Race Reports for winter 2011
September 24th Mogriguy Rd
Today was the final race in the club's winter pointscore series, and there was plenty of excitement and drama
involved. The race was won today by Jeff Sargent who took home the Eagle Boys pizza voucher, second place
went to Stephen Hoynes who chose the lightweight tube and third place went to John O'Brien who was very
pleased to receive a Grapevine coffee voucher.
Fastest time today went to Ray Wheeler who finished the 35k course in 53.58, averaging 38.9kph.
Eight small groups started the race today, and with some moderate blustery winds from the west, some of the
middle groups combined on the way out to the turn around point. Chopping block bunch were a little dis-
jointed in their efforts to catch up to the front markers, and some splits occurred among the group. Meanwhile
the front markers all worked smoothly, and finally reeled in Kerrie Walsh and then Kathy Furney. The two
middle groups led by Jeff Sargent and Liz Meredith had combined after the railway crossing, and all worked
together trying to catch the six front markers. As we neared the railway crossing on the return trip, a loud
bang meant someone had suffered a blow-out. We soon worked out that Liz Meredith had hit a rock and she
was left behind. However a good Samaritan in the form of Phil Harrex came along and generously gave her his
wheel so that she could complete the race.
With about 6k's to the finish line, all the middle markers and front markers had combined into one large pack of
ten riders. A few quick calculations meant that if Liz Meredith or Nigel Christmas were unable to catch us, they
would both only receive one point, and therefore there would be no change in the two leaders of the pointscore.
And that is how it turned out at the finish. The person who benefited the most today was Stephen Hoynes, who
nearly turned himself inside out to take second place and 10 points, and jumped up into third place on the
pointscore.
So after today's results the pointscore is: 1st Liz Meredith 95 points, 2nd Nigel Christmas 93 points, 3rd Stephen
Hoynes 91 points, 4th Evan Elliott 84 points, 5th John O'Brien 78 points, 6th Kerrie Walsh 77 points, and 7th
John Berryman 74 points.
On behalf of the club committee, I would like to thank all the riders who took part in our winter season, and
congratulations to all the winners each week as well as the pointscore winners. Thank you for a safe, enjoyable
and sometimes exciting race season.
Don't forget that we will be starting Summer racing on Thursday 3rd November followed by a FREE Bar-B-Q at
Wahroonga Park.
Also don't forget that our Christmas party and awards night will be on Sat 12th November at the Short St Shop.
As we said before numbers are limited this year, so please get in early if you want to attend. Contact Kathy or
Mick.
We will be starting our Saturday morning social rides next Saturday morning, 1st Oct at 8.00am from
Wahroonga Park.
Please note that on our new calendar we have the WellingTON ride starting at 2.00pm on Saturday 1st Oct.
This is wrong, as it is supposed to start at 1.00pm. Contact Mick Cooper for more info on 0437 136 169.
September 17th Wongarbon
We only had 18 riders at the tough Wongarbon course, with warm weather and northerly cross winds.
Today's race was won by Liz Meredith, with Mark Meredith second, and myself coming in third. The front
markers stayed ahead for the first half, with our group just making contact with John Berryman and Stephen
Hoynes at the turn. The faster groups were still all on their own at the turn. It was only on the way back, with
some long hills and cross headwinds, that the dynamics of the race started to change. The Mick Cooper bunch
worked well together and caught up to the Evan Elliott group about half way back. Our group now consisted of
five riders and also worked well to catch up to Kerrie Walsh and finally Kathy Furney. The scratch group lost
David Gerrish on the way back, and had no chance of catching the fast moving chopping block bunch.
As the results show, riders were scattered everywhere at the finish, with the combined chopping block and Evan
Elliott bunches, the only big group to cross the line together. Mick Cooper finished with the fastest time of
48.33, giving him an average of 37.1kph.
The pointscore has again seen more changes in the top ten places. Liz Meredith re-gained her top placing after
gaining 11 points today, while Nigel Christmas slipped back into second, only two points behind. Evan Elliott
and Stephen Hoynes remain in the next two places, but Kerrie Walsh now has to share her place with Mick
Cooper and Mark Meredith, all on 71 points, with John Berryman just one behind them. So it looks like it will
all come down to the last race next weekend to work out who will be in the final places. It should be a very
good and exciting race, with lots of calculations going on during the race no doubt.
Next weekend is the last race for the winter season, and it will be on the Mogriguy Rd course at 2.30pm with
Tim Whitton as the rostered marshal.
One of the items that received much discussion at the General meeting on Monday night was in relation to a
couple of unfortunate incidents that have occurred during this winter racing season. Some people have been
verbally abused and threatened during the race. These incidents are a breach of rule 3 of our racing rules as
quoted below.
3. Misconduct
A competitor who is guilty of misconduct, disobeying an official, using undesirable language, urinating in
public, striking or attempting to strike another member during the progress of an event, or at a place
where the event is being conducted, shall be suspended, or fined, or both.
Incidents of this nature are distressing, upsetting and embarrassing to everyone concerned, as well as others in
the vicinity. Many members who were witnesses to the past events of misconduct have expressed concern to
club officials. Most members of the Orana Vets come to the races to test themselves physically, enjoy the race
camaraderie and have some fun. They don't want to be subjected to, or hear a tirade of abuse from other club
members.
This sort of behaviour has a very negative impact on membership and event participation. Breaches of the
misconduct rule in future will be referred to the club referees, and the appropriate penalty, in accordance with
Rule 3, will be applied.
If you feel that someone was doing something unsafe or contrary to our race rules during an event, please
approach one or more of the club referees, and report the matter or incident. It is then the referee's job to resolve
the matter and impose a penalty to the offending rider if necessary. That is the correct procedure that should be
followed. If you are unsure who is a club referee, they are: Bruce Pease, Evan Elliott, John O'Brien, Mick
Cooper, Ray Wheeler and Kathy Furney.
September 10th North Geurie
The cold weather and strong winds had everyone rugged up in their new arctic jackets for today's 26k race at the
hilly North Geurie course. We had 24 riders line up for the start, and with the windy conditions, it was going to
favour the stronger riders. However as the race progressed and the last few kilometres appeared, there was still
no sign of the scratch and chopping block riders.
Most of the groups stayed together till the turn around point, with only a couple of riders losing touch with their
bunch. However with the strong cross head winds on the return journey, fractures started to appear in all the
early groups. Kerrie Walsh and Catriona Jennings were caught by Stephen Hoynes and Sam Peacocke on the
first challenging hill, while the Evan Elliott group and chopping block had also combined further back. At the
crest of the highest point of the return leg, the first four groups had combined, with Liz Meredith and Terry
Korn just missing the junction by a few metres. Once on the downhill run the pace picked up, with Catriona
Jennings and Sam Peacocke putting in some strong turns and dropping all but a couple of riders including Luke
Beange, Grahame Chapman and myself. After we had crossed the causeway, a quick backwards glance
revealed a fast moving large group behind, led by a bright red pair of shoes belonging to Keith Harris. Another
few hundred metres saw 13 riders go surging past towards the last small climb on the finish straight. This was
the scratch and chopping block groups, Evan Elliott group and Liz Meredith group all combined. A couple of
people tried to tack onto the back, but just lost contact as they sprinted up the last rise. Ray Wheeler was able to
win the bunch sprint ahead of David Gerrish and Darrell Wheeler. Ray also took out the fastest time of the day
of 42.30, averaging 36.7kph.
