Hello Vets,
In the Bleat this week;
• From the Desk of the Handicapper
• Racing this Week
• Race Report
Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc
From the Desk of the Handicapper
On-line registration
Week one of on-line registration went reasonably smoothly. The expected Friday afternoon rush of grade change requests didn’t eventuate and I only made a couple of grade changes. I can change handicaps after the registration cut-off, but all requests should be made well prior to the registration cut-off time. You probably will not get a quick turnaround for a grade change request on a Friday afternoon as I work full time.
This week’s race will be the first time the race director will also be responsible for race timing as well as all the other tasks as a result of club legend Graham Hendrie retiring from the timing and van manager role. Therefore, it will a busy time for race director Brian Chugg, ETCs, marshals and assisting committee members. You can assist by reading the race description, arriving on time with your race number and functioning bike, following the race director’s instructions and only stand on the road when lining up to start, not 15 minutes prior when catching up on recent gossip. The tea might be cold, biscuits stale and there may be no results but this is the transition process we’ll all have to bear with.
The committee will also be trialling a race management app while the race director will use the traditional Seiko stop watch with printout and paper results sheets. Between the two systems we should be able to produce some results but you never know.
Rob Langridge
Handicapper
RACING THIS WEEK:
Saturday, 24th April – Uriarra Homestead – Graded Scratch
Reminder: All riders must pre-register on the ACT Vets website (https://rms.actvets.cc/calendar) by 23/04/2021 6:00 PM prior to the race. There is no registration on the day.
Any requests for Grade changes should be sorted out with the Handicapper prior to registration.
Where: Assemble at Uriarra Rd / Brindabella Rd, T-Junction. From North Canberra slightly faster Coppins crossing & right onto Uriarra Road. From Sth Canberra follow Cotter Road down to bridge crossing, turn right onto Brindabella Road.
When: 1:30 pm.
Race Description:
Uriarra Homestead – top of Uriarra Crossing – Condor Creek – Homestead
ABCD – Three laps
EFG – Two laps.
Race Director: Brian Chugg Contact: Email: brian_cathy@aapt.net.au Ph 0409 992 442
Marshals: Tony Weir ETC, Howard Galloway, Bruce Goodspeed ETC, Howard Moffat ETC, Russell Marston
RACE REPORT:
Sutton Driver Training Centre – 17th April
Magnificent conditions greeted the commencement of the winter racing season.
The winter racing season commenced in magnificent weather at the always-tough Sutton Driver Training Centre course.
A and B got underway first for their 50 plus 1 and set the template for the afternoon’s racing: a few stubborn souls trying to get away in the first half of the race before being forced to accept a bunch kick would decide the race. In the case of A, it was Christophe Barberet away early (first-lap early) before being reeled in. Brad Peppinick and Paul Scherl then had a go, but the long uphill finishing straight and steep climb immediately after seemed to suck momentum out of their escapade. The final few laps saw the eight-man bunch settle into a rhythm preparing for the final kick. With a slight headwind and uphill drag it was a strong man’s finish with a very vocal Gerard Tiffen edging out Marc Vroomans for the win and Brad Peppinick with an active third.
As much of B’s race was animated out of sight, the race director was denied the detail a good race report requires. That said, the gathered crowd was treated to the spectacle of a powerful Mark Harris gapping the eight-person race on the finishing straight to win with Bruce Goodfellow and Carmine Spagnoletti crossing the line in second and third respectively.
With 14 racers in each, the rinse-and-repeat tenor of the day continued for C and D, the only differences being the 40-plus-one and the wind shifting to blow half-hearted gusts up the finishing straight. Both finishes were tightly contested, testing the race director’s ability to take on and retain data quickly. In a pure drag race, C saw Gavin Stephens cross the line first with Ben Neal getting over Peta Brill at the death. Lance Purdon got the line honours in D and Adam Strickland and Bruce McMillian rounding out the podium spots.
The last group of the day, E and F, thankfully provided a point of difference with each fracturing from the start. Intermittent cloud saw the temperature drop some what, which may have provided the racers with a bit of relief on the three-kilometre-ish course. Alan Bontjer rode away with the race in E and was followed in by Rosemary Robinson and then Ian Morton. Cat Riley powered away in F and was chased home by Chris Copeland Pat Rooke.
A big thanks to all who attended and took part. Special thanks to Ian McVay and Rosemary Robinson who filled in on first-aid duty, and to marshall Peter Frew.
Nicholas Stewart
