Masters,
In this week’s Bleat;
• 2023 Annual General Meeting
• From the Desk of the Handicapper
• From the Race Committee
• Racing this Week
• Race Reports
Ian Morton
thebleat@actvets.cc
2023 Annual General Meeting
The AGM for the Capital Region Masters Cycling Club for 2023 was held this evening.
Committee positions;
– President: Kim Malcolm
– Vice President: David Parker
– Secretary: Craig Tozer
– Treasurer: Kevin Woods
– Membership: Conan Liu
– Handicapper: Rob Langridge
– General Committee: Chris Short, Ian Morton, Ed Logue
The Committee would like to thanks outgoing members Kirsti McVay and Dougal Torrance for their service on the Committee.
After 11 years, Ian Morton is looking to handover responsibilities for The Bleat (but will remain on the Committee). Any members who are interested in taking over this responsibility please advise thebleat@actvets.cc.
We are still looking for members to join the Committee.
From the Desk of the Handicapper
Promotions
Nathan King C to B
Andrew Buick C to B
Downtube Shifter Derby update
It’s now a week away from the Derby. You can now enter from the race via the Race Calendar. Riders can also ride in their normal grades following the Derby. There will be some barrell prizes for entrants so stick around for the post-race celebrations. Check up the CRMCC Facebook page for pictures and discussion about the race.
This race will be a criterium for bikes with downtube shifters. Members are welcome to convert carbon bikes to use such shifters but will be interviewed by healthcare professionals after the race. The derby will be 15 minutes plus one lap starting at 1730. Races may be seeded depending on the number of entrants. Riders must have a roadworthy bike, wear an approved helmet and non-arse-crack revealing kit. Old jerseys and knicks are most welcome.
Date: 21 February
Time: 1730
Duration: 15 minutes plus one lap
Rules: Must ride bike with downtube shifters
Rob Langridge (Steel bike nutter)
Handicapper
From the Race Committee
CRMCC Kit
*** Deadline extended until tomorrow ***
The CRMCC Kit Portal is now open with MVMNT.Club until 14th Feb (one extra day). So please head over to the link below and have a look at what is on offer. Jimmy has also included some heavily discounted MVMNT jerseys in there at the bottom of the page. So check them out!
Link here:
https://mvmnt.club/collections/crmcc-custom-portal
Stromlo Parking
The ACT Government has announced a decision to upgrade the existing SFP carpark to help manage increased visitation and to improve user safety. Construction is expected to start in Autumn and completed by the end of the year (weather permitting). As the works will be completed in stages, SFP will continue to offer onsite parking spaces throughout the construction period.
Once the new carpark is complete, the ACT Government has taken the decision to introduce paid parking at Stromlo Forest Park, with 100% of revenue to be reinvested back into the maintenance and improvement of the park, including the mountain bike trails.
This means all funds raised from paid parking will directly contribute to the ongoing development and repairs/maintenance of the park, including new and upgraded trails and facilities.
The parking fees will be modest, and an annual SFP parking pass will be available for frequent users.
Costings for paid parking will be as follows:
| Period | Fee |
| 15 minutes | Free |
| 15 minutes to 3 hours | $1.75 |
| 3 hours to 6 hours | $2.75 |
| 6 hours + | $3.90 |
| Annual pass | $87.00 |
This year, the ACT Government will also begin work on a five-year Stromlo Forest Park Trails Masterplan, that will involve public consultation. This Trails Masterplan will review existing trails and plan for new trails for key site users including runners, mountain bike riders, road cyclists, equestrian riders and the general public.
Trial Rides
At the last committee meeting, the Committee agreed to reduce the number of permitted trial rides from two trial rides to one ride in any calendar year. This will make it easier for the Membership Secretary to monitor the number of trial rides that a rider has taken. The website and online trial membership form have been updated to reflect this change.
Road Races and Directors
We are still lacking a few Race Directors for upcoming races. Anyone able to assist, please advise the Race Committee (race.committe@actvets.cc).
Registration for 2023
All members must be registered prior to racing in 2023.
RACING THIS WEEK:
Tuesday, 14th February: Stromlo Criterium
Note: Registration required by 14 Feb 2023 3:50 pm.
Any requests for Grade changes should be sorted out with the Handicapper prior to registration.