The wind played a big part in the result as can be seen by the times on the result sheet. Average speeds for the
earlier groups were all well down on normal average speeds recorded on this course in the past. However when
you look at the average speed of scratch and chopping block, the times are only slightly slower than usual.
Well we now have a new leader in the pointscore competition, with Nigel Christmas gaining 8 points today, and
leap frogging Evan and Liz into the top spot on 85 points. Liz is on 83, while Evan is just one behind on 82.
Stephen Hoynes, Kerrie Walsh and John Berryman retain the next three places, but Mick Cooper and Ray
Wheeler have pushed their way into the top nine with their good placings today.
Nigel Christmas has another reason to celebrate today as well, with the birth of his first child, William Elwin,
born yesterday. Congratulations Nigel and Janine, we wish you all the very best.
Next weekend we race at the Wongarbon course for the last time this season. We will probably be racing a little
shorter distance than usual, due to safety concerns crossing the Mitchell Creek causeway. Therefore we will do
the turn around just before the crossing. The race will start at 2.30pm with Craig May as the rostered marshal.
Just another reminder that the club general meeting will be held this Monday evening at the RSL club at
7.30pm. It should only be a short meeting, and all members are invited to attend. If you have anything that you
would like changed, any complaints, or any ideas that you may have, bring them to the meetings. Nothing can
happen at the coffee shop or on social rides.
Sep 3rd Burraway Rd Time Trial
It was a great day weatherwise, with mild to warm temperatures and slight
winds (which seemed to be in your face no matter what direction you were
riding). We had a time trial scheduled for today, and 21 riders attended,
with the usual non-time trial riders missing from the start. The
handicapper had worked out a secret handicap for each rider, and all we had
to do was go as hard as we could for 16k's. A couple of riders fronted with
state of the art time-trial bikes, and showed us what a difference they can
make. David Gerrish finished his outstanding ride with the fastest time of
24.14, averaging 38.3kph. Keith Harris wasn't quite as fast, but with his
handicap taken into account, was able to take out first place and pick up
the 11 points. Keith was able to complete the course in 25.12, with an
average speed of 36.9kph, a fantastic effort, and a big improvement on usual
performance. Taking out second place and 10 points, was Gerard Cushan, who
also pulled something out of the bag and averaged 34.1kph. This is also a
big improvement on his last couple of outings, which shows what a bit of
training can do. Taking out third place on adjusted handicap time, and 9
points, was Mark Meredith. Mark laid it all on the line and chased down Liz
who started one minute in front, and then found the courage to actually pass
her. His lead was quickly overturned, as Liz fought back and tried to forge
on and leave him behind. However it was not to be, as Mark overcame all
fear, and shot past again to cross the line 8 seconds in front.
There were a lot of good rides today from some of the front markers such as
Luke Beange, Stephen Hoynes, Paul Kerr, Sam Peacocke and John Berryman. It
would seem the time trial format suits these blokes as they performed well
above their expected average.
The pointscore has changed very little after today's race, with Liz Meredith
still 2 points in front of Evan Elliott. Nigel Christmas scored an easy six
points for his marshalling duty and remains in 3rd place, just 4 points from
the lead. Mark Meredith pushed up into 8th place with his good ride today,
and is only 22 points off the lead.
Next weekend we return to North Geurie for the last time this season, with
Phil Harrex as the rostered marshal.
Our new cycling outfits have arrived, and everyone who raced today took
delivery of their order. By the way they look great. I will take the rest
of the order out to Nth Geurie next weekend, but if you want it before then,
call up to 79 Margaret Cres and pick it up. Give us a call first to make
sure we are home on 6882 5533 or 0427 825533.
Don't forget we will be having our general meeting on Monday night 12th Sept
7.30pm at the RSL. All members are welcome to attend.
August 27th South Geurie
Well, Liz Meredith finally broke through for a win today, and Mark wasn't there to see it! Ideal riding
conditions saw 16 riders face the starter on the South Geurie course. Limit rider Kathy Furney stayed away from
the chasing groups until well after the turn around, but was caught by Luke Beange, Sam Peacocke and Kerrie
Walsh who had been caught on the way out. Paul Kerr found the pace too hot after the turn around and dropped
off at this point, however he was able to get home just 6 seconds ahead of the back markers by hooking on to the
chasing group for awhile. The 8m bunch of Liz Meredith, Gerard Cushan and John O'Brien continued working
together, trying to reel in the group ahead of them. It wasn't until the bottom of the last rise that they finally
made contact, so a bunch of seven then powered towards the finish line. With the last corner in sight Gerard
Cushan charged to the front, really putting on the pace and in the process dropping Sam Peacocke and Kathy
Furney. With the finish line in sight, Cushan faded and Liz Meredith and Luke Beange were able to get over
him for first and second spot. Kerrie Walsh hung on well, and just got over the line in third place, with Gerard
next, closely followed by John O'Brien. The 10m bunch of just Evan Elliott and Terry Korn were unable to
make any impression on the group ahead of them, and had to be content to come in on the back of the scratch
bunch, who caught them on the return journey. Apparently Craig May was auditioning for the Moscow Circus
when he started performing acrobatics on his bike, when the back skewer came loose!! Fortunately he was able
to stay upright and stay with the bunch for the sprint to the line. Nigel Christmas continues to show good
form, getting up in the sprint to pip Mick Cooper on the line, ahead of Phil Harrex and Craig.
With her win today Liz Meredith has gone to first on the points score board with 81 points, just two ahead of
Evan Elliott who was out of the placings today. Nigel Christmas is still in third, while Kerrie Walsh has jostled
her way up into fourth after her good work today. Despite being unable to race this weekend, Steven Hoynes is
still only one point behind her. This is the first race Steven has missed for the season, so he will be hoping to go
well in the time trial next week. There are only four races left this season, and the top ten places are still not
certain. The leader board could change dramatically with any of the riders in this group getting a couple of good
placings in the coming weeks. Good luck to everyone.
In other news, we have finally had word that our new riding outfits have been finished and are ready for
dispatch. Hopefully we will be giving them out to you at the race next weekend. We made the final payment on
Friday, which has left our bank account quite depleted. So if anyone who has ordered all or part of the new kit
and hasn't paid, it would be appreciated if we could get that sorted this week.
Next weekend we will be racing on the Burraway Rd course at Brocklehurst. This will be a 16k time trial event
with a sealed handicap. Anyone who beats their time as worked out by the handicapper will have a chance to be
in the top ten. The more time you can take off your estimated time, the more points you will get. This event
will start at 2.30pm and the scheduled marshal is Nigel Christmas.
Don't forget that we have our club meeting on Monday night the 12th September, 7.30pm at the RSL. All club
members are invited to attend
August 20th Mogriguy Rd
We had twenty riders turn up for the flat Mogriguy Rd course today, but strong easterly winds meant conditions
were perfect for the stronger riders. However the handicapper was very harsh on the stronger riders, including
himself, which meant that if they had any chance of getting a win, they would have to work very hard indeed. I
didn't believe that they had any chance, and concentrated on trying to catch the riders in front.
At the turn around point, it was obvious that scratch and chopping block had made up lots of ground on the front
bunches, and with the return trip into a headwind, it looked like they may well have a chance for a win after all.
