Capital Region Masters Christmas Bleat, 20th December, 2021

Season Medal Presentations

From the Desk of the Handicapper

Farewell Lance Purdon

In the American tradition we should thank ADF member Lance Purdon for his service to our nation, but more importantly we should praise his enthusiasm for competing in 70 races in just over two years! The Army are sending him north for a spell where he won’t need his thermals or booties. Lance has been a regular in D company since 2019 and although more at home on the crit circuit where he could use his powerful sprint, he wasn’t shy of taking on the winter races in sometimes less-than-ideal conditions. Let’s hope the Army posts him back soon.

Boxing Day Club Run

The Boxing Day Recovery Ride starts at 8.00 am sharp outside the Jolimont Centre on Northbourne Ave. This year’s ride will follow the “somewhat” successful format of recent years: two nominated sensible riders will lead along Federal and Old Federal highways with slower riders positioned immediately behind the leaders (so they don’t get dropped if the bunch is broken up by traffic light changes) and faster riders go to the back. All riders are responsible for preventing the bunch from splitting up. If half the bunch suddenly disappears from behind you, it’s your responsibility to pass this message to the front of the group so that they know to stop and wait. This will be a relaxed ride and not a race.

We all stay together until the top of Washingmachine Hill. There, riders have a choice of going on to Lake George, the gravel pit or wherever. Those who’ve had too much Christmas cheer can wait in the shade at the top of the hill. They can then join one of the bunches on the return leg. All keen to make the most of this once-a-year club ride can gather at a nominated coffee shop at the end of the ride. Note that it’s much harder to find an empty cafe now that Canberra is overrun by rabid Boxing Day shoppers at that time.

Please use the Vets Facebook page to publicise group rides over the holidays. I’m sure everyone’s keen to do at least one Corin-Tidbinbilla-Cotter-Uriarra-Black Mountain-Collector-Gunning ride over the break and would like to share the experience, not that I’ll be there.

CRMs out and about

Fitz’s Challenge honour roll;

105km Bryan Holloway, Greg Mitchell, Tony Beasley, Dan Lekhac, Michelle Hodgetts, Rico Fitch, Russell Marston, Sean Ifland (FIRST), Steve Simms
130km Michael Langdon (2nd), Boyd Stratton (3rd)
165km Anthony Dick, John Paul de Sousa, Clinton Porteous, Eoin Rothery, Peter Merrick
210km Craig Lindenmayer
255km Jeremy Schieb and Emma Padovan–our kings and queens of craziness! Emma, the current ACT elite road champion, was 6th overall in 9:09, while club newcomer Jeremy, who not only has climbed the crit ranks to A grade in a handful of races, now has demonstrated his road endurance, battling away for over 10 hours! That’s four hours longer than volunteering to be a van driver for a road race, and well exceeds my longest Netfix session.

Apologies if I’ve missed anyone, but you’re welcome to submit your own FItzs story.

Rob Langridge
Handicapper

RACE REPORTS:

Christmas Wheel Race – 14th December

It was an interesting evening of racing with the weather playing a bit of a wild card. Possible storms had been forecast but otherwise a nice warm evening with light winds. On arrival there were some storms showing on the radar, but these seemed to be passing the other side of Mt Stromlo and heading to the NW. However, another set came through about half way through the A/C grade heats with moderate rain for about 5 minutes or a little more. Thankfully there was no lightning and almost all riders stayed out there without incident. Subsequent reports indicated that the A graders averaged just under 40kph, which is on the low side for A grade.

First up on the track was E, F and G grade with 7 riders starting in E grade and 2 in each of F and G grade. E grade split after 8 minutes with Pat Rooke, Paul McKay, Geoff Ellicott and Rosemary Robinson dropping the others, and finishing in this order at the end. The sprint prime came with about 10 minutes to go and was easily won by Paul McKay.

In F grade, Bob Miller and Mike Hayes stayed generally together with Mike winning the sprint prime and Bob getting the better of Mike at the finish. In G grade Gai Monahan and Bernie Crowe split up early with Gai soloing to the sprint prime and the win.

A and C grade were next on track and while there were a few attacks in both grades, the rain event generally helped to settle things down and both packs mostly stayed together. In A grade, there was an early attack by James Meadley, Michael Payne and Mark Terracini with lasted a couple of laps, then later on Ben Carmody had a bit of a go. It was all together when the bell was rung for the sprint prime and Al Raitt managed to hang on to win the $50. On the bell lap, Kristopher McCreath jumped early on the back straight and opened up a decent gap and managed to hang on to win by half a bike length. James Meadley was second followed by Steve Crispin, with Nicholas Stewart and Gerard Tiffen joining them in the wheel race.