Late entries may be considered in exceptional circumstances. Please email race.committee@actvets.cc
Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Race Description:
B/D 5:50 B 40m 2, D 35m 2
E/F/G 6:35 28 min 2 laps
A/C 7:10 A 40m 2, C 35m 2
Race Director: Dale Kleeman Contact: Email: dalek011@gmail.com Ph: 0438 516 382
Marshals: Kerrie Muir
Thursday, 16th February: Track Racing
The Program for Thursday is;
5.30pm – 6.00pm: Warm-up and free practice.
6.00pm – 6.20pm: 8-lap graded scratch race.
6.20pm – 6.50pm: 200 fly (Omnium Event).
6.50pm – 7.10pm: 2-lap Handicap.
7.10pm– 7.30pm: Italian Pursuit.
Sunday, 19th February – Lookout Hill
Reminder: All riders must register on the CRMCC Web site (https://rms.actvets.cc/calendar) by 18/2/2023 6:00 PM prior to the race. There is no registration at the event.
Any requests for Grade changes should be sorted out with the Handicapper prior to registration.
Where: Observation lookout on Tidbinbilla Road about 2.5 km towards Tharwa from Point Hut / Tidbinbilla Rd intersection (or about 4.5 km from Tharwa village).
When: 9:00 am.
Race Description:
Lookout Hill to Tidbinbilla Reserve and back. ABCD x 2 laps. EFG x 1 lap.
Race Director: tba Contact: Email: tba Ph tba
Marshals: Warwick Wilson, Elizabeth Lowe ETC, Andrew Peel, Vacant ETC, Vacant ETC, , Vacant Van Driver.
RACE REPORTS:
SFP Criterium – 7th February
We don’t often get windy nights these days, but when they do, I seem to be otherwise engaged. Such was the weather that greeted 105 keen riders ready to do battle on our track.
E, F and G were first to start, with some grades opting to stick together for the duration and others being ripped apart by ruthless tactics employed into the breeze up the straight. Bernie Crowe and Gai Monahan in G grade battled on their own and rode strong individual races, with Gai getting the upper hand at race finish. In F grade, three riders stuck together for most of the race, with a slight break in the bunch towards the end seeing Lindsay Graham take the win over Dennis Puniard, with Paul Robey coming in shortly after. E grade was a much more broken affair, with riders all over the track chasing a main group of riders eking out their advantage into the wind with strong numbers. In the end, the sprint was taken out by Shirley Anne-Taylor, with Mick Donaldson second and Theresa McLachlan in third.
In C grade, a strong group of 4 broke away fairly early, with not enough cooperation behind seeing the gap open up as the race continued. The group of Damian Copeland, Michael Hanbury, Nathan King and Andrew Buick shared the workload evenly before the workload became too much for Damian, who dropped back into the now splintered chase groups. In the final, it was King who took the win over Buick and Hanbury.
Just like in C grade, A grade saw an early move of 3 riders breaking clear consisting of Matt Corby, James Meadley and Jeremy Gilman-Wells. They were chased down and joined by Stuart Griffiths and Ben Morrison, and the quintet continued to put time into the chase. Several strong efforts by the likes of Gerard Tiffen and Paul Scherl held out for a lap or two before being swallowed up by the remainder of the group, and the lead continued to widen. Coming into the final, it was all cat and mouse through the bottom end of the track before they reappeared at the base of the track in a 5 across drag race. Stu Griffiths was looking good for the win with a slowly increasing gap over Jeremy Gilman-Wells before Morrisson trumped them both with a late surge more than bringing him on terms with the leaders.
D grade and B grade decided early on to make this writer’s job difficult by strategically placing themselves all over the track at once, making it quite difficult to keep track of the unfolding races. In D, Jonathan Chowns put in significant amounts of work (I’ll confess and apologise that my notes for this race were limited and I did not note if he was alone or in a small group – just that his performance was noteworthy). The riders were splintered into numerous groups all across the space of over a lap, and the make up of each group was consistently changing with this grade seemingly the most attritional race of the night. In the end, it was Timothy Moore taking the sprint over Alex Sommariva and Michael Whyte.