The Phil Harrex and Evan Elliott bunches had combined on the way out, and they were still well clear of
chopping block, but they were making up ground on everyone in front of them. About half way back the
junction was made to Gerard Cushan and myself, and with the John Berryman group in sight, it was only a
matter of time before they would be caught as well. With about 4 ks to the finish, the flying chopping block
group caught up to everyone in front, and powered on towards the finish. This caused a big splintering of the
large group, and riders started going out the back. Just as we went through the last causeway the scratch bunch
appeared out of nowhere and starting picking up all the stragglers. However they weren't able to catch the 9
riders in the large chopping block group, missing out by just 34 seconds.
Max Newton was able to outsprint the group on the finish line, to take first place ahead of Mick Cooper in
second and Craig May in third. Matt Fuller got the fastest time of 53.54, to average 39kph for the 35k distance.
The pointscore has changed yet again, with Mick Cooper sliding up into 7th place. Nigel Christmas pushed
Stephen Hoynes down a place, with John Berryman and Kerrie Walsh just holding onto their places. Evan
Elliott has surged into the lead even further, with Liz Meredith away for family commitments, and unable to add
any more points today.
Next weekend we will be racing at South Geurie, with David Clark doing the marshal duty (I think). We will be
doing the 31k course starting at 2.30pm.
August 13th Wongarbon Long Course
Ideal weather conditions saw eighteen riders tackle the long course at Wongarbon today. After 50k's of fast and
furious riding, only 1m.20s separated the winning group from the combined scratch and block group. With only
three in their bunch today, the middle bunch of John O'Brien, Liz Meredith and Terry Korn had to work hard to
catch the riders ahead of them. It wasn't until 7/8k's from the finish they caught Stephen Hoynes, Mark
Meredith and John Berryman, and then scooped up Kerrie Walsh. With the finish line in sight, O'Brien went to
the front, but found he had gone too early, being unable to sustain his run. Stephen Hoynes went past him 50
metres from home to take out first place, with Mark Meredith just getting him on the line for second place.
O'Brien had to be content with third ahead of Terry Korn, John Berryman and Liz Meredith. Stephen elected to
take the lightweight tube for his win, while Mark Meredith took the Grapevine Cafe Voucher and John
O'Brien the Eagle Boys Pizza voucher. Things might be a bit quiet on the Meredith home front tonight, after
Mark took the 10 points for second place, while Liz had to settle for just six points. Evan Elliott, Raphael
Chapman and Mick Harvey on the 12.30 mark worked together for the whole race, and although they could see
the bunch ahead of them, they just couldn't make up the 33 seconds needed to catch. With Nigel Christmas,
Craig May, Mick Cooper and Max Newton working in the chopping block, it took scratch until the last few
kilometres to overtake them. This bunch went to the line together with Darrell Wheeler outsprinting David
Gerrish and Mick Cooper on the line, with Nigel Christmas just behind them ahead of May and Newton. Darrell
Wheeler had the fastest time on the day, taking just 79mins and 12 seconds for the 50k distance, averaging
37.9kph. The bad luck story goes to Catriona Jennings today, who had severe cramping half way back on the
return leg. Anyone who has suffered from cramps will know how horrible it can be. Catriona soldiered on and
finished the course after a short stop.
Evan Elliott remains on top in the pointscore, with Liz Meredith still breathing down his neck in second place.
Stephen Hoynes muscled his way into third spot with his strong win today, and John Berryman also rode his
way into the top 5. This has pushed Nigel Christmas and Kerrie Walsh down a few places, although they are
still well within striking range of a place on the podium.
Next weekend we will be back to a shorter distance of 36ks on the flat and fast Mogriguy Rd course. Luke
Beange is the rostered marshal. A big thanks to our regular marshals of Bruce Pease, Hugh Treloar and Geoff
Chorlton, who were on duty again this weekend. We would have great difficulty running our regular races
without the help of these tireless volunteers, so please show your appreciation when you see them at the races.
August 6th Nth Geurie
We had 23 riders face the starter this afternoon, in what was a wild and windy day. Kathy Furney started on
poll position, and time trialled her way to a well deserved win, finishing just 26 seconds in front of a fast
finishing scratch group. Matt Fuller and Ray Wheeler put the hammer down from the start, and after dropping
Darrell Wheeler and David Gerrish on one of the steeper hills, went on to combine with the chopping block
bunch. With some help from Nigel Christmas and Mick Cooper, they were able to reel in everyone except
Kathy. Most of the front bunches managed to work and stay together until the turn around point. It was then
that a combination of wind, hills and fatigue saw some fragmentation among all groups. The middle bunch of
Liz and Mark Meredith and John O'Brien were able to start picking some of these riders up along the way.
After collecting a good bunch together, it all came undone again on the long climb to the highest point on the
return run. At this stage it was only Liz, Luke Beange and John together over the top. Their biggest worry was
the Terry Korn and Evan Elliott bunch behind them, but as they reached the bottom of the last big hill they were
most surprised to catch a glimpse of the scratch group not too far behind. The four riders eventually caught and
passed them, and they could only watch as they disappeared over the last hill towards the finish line. Matt
Fuller took out fastest time of 41.22 for an average speed of 38kph. That's not much slower than what they do
on the flat courses. Kathy chose the new lightweight tube for first prize, Matt took the Eagle Boys pizza
voucher for getting second, and Ray was pleased to receive the Grapevine coffee voucher for third place.
Evan Elliott still has the lead in the pointscore, although his margin has been reduced with Liz getting sixth
place today. Ray Wheeler has moved up a few places and is now in tenth place, as well as Matt Fuller who is
just in the top 20. There has been a bit of jostling in the top ten, although Nigel Christmas, Kerrie Walsh and
Stephen Hoynes seem to have dug their heels in, and remain in the top five.
Next weekend we return to Wongarbon for the long course race over 50k's, with Paul Kerr doing the
marshalling duty. Don't forget that it will be a 2.00pm start.
We have put in our order for the new club cycling kit. Hopefully we will be receiving it from HOT Designs
before the end of the month.
Just a reminder for everyone also, that we have booked a date and venue for our awards presentation night this
year. It will be on Saturday night 12th November at the Short St shop. We will have the venue to ourselves,
and the food there is terrific. So, please lock in that date before something else comes along. We will be taking
names and bookings in the near future.
July 30th Burraway Rd
Some of our regular racers are doing a more leisurely paced tour to Cumnock this weekend to take part in the
annual Mulga Bill Festival. Although the pace will be easier, the distance is quite a lot longer, meaning most
participants will clock up about 200k's for the weekend.
This meant that we had our lowest number of competitors since the winter race season started, but we still
managed to attract 17 riders. With great weather and a moderate cross head wind on the way out, a good day's
racing was ensured. Kathy Furney and Doug Beal led out the race, with five small but determined groups
behind. The scratch bunch had to wait for 16 minutes before their turn to start racing, but managed to catch all
but the leading group of five, being just 48 seconds behind the eventual winner Evan Elliott. Darrell Wheeler
had the fastest time of 55.16, averaging 39 kph.
