2008 News archive


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ARTICLES OF INTEREST AND MAJOR NEWS STORIES

2008 Presentation Night & Christmas Party. See photos here.

The Bike Bug 500 Sat 20 Dec 2008

Run and won by last year's winner, dual Olympian, Graeme Brown. That makes 2 in a row.

The B/C handicap was taken out by Charlie "Big Guns" Topfer. Full story here.

Awesome Foursome at FCm’s cycling criteriums Brisbane 16 Nov

The "Awesome Foursome" of Frank Fortuna, Rocky Fortuna, John Buckton & Nick Sheehan (right) represented FRF at the FCm's Corporate Challenge at Brisbane University St Lucia last Sunday. The team was successful in getting Frank into position for the final sprint in the Managing Director's challenge onducted over the 1.8km "hot dog" course and in fine form Frank Fortuna sprinted home to take victory. Perhaps the most exciting race of the day was the "Old Bastards" race which was so close that it saw 6 of us dead heat in the final sprint. Fabulous day topped off at the end with one of the worst storms that Brisbane has seen in about 50 years and in which we had to ride home which was another experience in its own right. Full Story here.

RBCC congratulates Robbie McEwen on his win in the Colnago Cup at Noosa.
	Congratulations to honarary RBCC member, Robbie McEwen (bestowed in 2007 - see picture right), who won the Colnago cup at the Noosa Criterium on 1 Nov 2008. Right, an unidentified (yet vaguely familiar) Executive from Colnago Australia congratulates Robbie on the victory. I have it on good authority that the unknown Colnago Executive will be also be competing in a Brisbane criterium in a week or two, so lets hope that some of Robbie's magic rubbed off in the handshake (and not vice versa !!)

Sydney to the Gong ride Sunday 2 November 2008
	A great ride with about a dozen of us in the RBCC team. Saw plenty of other RBCC riders in other teams. Great riding weather, no rain & no incidents. Thoroughly enjoyable day and we were able to raise some money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Some of the hard men like Leo Neil_Dwyer, Sam Gilbert, Nick Brown and others rode back. Congratulations to all who supported this worthy event.

CLUB SPONSORS

IT'S A SMALL WORLD

For those of you who are wondering why the website has not been updated for the best part of a month, reason is that I have been away in Italy. What have I been doing you might ask.

What a small world. Above the President of Randwick Botany Cycling Club (me - John Buckton) met up in Florence with the President of the Dulwich Hill Cycling Club, Geoff Martin. Together with Geoff and his family, a contingent of RBCC members, including myself, Joanne Buckton, Rocky, Anna & Rebecca Fortuna, Dale & Kathy Rockell & Sue Henry shared an entertaining afternoon followed by a fabulous dinner.

So what was I doing in Florence? Well for one thing investigating the possibility of replacing the RBCC club trailer. I wanted a solution which did not depend on a member with a towball. I think I found the answer as I put this baby through it's paces.

What else were we doing in Italy? Well 22 RBCC members, many of us having conquered Sicily in 2006, traveled to Sardinia to take on the mountains there. For those interested the Sardinia story it is available on John Buckton's personal website. It is a work in progress (only intro completed thus far).

CONGRATULATIONS SUE HENRY & ANDY CONLIFFE

Congratulations to our Medal winners at the Sydney Road Championships. Congratulations to GOLD medal winner, Andy Condliffe in the Masters 6 Men division and to Sue Henry (pictured left) who took the bronze medal in her Masters Women division. Congratulations also to all those Randwick Botany members who competed in the Sydney Road Championships.

Thanks to Kellie Milostic for photo left.

Club Patron Mike Tomalaris gives his views on cyclists sharing the road with motor vehicles - click here

NSW STATE MEDALISTS
Better Late than never. Congratulations to Chris White and John Collette with Bronze medals in the Masters State Track Titles.

Congratulations to Chris White with 2 Bronze medals in the Masters 6, Derby & Points Races.	Congratulations to John Collette with a Bronze medal in the Masters 4 sprint.


John Collette in action.	Now thanks to the new (20 kilo less of me), I managed to take the Bronze medal in the NSW Hill Climb championships at Bathurst. Never thought I would win a medal for going UP hills.

NAB B2B (Blayney to Bathurst) - 110km
Sunday 13th April 2008
	At Least 15 Randwick Botany Cycling Club members took part in this years 110 kilomtres road race between Blaney and Bathurst. For a full story and pictures, click here.

RBCC INITIAVE TO ASSIST OUR FEMALE MEMBERS OF THE CLUB

In an effort to assist the female members of our club and indeed attract more ladies to the sport, RBCC has started several initiatives:

Firstly: Every Saturday at 3pm Nathan Rollason will take the girls for ride around Heffron Park and will teach basic skills like sitting a wheel, riding in a bunch, pointing out holes, communication with other riders, even how to take a water bottle (bidon) out of it cage and replace if need be. If any of the girls don't know how to remove a wheel and fix a puncture, Nathan will demonstrate that as well and give you a go at it. There will be wheels on hand to practice on together with club track pumps and tyre levers, etc.

Secondly: Rides. We have put on a couple of "Women Friendly" rides during the week. The first is Wednesday mornings when the Women friendly bunch will leave from the Randwick Gates of Centennial Park at 5.45am sharp. The pace will be a lot easier than the 6am bunch and everyone will be waited for and assisted. So to on the 6am Friday coffee ride, the girls will be looked after during this ride as well. See Training Rides, for more details.

