Post date: Mar 05, 2013 4:49:46 AM

ACT Veterans Weekly Bleat, Monday 4th March, 2013

Hello Vets,

In this issue of The Bleat;

· Racing this Week

· Race Reports

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

Ian Morton.

RACING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday, 5^th March: Stromlo Criterium

Where: Stromlo Forrest Park

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

Race Description: G Grade@ 5:45 - 11min + 2 laps; A/B Grade@ 6:05 - 30min + 2 laps; C/D Grade@ 6:41 - 21min + 2 laps; E/F Grade@ 7:10 - 16min + 2 laps

Race Director: Michael Golding

Contact: Email: jgking@aol.com.au Ph (02) 61613526

Crit Marshals and Helpers needed

Michael will need a couple of helpers on the night. If you are racing you can still get there early or stay after your race to help out.

Important Information: Late Arrivals

It is a condition of our Insurance that all riders receive a referee’s briefing before the commencement of racing to ensure that they are aware of racing conditions.

All riders need to ensure that they arrive in sufficient time to sign-on and be briefed before the commencement of racing.

Thursday, 7^th March: Track Racing

Where: Queanbeyan Track

When: 6:00 pm

Details: Warm up from 5:30 first race at 6pm. Scratch races, two lap handicap, derny races and Italian pursuits. Road and track bikes welcome

Sunday, 10^th March – Old Federal Highway Handicap

Where: Old Federal Highway, Shingle Hill Way

When: Starting 9:00 am

** Note later start time ***

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

Race Description: Old Federal Highway - Shingle Hill Way - Tulip Farm

Race Director: Ian Morton

Contact: Email mortoni@optusnet.com.au Ph 0411 112 007

Help Needed on Sunday: I will need 3 turn marshals and finish line helpers. Anyone who is prepared to assist, please contact me before the weekend.

RACE REPORTS:

Gunning Graded Scratch – 3^rd February

After days of rain and high winds, leaving Canberra for Gunning early Sunday morning it looked promising for a good racing conditions, however nearing the course there was some light mist though at that stage little breeze. As the 49 staters lined up for the start the breeze was picking up, and they headed off into a decent head wind. By the time they reached the main range the conditions were taking a toll and riders were shelled from the various bunches.

ABCD grades headed out to Breadalbane, while EFG turned at the Poplars. Either way, the return run home was with a following wind that drove them home like sailing boats - where spinnakers could have been the order of the day.

A grade came home strongly with Greg Burghardt having a clear run to the line 5 seconds ahead of Reinhard Mauch with Tom Hartley only one second back. B grade was the strongest group finishing with 6 riders within 10 seconds of David Dickson who took the lead from Damien Clarke and Roger Northcote. Our club captain Rob Diamond held off a concerted attack from Alex O’Shea in C grade with Owain Tilley close on their heels.

D grade were a little more spaced, Gordon McMenemy comfortably held off Brian McGlynn in second and Lee Sheather in third.

E grade had the greatest spread within the grade, with Angie Wren looking very comfortable crossing the line alone. Bob Kent was also well ahead of Linda Stals.

The closest racing of the day was in F grade with Barbara Bayliss and Gordon Hollands sprinting for the line from a long way out. 10 meters to go and Barb was hanging on but Gordon was alongside and edged past. Barb dug deep and was neck and neck, managing a slight lunge for the line. She shot over the tape a bare tyre width in front of Gordon was had to settle for same time and second place. Graham Hendrie rounded out the third spot. Jing Huang smoothly pedalled up to the line for a comfortable win over James Meredith in G grade, while Bruce Jones took out third.

There was good racing on the course and very pleasing that it was without incident and that everyone kept to the correct side of the road. Of course a day like this can’t take place if there aren’t the marshals and drivers to ensure smooth and safe running. I would like to thank Henry Beaverstock for the crucial job he does on the timekeeping. His experience is a great asset to those who are Director only a couple of times a year. Cameron Ermert was lead car and Kev Hennessy tail car, while Paul Robey and Pauline Thorn did turn marshalling at Breadalbane and the Poplars. Des Brown and Alex Sommariva looked after the finish shute and we also had Stu Horyna in attendance as sports trainer.

Thanks to Bob Miller for turning up to referee.

Stromlo Criterium – 26^th February

The day started calm enough. G grade was dominated by James Meredith who took out all the sprints including the finish from Antonina Boschelarski and Bruce Jones.

C grade was a great battle of the old war horses Brad White and Bryan Holloway, with Brad getting the nod over Bryan and Chris Kon coming in third.

Wayne Pettett dominated D grade. It's interesting to note that Wayne is not graded and I'd say to the Handicapper to put him in a higher grade than D. Wayne created a world pain for riders by charging off just as I was putting the whistle to my lips. Soon after the first sprint the race had to be neutralised after Jim McLean thought he'd take a close inspection of the road surface at Collarbone Corner. D regathered only for Wayne to go on the attack again in true Pavlovian style. By the end of the race there were remnants of D grade all over the course. David Gunther and Belinda Chamberlain were the other place-gettters. Happy to report that Jim, who has had worse stacks in his life, suffered no major injuries.

E and G grades were a bit of a blur as on each successive lap the rain got harder, the score sheets got wetter and more riders dropped out. We abandoned the intermediate sprints and cut the races short. According to the results, Brendan Chadwick won E and Phillip Hind took out the F grade.

A and B graders who'd ridden out to Stromlo had no option but to race. Let me state here that they were given a choice of not riding. It was only spitting when the combined A/B riders took to the course but soon after the heavens opened. At this point all of B grade and half of A headed for shelter. This left Sean Ifland and Mark Gillett, the hard men of the Vets' club, to battle it out. With standing in torrential rain losing its appeal, I rang the bell early-- 15 minutes early, in fact. In the true spirit of a drag race they took to either side of the track and charged up the back straight. The rivers flowing over the course must have been appealing to the local ducks as both riders had to change their lines in the final sprint to avoid being taken out by frolicking birds. Sean got the better of Mark take out the Vets amphibian award.

Thanks to Henry and David Clark for their stoic support.

Thanks to Robert Langridge for refereeing in the trying conditions.