The middle bunch of Evan Elliott, Jeremy Fewtrell, Terry Korn, John O'Brien and Liz Meredith had the
advantage of being the biggest group in the race, and made the most of this advantage. Working well together,
they managed to haul in John Berryman and Stephen Hoynes a few k's before the turn. About 5k's into the
return trip the junction was made to the two leaders of Kathy Furney and Doug Beal. This group was now nine
in number, and with a small tail wind, the pace was on. Meanwhile the scratch group also had the pace on, and
started reeling in the two small groups in front of them. Mark McKenna and Phil Harrex were caught and
managed to hang onto the back for a short time. It was about this time that Max Newton was forced to retire
due to a mechanical problem with his bike. The junction was then made to Scott Stevenson and Mick Harvey.
Mick and Phil found the pace a bit too hot, and had to settle for the rest of the ride to the finish on their own.
Scott managed to hang on until the last hill, where he was also left behind.
The Evan Elliott group had dropped everyone that they caught along the way, and were still together before the
start of the last hill. It was at this point that Jeremy Fewtrell launched an attack and was quickly chased by
everyone, with Evan the only one with enough power left to haul him in before the top. Evan took the Eagle
Boys pizza voucher for first place, Jeremy decided he wanted the Grapevine coffee voucher, and Terry Korn
came in third and took home a brand new lightweight tube.
Evan's win has him now 10 points in front of the next placed person in the pointscore. Liz Meredith has jumped
up from sixth place last week into equal second with Nigel Christmas. There has been a few other shuffles in
the top ten places, with those touring riders being pushed down a place or two. But it is still very close at the
top, and with 8 races left in the season it is still open to all contenders.
Next weekend we return to the hilly Nth Geurie course, with John Berryman doing the marshalling duty.
Nearly everyone has ordered and paid for their new club cycling kit. We will be putting the order in next week,
so if you haven't contacted me and would like a jersey or knicks, you best let me know before Wednesday 3rd
August. As long as we know your size requirements, we can get you on the order, and you can pay later.
rd
July 23 South Geurie Long Course
We had the long 54k race today at the South Geurie course. The weather was pretty good for a winter's day, but
there was a bit of a headwind on the way out, that kept everyone's speed down. With 21 riders spread out along
the road in small groups, it was a hard chase for all. There wasn't any combining of the bunches until the return
leg. Scratch and chopping block caught up to the Raphael Chapman bunch, dropping a few riders in the
process. Jeff Sargent was the only one that was able to hang onto this fast moving group. Meanwhile up in
front no one was catching anyone. Terry Korn suffered a puncture from a pothole earlier in the race, and
decided to pull out, leaving that group under strength. Liz Meredith and myself were chasing down the Sam
Peacocke bunch, but they seemed out of reach, even though we always had them in sight up ahead. We could
also see the Kerrie Walsh bunch in the distance, but didn't seem to be making any ground. As we turned into the
long straight at Arthurville, we caught sight of a mad "Tour de France" fan waving a flag, yelling in a foreign
language, and generally getting in the way. I think all of the riders were able to get past him safely. We were
finally able to catch the Sam Peacocke group at the top of the highest point of the course on the way back. We
had five riders together now and finally started to make up some ground on the Walsh group. Just as we crested
the last hill about 4k from the finish, the combined scratch group went past. A few people tried to sit on, but
they had no hope, as they were going way too fast for us. They finally caught and passed Kerrie Walsh and
Stephen Hoynes, and had a clear road to the finish line. Ray Wheeler was able to outsprint them all for first
place, while David Gerrish just snuck past Darrell Wheeler for second place. Ray took the Grapevine coffee
voucher, David took the Eagle Boys pizza voucher, while Darrell took the lightweight tube.
Evan Elliott is still leading the pointscore on 57 points, but only just. Everyone else in the top 6 had to step
down a place to make room for Nigel Christmas, who moved up into equal second with Kerrie Walsh on 55
points.
Next weekend we will be racing the Burraway Rd from Brocklehurst. We will be doing the usual distance, so
the start will be back to 2.30pm, with Raphael Chapman as the rostered marshal.
We have had a good response regarding our new cycling outfit. A lot of people have ordered and paid for their
kit already. We need to get our order into HOT designs as soon as possible, so if you are interested in ordering
something, and don't want to miss out on the super cheap prices, please get it organised ASAP. Just a reminder
on the prices - short sleeve jersey $44, bib knicks $50, and long sleeve jersey $56. You will need to get the
completed order form and money/cheque to Kathy or myself. Or you can send it by mail to the club's PO Box
2762, Dubbo.
July 16th Mogriguy
It was another cold and blustery day for the race on the Mogriguy Rd. However we still had 26 riders, which
was really good considering the conditions. Our winner today was Stephen Hoynes, finishing just 10 seconds
ahead of Kerrie Walsh in the sprint for the line. These two started together on the five minute mark, and after
gathering up Kathy Furney along the way, they worked well together and stayed away from all the chasing
groups. The 12.30 bunch of Raphael Chapman, Jeff Sargent, Keith Harris and David Clark were on a mission,
and using the head wind to their advantage, were able to reel in the three bunches in front of them on the return
leg of the race. Meanwhile the scratch bunch of Darrell Wheeler, Ray Wheeler and David Gerrish were also on
a mission, and after catching the two bunches in front of them, worked hard to try and catch the rest.
Our large group was being led by Jeff, Raphael and Keith, with Terry Korn and a few others trying to help
whenever they could. We could see the Berryman bunch in the distance, and thought we had a chance to bridge
the gap when a train was seen coming towards the level crossing at Mogriguy. However the timing wasn't good,
as they were able to scoot across before the train got to the crossing, and then we were worried that we might be
held up. All went well, and we were able to make the junction with the Berryman group a couple of ks past
Mogriguy. We now had a large bunch of 13 riders all trying to catch the Walsh group. As we went through the
last causeway on the final leg, we caught a glimpse of another large pack coming from behind. Some people
thought we might be able to get to the line first, but we got caught in "magpie alley" and could only watch as
they shot past at high speed. David Gerrish put in a last ditch effort to catch up to Stephen and Kerrie, but just
missed out by a couple of seconds.
The hard luck story of the day belongs to Hugh Treloar who was our turn marshal today. As the Jeff Sargent
bunch was turning around, one of the bikes flicked up a stone that shattered the side back window of Hugh's
vehicle. What are the chances of that??
The pointscore changes yet again, with Evan Elliott moving up into first place on 56 points, just ahead of Kerrie
Walsh on 54. David Clark has been relegated back to third place, with a pack of other contenders hovering a
few points behind.
Next weekend we will be going to the South Geurie Course for the long race over 54ks. This will be a good
chance for those people wishing to push themselves a bit harder and longer. Don't forget that we will be starting
at 2.00pm due to the extra distance. Please try and be at the start 15 mins prior to race start for registration, and
to help the handicapper with his calculations. The rostered marshal is Grahame Chapman.
At our meeting last Monday night, we voted to add a couple of clauses to our club race rules. I have attached a
copy FYI. The additions are in the general racing rules section and are highlighted in red. Please read these
additions and comply at future race meetings.
It was also decided at the meeting to hold the annual awards/christmas party on Saturday 12th November, so put
the date in your diary now.
The design work on our new club jerseys is almost finalised, and we hope to be taking orders shortly.
July 9th Wongarbon
Please find today's race results and updated pointscore attached. I have also included a different type of
race sheet today, that lists the riders in their placings. Let me know if you think it has merit, and if
you like it we will include it each week.