B grade also split early, with a large group off the front being driven by Seymour Savell-Boss, Darren Blackhurst, Rowan ‘son of god’ McMurray and Craig Lindenmeyer. Conversations about tactics in the bunch kept the cohesion, although I suspect the conversationalists were more focused on exploiting the less willing than anything more, and the gap remained fairly static for the duration. In the final laps, a strong attack by McMurray yielded a solid gap going past the finish on the bell lap before being swallowed up by a group sensing the danger of an immaculate victory. With some tactical shenanigans playing out through collarbone, the race came down to a final straight sprint with big numbers contesting, with Savell-Boss taking the win over Nicholas Jeffries and Michael Foulds.
From my perspective, seeing the satisfaction on the faces of riders post race and the club camaraderie across all grades made my night of volunteering exceptionally rewarding. I note that the club has had to resort to putting out requests to fill spots in the bleat, and I’d suggest that giving up a few hours on one day to see a race proceed is entirely a small price to pay for the opportunity to race the rest of the year. I thoroughly enjoy racing with the vets… er… Masters, and I enjoyed giving something back. See you next race from the start line!
Steve Crispin
Track Racing – 9th February
The thunderstorms and rain from the morning had cleared and the Bundadome was reported as dry. 13 riders signed on at this session – 12 raced – on offer were four demanding mainly sprint race events which challenged each rider over the evening.
A black box data download from the downed Chinese balloon confirmed that Graeme O’Neill, (Chief Commissaire & holder of the algorithm), was returning for next week’s CRMCC Track races.
A Scratch (8 laps)
A Grade raced in sunny conditions – 6 riders stayed together for the race, a few riders wearing the “Race Forever ” CRMCC kit. Warwick Wilson again with four laps to go attacked to a 50 metre lead, however no other riders went with him. Tim Jolly worked to close the gap and Warwick’s attack was subsumed to the bunch. Conan Liu then attacked with one lap to go and then a counter attack positioned Tim Jolly to cross the line 1st, Martin Graham with a strategic, fast and well timed race got 2nd and Conan Liu 3rd.
B Scratch (8 laps)
B Grade had 6 riders – a sedate pace of 1 lap turns exploded on lap 6 with an attack by Hamish Anderson – Hamish was high on the track looking around him for a counterattack – and indeed James Newhouse obliged with his signature low on the sprinter’s lane black line attack. The Commentator was in raptures; – history was about to be made! – with a Newhouse scratch win – however it wasn’t to be, and Ali Hale got 1st by a tyre, James Newhouse 2nd and Hamish Anderson 3rd.
4 Lap Handicap
The handicap data sheet, also obtained from the Chinese balloon black box – placed riders on the Bundadome fence and they were counted down to their handicap in seconds. Phil Coulton the limit rider took off like a bat out of hell – Sarah Stephens gave chase. (4 laps is enough time for the Scratchies to catch the limit riders). But no one told Phil or Sarah as they were on lap 3 before you could say when. The lead of the limit riders was closed down by the back markers on lap 3. Tim Jolly 1st towed the other scratch riders home, Conan Liu 2nd and Martin Graham again in the mix with 3rd.
Win & Out
In this race if you win – you’re then out of the race with maximal points…alas there were doubtful points. Once the race is live and the bell goes for the first sprint lap, then each subsequent lap is a sprint for 2nd then 3rd and so on… In A grade Tim Jolly was first out, followed by Martin Graeme 2nd and Conan Liu for 3rd. In B grade Hamish Anderson yelped as he laid a watt bomb down the back straight on the bell alp for 1st, next lap Ali Hale 2nd was out and then James Newhouse 3rd on the subsequent lap was out.
Italian Pursuit
Amore was in the valentine’s day air – Sarah and Gav Stephens’ were both in the same Italian Pursuit Team 1. Team 2 on paper had a strong midfield. Both Teams stayed even for the race with the only difference being a quick and consistent lap by Sarah Stephens which set up Team 1 for the win. Both anchor riders – Conan Liu (Team 2) and Tim Jolly (Team 1) were on their final laps at about 50 kmph. Smokin!! Team 1 got the win by about half a track bike.
Michael Langdon’s Italian Pursuit commentary here.
Season Point Score Update:
Tim Jolly 289, James Newhouse 244, Alison Hale 243, Conan Liu 201, Craig Kentwell 196, Steve Jones 148, John Paul De Sousa 144, Ed Garnett 134, Warwick Wilson 127, Wayne Benham 111, Hamish Anderson 103, Ian Drayton 92, Mark Canaider 89, Karen Clutson 86, Graeme O’Neill 78, Gavin Stephens 75
Michael Langdon
