4.1 April 6 Bleat

Post date: Apr 06, 2015 12:36:52 PM

Hello Vets,

In this week's Bleat;

• Thanks from Richard Bourne

• Start of Winter Season

• Marshal Roster

• Interstate Events

• Racing this Week

• Race Reports

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

Ian Morton

Thanks from Richard Bourne

So, just how does someone thank people who saved their life? Plenty of food for thought for me, but for the moment a huge thank you to Paul, Tom, Simon, Mark and Nick in particular. I don't think I'll ever really get over how incredibly lucky I was to have my attack just where I did.

Many thanks to Chris too for informing my family and being my go-between during the last week . He makes a great personal assistant if anyone is in need of one! I am also mindful of the significant trauma I caused those still at the track, particularly my good friends who were there.

Sincere apologies for that and I hope it hasn't resulted in any lasting issues for anyone. The only positive I can readily think of (apart from being able to write this!) is that I'm sure people now have a much better idea of what happens when these types of things happen and perhaps they are now more confident in what needs to be done and just how user friendly the portable defibrillators are. No doubt others have been spurred into action to actually do the first aide training (or refresher training) they've always meant to do.

Some of you may be aware I had a previous heart attack in late 2012, albeit much more conventional (not a cardiac arrest) and certainly not such a public spectacle. Those aware of that, or now aware of it, perhaps think I've been foolish to continue competing and they are of course entitled to their opinion. I do add though that I think it's fair to say we've all been guilty of passing judgement on people when not fully aware of their personality and life experiences and hence what drives them and, in my case, why I need to compete, or at least have had to until now. I have been unbelievably fortunate, but the perhaps perverse fact is that if I hadn't had that urge to compete, I may well have had the attack on the bike path, at home, or anywhere else that didn't have a defibrillator and knowledgeable people at hand.

Many thanks again (from my family and me) to those I've mentioned , those who performed other support tasks and those who were willing to help but probably wisely realised that there might have been too many cooks. Sometimes the best course of action is to stand back and observe and only step in if something doesn't seem to have been done correctly.

And finally, just who was it that wielded the scissors and cut my favourite vest in half??!! :-)

I came home at last today (Tuesday) and now have my own personal defibrillator tucked away in my chest. Thanks to my many visitors in hospital and those that sent direct or indirect messages. It helps to pass the time while one's lying in bed.

Happy and safe riding everyone.

Richard Bourne

Start of Winter Season

This weekend marks the return to the Winter Road Racing season. Races will run on Saturday afternoon.

The Committee are pleased to advise that after last year's "Financialus Horribilus", when we were hit with the costs of professional Traffic Controllers and $6,000 worth of new signage, we are now in a position to return the road race fees back to $5.

Marshal Roster

The latest Marshal Roster has been uploaded on tot he club website at;

http://www.actvets.cc/referees/VETS 2015 Marshall Roster.xls

Please download it and check when you have been allocated for Marshalling duties. If you are unable to make your allocated date, please try to arrange a swap with another member and let the Race Committee know of the change atrace.committee@actvets.cc

Interstate Events

• Tolland Open (Wagga Wagga)

- 18, 19 April

Details https://eventdesq.imgstg.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=main&EventDesqID=11893&OrgID=20999

• Battle on the Border

- Thursday 28 May to Sunday 31 May

In its short seven year history, the Battle on the Border has become one of the highly sought after cycling festivals in Australia and the largest tour on the Eastern Seaboard.

Online registration here

Enquiries to office@battleontheborder.com.au

RACING THIS WEEK:

Saturday, 11th April: Lookout Hill Time Trial

Where: Lookout Hill, on Tidbinbilla Rd about 4km north of Tharwa.

When: Starting at 1:30 pm

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

Race Description: Time Trail - course to be confirmed once approvals received.

Race Director: tbc

Contact: Email tbc Ph tbc

The nominated marshals for this event are;

• Mike McGurgan,

• Lyndsay Graham,

• Andrew Chamberlain,

• Ben McDuff

Upcoming Marshall Roster

The nominated marshals for upcoming events are;

- Apr 18 @ Old Federal Highway: Jason Parkes, Jon Barnes, Robert Wilson, Johnathan Chowns, Andrew Peel

- Apr 25 @ Dairy Flat: Jing Huang, Duane Toohey, Dennis Puniard

- May 02 @ Tidbinbilla: Tony Weir, Clinton Porteous, Stuart Stabler, Terry Moore, Susan Belton

- May 09 @ Dog Trap Rd: Stephen Isbel, Ian Drayton, Paul McKay, Wayne Shippley, Steve Jones

RACE REPORT:

Stromlo Criterium – 31st March

A Grade- Started quickly with a late starter in Dom Romano having to join in by chasing the bunch for a lap to pay his penance for running late. 11 mins to go Paul Scherl decided to go for home. A group consisting of Rob Langridge and Jason Parkes gave chase but could bridge the gap. Stayed this way until 3 laps to go when Paul was joined by the ever present Mark Harris and Ed Pellegrino who built up a gap of around 40 seconds over the peloton who had now splintered as the pace heated up. The 3 riders stayed in front for the remaining 3 laps with Mark Harris showing those ever famous sprinting legs to take out a close win over Ed Pellegrino and Paul Scherl.

B Grade- Started like it was the last lap with breakaway after breakaway taking off and being caught. A lot of the riders who took part in the initial breakaways quickly paid the price for their over exuberance. Finished in a bunch sprint. The Kangaroos decided to pay a visit at both ends of the course keeping the marshals and race director busy

C grade- 4 rider time trial and they actually made ground on a 16 man D grade. Finished in a bunch sprint.

D grade- All played nicely riding as a bunch until a final sprint

E- 5 riders. All stayed together until the final lap when rider 598 attacked with a lap to go. A chase group of 2 could not catch him and he held on for a fine win

F grade- 2 starters stayed together for the race and finished in near darkness with James Meredith officially the final rider across the line for the 2014/15 crit season.

G grade - 6 starters. Stayed together till the bell but in the top corner Lindsay Graham opened an attack. Heather Sommariva went after him but couldn't catch him leaving the other 4 riders in her wake.

Roos were present for all grades but presented no real problems. The public address system was helpful in alerting riders.

Riders are reminded of the need to hold a predictable line. There was an incident where a rider at the front of a bunch rode diagonally across the other lead riders. This could have resulted in an accident. Fortunately it didn't but we don't need this dangerous riding. Take care.

Thanks to Ben Davis who marshaled and wrote most of this report. Also to Graham Hendry and Henry for setting up and assisting with race directing and general administration.