Numbers of competitors were down to 17 today, with some club members going over to Mudgee to
race. But I think the main reason for low numbers was the miserable cold weather which chilled
everyone to the bone. All riders donned the long and warm clothing, except our hard man Craig May,
who started the race in summer garb. The Wongarbon course can be very unforgiving at the best of
times, but when you have a chilly head wind combined with some hills on the way back, most
competitors will suffer.
Mark McKenna and Nigel Christmas had a superb race. Starting from the chopping block position at
the 10 minute mark, they worked their way past all riders in front of them, to take out first and second
placings. A few people tried to hang onto the back of them as they caught up, but once Mark took the
lead, the pace increased and eventually all passengers were ejected.
The normal scratch bunch was depleted today due to the race at Mudgee, and so the three man group
of Mick Cooper, Craig May and Maurie Ashford had a big job ahead of them in the cold and windy
conditions. Mick and Craig were able to catch up to the Evan Elliott group, and then hung on to take
8th and 9th places.
A big thanks to everyone today for letting the timekeeper know their placings. It makes the job a
whole lot easier, especially when a big bunch crosses the line together.
The results today have made another big change to the pointscore. With the two leaders from last
week unable to secure big points, Liz Meredith and Paul Kerr have jumped up into third and fourth
place respectively, just a couple of points from the lead. Nigel Christmas has also leap-frogged up a
few placings after securing 10 points today.
Next weekend we will be returning to the flat course of the Mogriguy Road, "a day for the sprinters"
(according to Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin). We will be starting at 2.30pm and the rostered marshal
is Evan Elliott. Let's hope we get some nicer weather.
Don't forget the first mountain stage of the Tour de France, live tonight at 10pm on SBS.
The bi-monthly club meeting will be held on Monday night 11th July at the RSL club, commencing at
7.30pm. There are a few contentious matters on the agenda, so make sure you come along and have
your say.
July 2nd Nth Geurie
Please find today's race results and updated pointscore attached.
Numbers of competitors are still good despite the hilly course today. With 29 riders and perfect
conditions, assistant handicapper David Clark had his work cut out trying to get all the various groups
sorted. As the results show, the majority of participants crossed the finish line within 30 seconds of
each other, so apart from a few people, the result was very good.
We had six of our female members taking part today, and they featured prominently in the front
placings. Catriona Jennings just held off the large fast finishing pack to take first place, with Liz
Meredith getting third, and Dana Harris slotting into 8th place. Catriona started with Dana and Kerrie
Walsh off the 2 minute mark, and all worked well together, gathering up Kathy Furney and Ali Wilton
along the way. The Sam Peacocke group worked very hard together and dropped Tim Whitton on one
of the steeper hills on the way out. They had the girls in their sights for most of the race but couldn't
quite make the catch. It was the same story with our 6 minute group and the David Clark group.
However on the sharp climb on the return trip, the group dynamics started to change. There was a
large effort put in by the Clark, Elliott, Korn and Cushan group, and they caught almost everyone in
front of them by the time they reached the highest point on the way back. With only 2ks to go, a large
group of 11 riders were chasing down Catriona and Dana. Meanwhile chopping block had combined
with the Jeff Sargent bunch, and started chasing down the large group in front of them. The scratch
bunch was well under strength today with the absence of Matt Fuller and Maurie Ashford, and despite
their best efforts finished 20 seconds behind the leaders.
At the approach to the last hill before the downhill finish, we could almost touch Catriona and Dana,
but they remained just out of reach. Sam Peacocke decided to have a go at bridging the gap and
surged forward, only to see them disappear out of sight over the hill. The chopping block group had
the same vision of our large chasing group going over the top of the hill as they started their last
climb. Catriona was able to find some hidden power, and crossed the line just seconds in front of two
large chasing groups.
It was a great finish to a very exciting race, with a lot of very tired riders at the end.
It was also very interesting to look back at the results from the last time we raced at North Geurie,
compared with today. It can be seen that most riders improved their time by between 30 and 60
seconds. However Mr Consistency, Darrell Wheeler, was just two seconds quicker.
The pointscore has changed a fair bit after today's race, with David Clark and Evan Elliott surging to a
strong equal lead of 49 points. The next places see Liz Meredith and Paul Kerr equal on 40 points
each.
Next week we will be racing at Wongarbon on the Westella Rd course over the 31k distance. The
rostered marshal is Kerrie Walsh.
Don't forget the Tour de France starts tonight at 10pm with live coverage of every stage on SBS.
Good luck to Catriona and Steve Jennings who are departing Australia on Friday to try and catch
some of the Tour live in France.
June 25th Burraway Rd
We had 22 competitors today, with a few of our members going over to test themselves in the annual
Coonabarabran to Gunnedah race. Those people who did turn up for the race on the Burraway Rd,
were greeted with a beautiful winters day, with plenty of sunshine, mild temperatures and slight
winds, perfect for road racing. With some riders improving from week to week, the handicapper
mixed it up a bit today with a few new combinations for the various groups. Most went well together,
while a couple of others fell by the wayside.
The second group of Sam Peacocke and John Berryman proved a winning combination as they caught
Kathy Furney at the turn and remained in the front for the rest of the race. Kathy hung on for a long
time, but was dropped on the rise just past the Terramungamine Reserve, and although our group had
them in sight for about 12k's, we were unable to bridge the gap, and they went on to take first and
second places.
The Liz Meredith group was only a minute behind our group (Luke Beange, Paul Kerr, Mark
Meredith and John O'Brien) at the start, and they tried to catch up early in the race. This led to the
dropping of Grahame Chapman, leaving only Liz and Terry Korn to chase a four man pack. Needless
to say they didn't make up the gap, and in fact fell further behind. The middle bunch of Jeff Sargent,
Raphael Chapman, Evan Elliott, Mick Harvey and David Clark, worked hard together and after
catching Grahame Chapman, went on to pick up Liz and Terry. At about the halfway mark on the
way back, the chopping block group led by Maurie Ashford, finally caught the middle bunch and
anyone else that had managed to hang on. With only seven riders in front of them, they formed a
large pack and started to whittle away at the gap in between. With 3k's to go, nearly everyone in the
race could see each other. The scratch bunch of Ray and Darrell Wheeler, Mick Cooper and Craig
May had slowly been reeling in the chopping block bunch, and at the approach of the bridge before
the last hill, the calculations were going through everyone's head. Sam Peacocke and John Berryman
looked back and saw everyone coming behind and figured that they couldn't be caught. Our group
had just dropped Paul Kerr, and relied on a hard working Mark Meredith to drag us up the last hill. A
quick backward glance halfway up, revealed a fast moving pack behind, but we thought we could
manage to stay in front to the finish. We just crossed the line before Ray Wheeler and Craig May,
who finished 10 seconds behind to take 6th and 7th place. The results show that the majority of the
other competitors were less than 30 secs behind Ray and Craig.
Sam Peacocke took the new tube for his first place, John Berryman chose the Eagle Boys Pizza
voucher, while yours truly was happy to get the Grapevine coffee voucher for third place.
There is very little change in the top ten of the pointscore this week, as most of the big points went to
people that were further down the ladder. Stephen Hoynes was able to leap frog up a few positions
after gaining 6 points for his marshalling duty, but other than that, not a big lot of change. David
Clark remains at the top with 41 points, but it is still very tight in the first 10 spots.
