Post date: Aug 13, 2012 12:27:18 PM

In this issue of The Bleat;

· Racing this Week – “The Iron Mike”.

· Lookout Hill – Race Director’s report.

· The ACT Election – Your chance to have your say about cycling.

· In this week’s Member Profile we look at Jason McAvoy.

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

Ian Morton.

RACING THIS WEEK:

Saturday, 18^th August: The Iron Mike Handicap

Where: Stromlo Forest Park.

When: 1:30 pm.

Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.

Race Description:

Start on the Crit Track at SFP - out through Uriarra Crossing - all the way to end of bitumen and return to SFP – one lap of the Crit Track to the finish line.

Race Director: Pat Rooke

Contact: Email: pat_rooke@yahoo.com.au

Help Needed on Saturday: Pat will need five marshals and helpers at the finish line to run the race. Please contact her if you can assist.

Reminder on the rules at the Finishing Line;

It’s important, at the end of the race, to follow the rules at the finish line;

· Hold your line in the final sprint,

· Pass through the finishing chute in your correct finishing order so your place can be counted,

· When warming down, don’t cross the finish line again,

· Keep your hands on the handle bars (no Peter Sagan style celebrations across the finish line).

This will all help in ensuring a safe finish and every rider getting their place recorded correctly.

Lookout Hill Race Report

With a blustery southerly wind gusting up the course 53 riders contested the race from Lookout Hill out over Mount Tennant to Apollo Road and back. It is an ill wind that always blows as a head wind and some riders reported that today the wind was always in their face. I saw a lot of tired looking riders coming up Lookout hill into the breeze with 30 kilometers still to ride.

Grades E, F and G headed off first down to Point Hut with a 6km and 4 minute head-start on A, B, C and D grades who headed first to the short turn on the way to Tharwa. With the head start E Grade was able to hold on and crossed the finish line first with Ian Shaw winning by a full minute and a half from Malcolm Tew and Doug Widdup who all managed to get across the line in front of A Grade which was won by Ian Downing 30 seconds ahead of Darius Everett and Aaron Sedgmen .

B Grade was won by Nick Boylen from Tom Hartley and David Mullens in a bunch finish where 8 riders came to the finish together, though strung out in a line by the time they crossed the line.

C Grade was won in a contested finish by Ian Donnely from Owain Tilley and Michael Reppion. D Grade busted into two bunches early in the race but still racing together in a dash to the finish were Lee Sheather (first), Terry Moore (second) and Bill Frost (third). A number of F Grade riders finished together with James Cruden the winner from Mary Lovett and Dennis Puniard. Congratulations to Bernie Crowe who rode the whole way alone on such a windy day as the only G Grade rider.

It was great to see we had a First Aid guy Brendan Farnhill from Sports Medicine Australia in attendance at today’s race, a great innovation by the club committee. As Race Referee, it was comforting to know we had this service available in case of an accident. It is pleasing to report that all riders finished safely and our first aid guy cooled his heals all afternoon.

Thanks to everyone who marshalled or worked on the management of the race, a very efficient bunch of people..

Thanks to Steve Schwenke for Race Refereeing.

Race results on the RMS: http://rms.actvets.cc/

For anyone who wants the detailed times, you can get them from http://www.actvets.cc/results/2012-winter-season-results

Your chance to have a say about cycling in Canberra in the lead up to the ACT Election.

It’s Election Time and Pedal Power ACT is holding a pre-Election forum on Wednesday, 19^th September, 7:30 – 9:00pm at the Johnson Auditorium, Church’s Centre, 69 Northbourne Av.

There will be presentations from the ACT Greens, ACT Labor and the Canberra Liberals and the opportunity for questions from the floor. Attendance is free.

Members who would like to raise their views with the party representatives are encouraged to attend.

ACT Veterans Member Profile

In our next member profile we look at we look at Jason McAvoy;

How long have you been a member of ACT Vets?

2 years

What is your favourite course in the ACT Vets racing calendar and why?

Lookout Hill, it's flat and fast and favours my style of racing.

What Grade did you start in with the Vets?

B Grade.

What do you like about racing with the Vets?

The laid back approach of the entrants and the mutual respect riders have for each other, even when racing for the win. It's a rare find amongst competitive people :)

How long have you been cycling?

10 years.

What got you interested in cycling?

A friends bathroom scales. He brought them over and weighed me and I was shocked at how much weight I had put on during my wife's pregnancies, it seemed we were both eating for two. I was immediately motivated to lose the weight and cycling looked like the best way. 6 months later I had lost 20kg.

What was your most memorable ride?

Like most veteran racers, I will always look back to my peak year in 2010 when I won my age category at the World Solo 24hr MTB Championships, having come twice in the two years prior, it was the most elating moment in my cycling career to finally take the win.

What is/was your favourite bike?

A custom built mountain bike I use for special races. It's a part Cannondale, part Giant and all rocket ship.

Where do you work?

I am an IT consultant that works at several government departments providing enterprise management solutions.

How do you find the time to train?

Being a consultant allows some flexibility in my hours, so I am lucky to be able to arrange my client contact time around my training. In winter I will usually train in the afternoons and in summer the mornings.

Do you have a special training regime?

I train 15-30hrs a week depending on the time of year and which events are coming up for me.

What does your family think of your cycling?

I am lucky that my wife and kids are very supportive of my cycling career, I couldn't do it without them!

An interesting fact about yourself;

I am a mountain biker first, road racer second and have just returned from racing the Trans Alp, an 8 day mountain bike stage race from Germany to Italy.

Race Referees

The other change required by the AVCC is that all future racing must be conducted by club registered Race Referees. The race committee is asking for volunteers to take on the role. The Referee should be knowledgeable in the rules of the AVCC, and the club, and be willing to enforce those rules to the benefit of the club and its members.

These members will be put on a rotating roster to undertake their duties throughout the year, with consideration given to obligations. Each referee will receive their membership for the year that they are roster at the clubs expense.

As everyone has already joined for this year we will wave all future race fees for the rest of the year for all this years rostered referees in lieu. The need for volunteers is a matter of urgency and we must be able to meet this requirement before the start of the winter season when the new policy will take effect.

The important question to be asked is what happens if we don’t get the minimum number of referees. The race committee will be forced to reassess the calendar and reduce the number of races.

If you are prepared to take on this role, please contact James at handicapper@actvets.cc