The main action in C grade was a couple of solo attacks from Dom Romano, which mostly didn’t excite the others too much and he was reeled back in after a lap or two. Paul Clare picked up the sprint prime. The finished was won by Michael Rowland (a new rider that may attract the interest of the handicapper) followed by Dom Romano and Craig O’Neall, joined by Scott Tozer and Ian Preston in the wheel race.

B and D grade completed the heats, with their races reduced by a few minutes to allow enough time for the wheel race, with the clouds ensuring it was going to get dark a little early. In B grade, club president Seymour Savell-Boss wanted to get his sponsors colours out there early and opened up a useful gap for a few laps. Darren Blackhurst was next to go, then a little later Todd Sowter and Simon Priest. Todd Sowter also managed to get off the front for the sprint prime. The efforts clearly didn’t take too much out of the legs, with Simon Priest winning the final sprint, followed by Todd Sowter, then Simon Junakovic, who were joined by Travis Hicks and David Parker in the wheel race.

D grade generally stayed together, with a small split happening after the sprint prime, but things regrouped soon after. Lance Purdon won the sprint prime. The finish was won by Michael Larkin, followed by Craig Kentwell and Alison Hale, who were joined in the wheel race by Lance Purdon and David Hennessy.

Wheel race

In the wheel race final, C grade stayed together and worked well as a group, and were the main contenders at the finish. A grade’s handicap was perhaps 10 to 15 seconds too much, and while they also worked well as a group, they didn’t quite bridge the gap at the end. As they passed the start line on a couple of the laps, Steve Crispin was a key player on the front of the A grade group.

Gai Monahan was the lone G grader in the final and lasted out front until about a lap to go and may have done better if she had some more company to work with. There were only 2 F graders with Bob Miller looking a little stronger and getting to the front with about a lap to go before the C grade+ bunch swept him up.

Both the E grade and D grade bunches split relatively early, to be swept up by C grade and some of them hung to the bunch until the finish, with a couple of D graders finishing in the placings.

The B grade bunch mostly hung together, but didn’t look quite as motivated as the A graders and were swept up with around a lap to go, with some hanging on to finish with the A graders.

C grade had a few players in the frame, but the Dominator (Dom Romano) has been sprinting fairly well of late and managed to jump nicely clear of the group coming down the finishing straight for a fairly clear win. He was followed in by David Hennessy and Michael Larkin.

Wheel Race Final: Dom Romano 1st, David Hennessy 2nd, Michael Larkin 3rd

And finally, thanks to Daniel Crocker for his fine service as a marshal, and Simon Whitehead for the first aid, which was thankfully not needed, despite the rain event. There was also plenty of good help from some members of the race committee including Ian McVay and Robert Langridge.

Dale Kleeman

Track racing – 15th December

Unfortunately the final Track event for the year was washed out.

Mt McDonald Time Trial – 19th December

27 riders fronted the final road race of 2021, an individual time trail starting on Cotter Road and then climbing up Mount MacDonald along Brindabella Road towards Urriara Village.

The morning began pleasant enough but clouds were gathering before the fianl rider has left the start chute. Thankfully all riders had completed the race and returned to the start before the weather turned unpleasant.

The only reported incident was a dropped chain which cost D grader Alex Sommavira dearly.

Final results:

A grade. Steve Crispin finished first with a time of 10:54.08 followed by new comer Michael Rosser 11:42.30 and and Brendan Byatt third at 11:52.01.
B grade gave a close race which saw Tom Hartley (12:01.94) hold out against Emma Padovan (12:07.75) and Christopher Short (12:17.60).
C grade. Another close race with Ian Preston at 13:06.89 edging out John Paul de Sousa on 13:47.88 and Matt Hincliffe 13:52.78.
D grade. Our biggest field (9) saw Anthoy Dick fastest at 13:31.05, over David Hennesy at 14:04.03 and Anthony Beasley at 14:17.09.
Chris Copeland as the sole F grader put in a highly creditable 18:42.36

Big thanks to Matt for van driving duties, Simon, and Andy at the finish chute, Simon the First Aider and the ETC crew without whom the race simply could not run.

Michael Golding

Racing Resumes

Racing will resume in 2021 with the first Crit on the 4th January and Track Racing on the 5th January. The Road Racing Calendar is still to be advised.

Till then, have a great Christmas Break.

www.capitalregionmasterscyclingclub.org.au