Next weekend we return to the hilly North Geurie course, with Keith Harris as the rostered marshal.
June 18th Geurie Sth
We had a record number of competitors today for the mass start race with sealed handicap. Thirty
riders travelled to the South Geurie course on a cold and windy winter's day. The first half of the
race was into a headwind, and everyone tried to find shelter behind the strong riders at the start. The
first three k's saw the majority of the riders still together with just a few dropping out the back.
However after the first left turn there was some acceleration from the front, and the large bunch
fractured into two, with a few riders losing contact. Dave Gerrish was well and truly warmed up for
the race, having ridden out from Dubbo, and he and Matt Fuller started to take control of the race.
The other scratch riders, Mick Cooper, Max Newton and Craig May also worked well with this
group. However Jeff Sargent and Nigel Christmas were able to find something extra and made
themselves at home in this elite leading bunch. This big group all settled into a steady rhythm and
went on to leave everyone else behind, including Stuart Lobsey. Another good working group formed
up behind the front bunch, consisting of Raphael Chapman, Mark McKenna, Evan Elliott, Keith
Harris, Mick Harvey and a visitor from Wangaratta, John Myles. As the result sheet indicates, the
time gap behind the leading group at the finish was only a few minutes.
A couple of other smaller bunches formed up further back, but many riders found themselves in no
man's land, and had to resign themselves to time trial back to the finish.
Just to explain how the sealed handicap works; the handicapper had allocated each rider a handicap
time before the start. This handicap time is then taken away from your finish time, and you then get
an adjusted time. The person with the lowest adjusted time is declared the winner. It is not
necessarily the person who finishes first. By the way, Matt Fuller finished first today in a sprint
finish, and averaged 36.3kph for the 31k distance. Well done Matt.
However the person who got first place, the 11 points, and a new tube today was Jeff Sargent, who
rode a fantastic race and stayed with the scratch riders all the way. Another fantastic effort came from
Nigel Christmas who was also able to stay in the leading bunch and earned himself 2nd place, 10
points and the Eagle Boys pizza. Rounding out the top 3 was Gerard Cushan who never gives up and
always pushes himself to the limit. Gerard and David Clark were able to stay with the second bunch
for most of the way, but were ejected in a hilly section of the race.
A couple of bad luck stories today, with Maurie Ashford getting a puncture on the way back, and our
marshal Hugh, had his car overheat on the way out. Also please note that you are not allowed to ride
back out onto the race course once you have finished, if other riders are still racing. This can result in
you being disqualified or fined by the race referee. You must also be off the course at least ten
minutes before the scheduled start.
The top ten places in the pointscore have all changed around again, with David Clark regaining first
place ahead of last years winner Evan Elliott. Paul Kerr has slipped back to third place, but only two
points off the lead. Raphael Chapman has not missed a race this season, and is sitting nicely in 5th
place. It is very tight in the top 16 places, and with 14 more races this season, everyone is in with a
chance.
Next week we will be back on the Burraway Rd at Brocklehurst for the regular 36k handicap race,
with Stephen Hoynes as the rostered marshal.
Don't forget that the race committee will be having a planning meeting tomorrow afternoon for the
next calendar of events. Everyone is welcome to attend, 79 Margaret Cres, Sunday 19th, at 3.30pm.
If you haven't been listed as a marshal as yet, you will most likely be on the next calendar, so it is
always good to come to the meeting and apply for the date that suits you best, or the course you like
the least.
June 11th Mogriguy
It was a bit of a winterish day yesterday, cloudy with a cold easterly wind blowing. However we still
had 24 people turn up to brave the conditions over 36ks of the flat Mogriguy Rd course. The results
show the competitors were scattered to the winds on the way home with a time gap of 15 minutes
between the first and the last to finish.
David Clark was appointed as the handicapper for yesterday's race, and copped the usual verbal abuse
at the start. Kathy and Kerrie led the race at the start, but had a couple of strong riders in Sam
Peacocke and Paul Kerr just 2 minutes behind. They soon combined on the way out, with the 5
minute group desperately trying to catch up as well. Meanwhile the Liz Meredith group was also
quickly caught by the Raphael Chapman bunch, minus Evan Elliott who was dropped early.
At the turn around point the wind became an important factor as riders in the bunches echeloned out
into the middle of the road. In some cases the bunches were spread right across the road onto the
wrong side of the road. While we understand why you are doing that, we would ask that in the future
races, you stay on the correct side of the road, even if it means you may get dropped. Drivers coming
up from behind get very infuriated when they see a bunch of bike riders using the whole road and they
cannot pass. This is where some riders valued their life more than winning the race and decided to
stick to the left hand side of the road.
With some of the stronger riders driving the packs, riders started dropping off like flies and there were
small groups and pairs of riders on the way back. The Scratch bunch started at the 14.30 minute
mark, and although they picked up some dropped riders along the way, were not able to catch the
strong groups up front. Sam Peacocke took out first place, with Kerrie Walsh hanging on for second.
Paul Kerr rode with them all the way, but just lost a bit of ground on the uphill finish to grab the third
spot. Raphael Chapman who is riding like a demon finished just 4 seconds behind for fourth place.
Tim Whitton rode strongly to hang onto the Raphael Chapman bunch and picked up fifth. Gerard
Cushan also had another strong ride and was able to stay in the bunch on the return leg of the race
despite the strong crosswinds. As the results show there were people crossing the line in small
bunches at regular intervals behind these leaders.
I am not sure if the times for the latter half of the riders are 100% correct, as I feel the scratch bunch
may have done a slightly quicker time than what the results show. I know my recorded time was
different to my computer, so there may have been a bit of an error in the recording process. However
it doesn't make any difference to the placings which is the important thing. Thanks to all those riders
who went to the timekeeper to claim their places. That is such a great help and makes the job a whole
lot easier.
The pointscore has a new leader this week in Paul Kerr. Paul had placed well each week he races, and
as a result has shot to the lead by two points ahead of Kerrie Walsh. However the top ten places are
still very close, and we have plenty of races left before the end of the season.
Next weekend we head out to South Geurie for what I call a novelty event. We will be having a mass
start and a sealed handicap. The person who crosses the line first may not necessarily be the winner.
The handicapper will estimate a time for each competitor based on past results, and whoever beats
their estimated time by the most will be the winner. This event is always a lot of fun and gives the
faster riders a chance to be in the front of the race.
The duty marshal is Ray Wheeler, and the start time is 2.30pm. Hopefully we will have some
refreshments at the Geurie Bowling club after the race as well as the prize presentations.
June 4th Wongarbon
Orana Vets raced on the Westella Road at Wongarbon on Saturday. Despite this being a tough
course, there were 28 riders to contest the event. Our hard working time keeper Bruce Pease had his
work cut out at the finish, when all but the chopping block and scratch bunches came together after
the turn around. This meant a bunch sprint of twelve riders for the placings, with the group of
Raphael Chapman, Keith Harris and Evan Elliott looking as though they had the first three placings.
