 13.42s (55.6 km/hr). Next best for A grade were Hamish Anderson (13.50s) and John Paul De Sousa (14.01s). The best time in B grade was by Phil Coulton (14.57s) followed by Ken Birch (14.68s). Third in B grade were identical times (14.78s) from Tony Beasley and Steve Hirsler.

A 2-lap handicap was the next event. The A grade race was loosely handicapped with a consolidating bunch pursuing Wayne Benham into the final turn for the finish sprint. Dougal Torrance had made up a lot of ground from the scratch mark, but could not catch Wayne, who took the win by a comfortable margin. Dougal took second spot with John Paul De Sousa pursuing for third place. In B grade, four riders streamed pass the limit rider into the final turn. Ken Birch took the win closely pursued by James Newhouse and Phil Coulton.

The final Italian pursuit provided a comfortable win to Team 1. Both teams rode quite well with minor lapses when lead riders momentarily gapped the bunch. However, the win went to a stronger team, with tactics playing a minor role in the contest.

Place getters for the session were as follows:
8-Lap Scratch: (A Grade) Rowan McMurray, Ben Davis, Hamish Anderson (B Grade) Tony Beasley, Ross Scutts, Steve Hirsler. 200 Fly: (A Grade) Dougal Torrance (13.42s), Hamish Anderson (13.50s) John Paul De Sousa (14.01s) (B Grade) Phil Coulton (14.57s), Ken Birch (14.68s), Tony Beasley & Steve Hirsler (14.78s). 2-Lap Handicap: (A Grade) Wayne Benham, Dougal Torrance, John Paul De Sousa (B grade) Ken Birch, James Newhouse, Phil Coulton. Italian Pursuit Winner: Team 1 (Ben Davis, Hamish Anderson, Rowan McMurray, David McCook, Ken Birch, Tony Beasley, Graeme O’Neill).

Season Point Score Update:
Tony Beasley (160), Ross Scutts (150), Hamish Anderson (139), Martin Graham (137), Ken Birch (133), Dougal Torrance (131), James Newhouse (127), John Paul De Sousa (125), Warwick Wilson (103), Phil Coulton (94).

Graeme O’Neill