They reckoned without David Clark though, who took them by surprise and unleashed his great sprint
finish to pip them on the line. The Clark family will be enjoying an Eagle Boys Pizza for his hard
work, while the Grape Vine voucher went to Keith Harris. Paul Kerr and Luke Beange will want to
watch out for the handicapper after being able to hang on and finish in the top placings three weeks in
a row. These two along with Steven Hoynes and Mark Meredith are new to bike racing, but are
learning and improving every time they race. Liz Meredith had to grit her teeth and work hard to stay
with the leading bunch, but was rewarded with 8th place and three points for her effort. This keeps her
up in the top five on the winter points score. The scratch bunch of Matt Fuller, Ray and Darrell
Wheeler worked hard, catching the two groups ahead of them after the turn around. Despite not being
able to catch the front groups, Matt Fuller and Darrell Wheeler had fastest time on the day of 47.58,
an average of nearly 39kph.
Placings and adjusted times are as follow: David Clark 55.52, Raphael Chapman, Keith Harris 54.52,
Paul Kerr 59.52, Evan Elliott 54.52, Jeremy Fewtrell, Gerard Cushan, Liz Meredith, Grahame
Chapman 55.52, Luke Beange 59.52, Steven Hoynes 58.52, Mark Meredith 58.52, Darrell Wheeler
47.58, Max Newton 49.58, Matt Fuller 47.58, Raymond Wheeler 48.28, Phil Harrex 53.54, Mick
Cooper 50.24, Maurie Ashford 53.54, John O'Brien 59.57, John Berryman 61.27, Ray Heinzel 62.27,
Kathy Furney 67.03, Doug Beal 68.22, Amber Carter, Tim Whitton 61.57, Kerrie Walsh 66.44.
The race next Saturday will be on the back road to Eumungerie, with Mick Cooper being the marshal.
This is a relatively flat course so there should be some fast times recorded. The scratch and chopping
bunch groups will be depleted as several riders are travelling to Cootamundra for road racing down
there, so anyone could be a winner on the day. To assist the handicapper and time keeper, please
register and pay your nomination fee at least 15 minutes before start time.
May 28th Geurie Nth
Ideal conditions saw twenty five riders from Orana Vets face the starter for the short, but tough North
Geurie course on Saturday afternoon. Despite the hilly 26k course there were five women racing
again this week, with four of them finishing in the top ten spots. At the front of the race, a good show
of team work by the 2minute bunch saw them stay away from most of the field, with Paul Kerr
coming in fourth, followed by Luke Beange, Catriona Jennings and Dana Harris. However, Mick
Harvey with fresh legs from little racing lately, was able to catch the bunches in front of him, and then
hold onto to take first place across the line. He took home the Grapevine Café voucher while
Grahame Chapman sprinted into second place for the Eagle Boys voucher with Liz Meredith taking
out the third spot on the day. Steven Hoynes has been riding well this season, being able to stay with
the bunches, and is holding sixth spot in the points score. Wellington rider Barry Dickerson recently
made a return to racing and is showing he is still a force to be reckoned with, especially on this hilly
course. The scratch and chopping block bunches worked hard but with the groups ahead of them
working so well together, they were unable to bridge the gap. A strong sprint finish in this bunch saw
Darrell Wheeler just get David Gerrish, with Max Newton hanging on ahead of Mick Cooper and
Craig May. The points score table remains tight with Phil Harrex still four points ahead on 30, but
Grahame Chapman has jumped to second place on 26 points after his placings yesterday. Liz
Meredith and Kerrie Walsh are equal third on twenty five, with the top ten spots being rounded out by
Dana Harris and Catriona Jennings on 21 points each.
The race next Saturday will be on the Westella Road at Wongarbon, over 31k, starting at 2.30pm.
Riders are asked to register and pay their entry fee at least 15 minutes before race time. Dana Harris
is the marshal for the event.
Wednesday night training continues at No.1 Oval, starting anytime from 5pm and finishing around
7pm. A small fee of $2 is charged to cover the cost of lights. This is an opportunity to get some
training in during winter, without having to brave traffic in the dark. For any information on Orana
Vets Cycle Club, please contact Evan Elliott on 6882 2695 or check the website
May 21st Burraway Rd
In contrast to the week before, Orana Vets had ideal weather conditions on Saturday afternoon for
their club race on the Burraway Road. This deceptive 36k course saw a record number of 27 riders
face the starter. Five of our women members lined up, with Kerrie Walsh working hard in her bunch,
and taking out second place. Newcomer to club racing Paul Kerr had a great start, going with limit
bunch and holding on to take out first place. Luke Beange earned himself the third place points while
Barry Dickerson from Wellington took full advantage of his good handicap to come in fourth. The
scratch bunch was weakened by the absence of Darrell and Ray Wheeler, but Matt Fuller worked hard
and kept the group working well, with block being caught well before the turn around. These two
bunches then swept up the Evan Elliott bunch just after the turn around, which meant the time keeper
again had a tough job at the finish as this big bunch came across the line together. The hard luck story
went to Catriona Jennings who was in the leading bunch, but had a puncture a few kilometres from
the finish line. At this stage Phil Harrex has a strong lead in the points score, being 6 points ahead of
David Clark and Stuart Lobsey who are on equal second with 23 points each, while Steven Hoynes
and Kerrie Walsh are hot on their heels with 22 points each.
The club race next Saturday will be on the North Geurie course. The race starts at the normal time of
2.30 with Doug Beal the official marshal. Don't forget the club is holding training on Wednesday
nights on the track at No.1 oval. This is an opportunity to get in some off road training and give
yourself a work out if you so desire. For any information on riding and racing with the Orana Vets,
check out their website at www.oranavets.org.au
May 14th South Geurie
On a windy day where it was gusting to 45 kms/hr it was always going to be hard for all the riders
taking part in this weekend’s race. The wind was blowing from the south west so we had a cross to
head wind out to the turn.
By the time the turnaround arrived, most of the back and middle bunches (with the exception of the
scratch bunch) had either amalgamated or riders found the conditions too difficult to even sit on and
were summarily dropped. The 10 min group hung on for a while and were gathered up with about 10
kms to go.
The Jeff Sargent group caught the Liz Meredith bunch up the first hill which is about 5kms out and
none of that group were able to go with them. When the block bunch arrived they were able to sit on
for a while but the only rider able to move forward with them was David Clark. He survived until one
of the rises which became mountains in the wind and the block bunch were by themselves again.
The scratch bunch had made little inroads in the gap between themselves and block and when the turn
arrived the easier conditions on the way back meant they were never going to catch them.
Block caught the remaining front markers including Barry Dickerson, returning to riding after a two
year break. They were able to stay with them until the last steep hill 6 kms from the finish where Phil
Harrex attacked over the top of a Raphael Chapman surge, about half way up the hill.
By the top of the hill he had a gap of about 25 metres which was extended to between 50 and 100
meters once he reached the flat.
Indecision crept into the chasers with really only two riders (Todd Jenkinson and Nigel Christmas)
committing themselves to chasing down Phil. With riders sitting on, waiting for the sprint Todd and
Nigel were obviously were reluctant to sacrifice their chances in the sprint. Phil, sitting on 42 to 49
kms/hr was able to stay away to the finish, a fast finishing Raphael Chapman followed by Nigel
Christmas and Todd Jenkinson filling the minor placings.
The Narromine to Trangie race has been cancelled and we will, therefore, be racing on the Burroway
road starting at 2.30pm. Kathy Furney is duty marshal.
Keep well and keep on pedalling.
May 7th Mogriguy
Ideal conditions greeted riders for yesterday afternoon’s club race on the Mogriguy Road although at
one stage a westerly wind, so often experienced on this course threatened to spring up, failed to
eventuate.
This weekend’s races at Cootamundra saw most of the scratch bunch and some others away for this
race. However, we still had 19 enthusiastic starters sent off by time keeper Bruce.
The scratch bunch included Todd Jenkinson, making a rare appearance from his familial duties. Todd,
despite little racing recently was a driving force in the group which also included Stuart Lobsey and
Craig May who, as usual was intent on stirring the group up.
And that is what happened. From the start the scratch bunch was sitting on between 40 and 45 kms/hr
until the road started to rise a little before the turn and jelly legs overcame some of the impetuosity
exhibited by some in the group.
Meanwhile, up front the 4min group had caught the 5 min bunch and were also starting to motor along
at a great pace. Tim Whitton, suffering from a somewhat inconsistent training regime had been shaken
out the back as had Raphael Chapman from the scratch bunch who despite his determination to stay
with the bunch couldn’t cope with the surging which took place in the early part of the race.
The 9min bunch containing Mark Meredith, Steven Hoynes and Ray Heinzel were making the most of
their start and getting along at a very respectable pace.
The scratch bunch caught the combined block and 5min groups with about 5 kilometres to go and it
was only with about 1½ kms to go that the front markers were finally gathered in.
Scott Stevenson found himself at the front at the start of the hill and nobody was really keen to sprint
too early. Craig May finally made the jump with Phil Harrex on his wheel. Ten metres from the line
Stuart Lobsey came over him and Dave Clark just pipped him on the line.
Stuart Lobsey jumps to the top of the Point Score, closely followed by Dave Clark with Evan Elliott
and Phil Harrex a bit off the pace.
Next week’s race is on the Geurie South course starting at 2.30pm. Duty marshal is Darrell Wheeler.
We have been advised that the annual Narromine to Trangie race has been cancelled. We will
therefore be racing on the Burroway Road course that weekend.
Keep well and keep on riding.
April 30th Wongarbon (long course)
We had an excellent day for racing out at Wongarbon, with perfect temperatures and slight winds.
Today we did the long course which is about 50k on an out and back course. A near record number of
entrants turned up for the day, with 26 riders lined up at the start. It was also very pleasing to see 5
female riders amongst the competitors.
Four ladies went out first with a break of 30 minutes before the scratch riders were due to depart. The
other six bunches in between, went off at various time intervals, with the usual laments of "we will
never catch that lot" and "how come he's going before me?" etc, etc.
A couple of people lost contact with their bunches as the two hills in the middle took their toll, but
overall most groups worked well together at a steady tempo, endeavouring to catch the leaders.
When our group neared the turn area, we saw Kathy Furney well in front of her bunch, and the other
three working together, seeming to be losing time to her. However it transpired that Kathy had lost
contact in the hills, but then Catriona had dropped her chain at the turn, and Dana and Ali waited for
her. Kathy caught them and said she would keep going on her own. The results show that they
finally caught Kathy, and Dana and Catriona went on to win the race.
A lot of other bunches were also being caught after the turn, and the hills on the way back started to
sort out the winners and losers. Our group finally caught up to Steve Hoynes and Mark Meredith, but
dropped John Berryman in the process. We were all working well together thinking we would all get
into the top ten at the finish. We reeled in Kathy and Ali with only two in front of us, and started to
feel even more confident. With about 3ks to go, we still hadn't sighted Dana and Catriona, but a
groan went out as someone said "the scratchies are about 500 metres back". Still working together,
Mark Meredith found the pressure too great and was popped out the back. However our efforts were
all in vain as we were swept up by about 10 riders with only 1k to go. The results show that they
were unable to catch Dana and Catriona, who worked well together to keep everyone else behind
them. Well done girls!
Darrell Wheeler was first to cross the line in the bunch sprint, with Matt Fuller and Ray Wheeler
taking the minor placings. Dana Harris took the Grapevine coffee voucher (obviously for the
bragging rights with the coffee bunch), Catriona took the Eagle Boys pizza voucher and Darrell won
the lightweight tube.
The pointscore is very crowded in the first twenty places, but Evan Elliott has taken the yellow jersey
from Amber Carter in her absence. With just a few points difference the competition is well under
way and open to all.
Next week we are back on the Mogriguy Rd for a shorter but faster 36k handicap race. It will be a
2.30pm start.
Please remember to come and claim your place after you finish. It is impossible for the timekeepers
to get all the finishers in a bunch sprint, especially when we had ten people cross the line together like
we did today. Even if you don't get a place in the top ten, we need to account for you in the results. If
you do not claim your place, and we can't ascertain where you placed, you will not be given a time
and will only get one point for finishing, even if you are among the top ten finishers.
Riders are also reminded that victory salutes when crossing the finish line will result in a
disqualification and/or a fine. Please read and become conversant with the race rules on the club
website. Slowing down and weaving across the finish line are dangerous practices, especially if
someone is sprinting up behind you.
Club members are also reminded that we will be having a club meeting on Monday night the 9th May
at 7.30pm at the RSL Club. There will be more discussion and information about our new club
jerseys, as well as other club matters. All club members are welcome, and indeed encouraged to
attend.
Until next week keep safe and keep on pedalling
April 9th Geurie Sth
Fellow riders,
Kerrie Walsh had almost enough time to sit down to tea and scones before the scratch riders arrived at
the conclusion of Saturday’s Geurie South long course race. An experienced rider but new to racing
she was presented with the gift mark of 36 minutes over the 54kms distance.
Off by herself, she rode smoothly and consistently and time trialled to a 6½ minute gap between
herself and the scratch group and 55 seconds to second place getter Steve Hoynes. Amber Carter filled
the minor placing almost another minute back.
Conditions on Saturday were almost windless but quite warm and what wind there was in evidence
was of no help in any direction. These conditions, with the longer distance than had been raced over
thus far this year, left a few riders struggling over the last few kilometres.
After two races Amber Carter and last year’s winner, Evan Elliott jump to the top of the leader board
with 14 points followed closely by a group of riders on 12 points. The best of the back markers are
Ray and Darrell Wheeler way back on 3 and 2 points respectively.
Next week’s race is a 16 km time trial on the Burroway Rd course. Start time is 2.30pm and the duty
marshal is Raphael Chapman.
See you there.
Keep well and keep on riding.
April 2nd Mogriguy Rd
Fellow riders,
A great turnout of 29 riders for the first race of the Winter Point Score which was held on the
Mogriguy Road on Saturday.
The Evan Elliott/Dave Clark group took advantage of the narrow gap of 1 minute to chase down Liz
Meredith’s group by the turn and from then on the back markers had no look in. It was estimated that
there was a 4km gap between the scratch and block bunch and the combined middle groups at the
turn.
The back groups attempted to save face by just catching the Raphael Chapman group on the line.
Before that however, Matt Fuller, realising that the back groups had just about run out of puff attacked
and attempted to make up ground on the leaders. It was all too late however, and the gap was still over
2 minutes.
Next week’s race is on the South Geurie long course over 54 kms. Please be aware that the start time
is 2.00pm and duty marshal is Liz Meredith.