JENNY MCKENNA ON THE IMPROVE

I know that everyone will be pleased to know that Jenny McKenna, who was seriously injured in last years Canberra Tour is very much on the improve. Jenny who woke up after many months in a coma, has inspired us all with her tenacity and courage. Martin Renwick told me on today's Waterfall ride (Sun 10 Feb), that he had visited Jenny in hospital and she told him that she would love to have people visit her. Jenny is in Westmead Hospital. So if you know Jenny or even if you are just a fellow cyclist and are in the area, drop in and say hello. I am sure that it would make her day.

VALE PHYLLIS GILBERT

Phyllis Doreen Ellen Gilbert, daughter of Snowy Wilson, passed away peacefully on January 28, 2008. The club only made contact with Phyllis in the last few years and she was instrumental in providing us with lots of information about her father Snow and filling some of the holes in the club's history books.

Phyllis was a special guest at our Club's 100 year birthday celebration in 2003 and we really appreciated the huge effort that she made in attending all the way from Dangar Island in her frail condition. Phyllis always managed to sponsor an event at the Snowy Wilson Memorial in her dad's honour.

Phyllis is pictured right when a small number of the Executive met and had lunch with her just across from her home on Dangar Island, on Sunday 19 May 2002 at Brooklyn.

PHYLLIS was fare welled Friday (February 1, 2008), at 11.30 a.m., in the Chapel of the Mackay Family Crematorium, Pacific Highway,
Palmdale. She will be sadly missed.

One of the longest members of our Cycling Club was Alfred C "Snowy" Wilson who was a member of the club for most of his life, first as a rider and later as coach, handicapper and Secretary.

Snowy pictured left on the bike in 1917.




	JINDABYNE HIGH ALTITUDE TRAINING CAMP Australia Day Long Weekend. Camp dates: Friday the 25th to Monday the 28th of January. Thanks to Camp organiser Natahan "Rollo" Rollason for organising a fabulous training camp with over 40 people attending the camp. For photos of the action over the 3 days, Click here.

FRF Couriers – New South Institute of Sport Continental Cycling Team Launch


Image courtesy of Tenpoint	Image courtesy of Tenpoint	Image courtesy of Tenpoint

The FRF Couriers – NSWIS Continental Cycling team was officially launched on Wednesday night 18 Jan, 2008 at the Harbourview hotel in the Rocks, Sydney. The night was compared by SBS cycling commentator, RBCC Patron & member, Mike Tomilaris and attended by the CEO of Cycling Australia, Graham Fredericks, Cycling NSW President Kerry Ruffels and NSWIS Head Cycling Coach Gary Sutton, along with many other sponsors and guests. For 2008 the team will consist mainly of under 25 riders as the team focus moves to developing young riders for the future. Team principal Frank Fortuna stated ‘We are focusing on young talented riders and giving them an opportunity on the world stage’. FRF Couriers NSWIS will continue to receive world wide exposure as they race in a number of countries including Ireland, England, China, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States. In addition to this the team will also compete in a number of major Australian races.

RBCC has a large interest in this team as quite a few RBCC members are very much part of it. Of course there's RBCC members Frank & Rocky Fortuna at the top of the pyramid. Then there's Team Manager, Andy Portess, pictured far right in picture three. Not to mention the 4 Randwick Botany riders in the team including Shaun Higgerson, Jason Hegert, Peter Herzig & Robert Cater. We wish the team every success for the coming 2008 season.

The Bike Bug 500

With the highest calibre of International Pro and semi-Pro riders ever assembled at Heffron Park, the Bike Bug 500 was a huge success. Some 140 riders competed in the days events with 37 starters in the feature event of the day, the Bike Bug 500. Over 20 grueling laps, which saw nearly half the field relegated to spectators, the International riders put the crowd in awe as they blasted around the Heffron Park circuit at consistent speeds mere seconds off the one lap record pace.





In a fabulous ride demonstrating not only his strength but also his tactical skills, Dual Olympic Gold Medalist, Graeme Browne of Rabobank took victory from Trent Wilson of the Jittery Joes team. Continental Pro teams, FRF/NSWIS and Ord Minnette/QLDIS both had almost their entire team racing. Other teams included Rabobank, Jittery Joes & Drapac Porsche. For full results and pictures of the Bike Bug 500, click here.


s it possible to ask RBCC members to pre-register. There's some concern that we may have What are the chances? The email address to send pre-registered names is jwjc2008@googlemail.com My fellow organisor Michael Lee is monitoring this email address.
PRESENTATION NIGHT 2007 Friday Evening, 23 Nov was the RBCC 2007 Presentation Night. A fantastic night was had by all and some REALLY let their hair down. To see photos, click here.


	NSW ELITE STATE TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONS Congratulations to our RBCC Gold Medalists, Pete Herzig, Adam Conquest, Nathan Rollason and Jules Galli who did Randwick Botany proud in taking out the NSW Elite Men Team Time Trial Title at Calga today (Sunday 28 Oct 2007). Big thank you also to Joanne Buckton who represented the club as a Commissaire and starter of the event. Big thanks also to Ross Mackenzie who went up and assisted the boys. Congrats also to the other team who represented their club, Craig Klement, Rick Jordan, Mark Arnold & Dave Lippman in the Masters 1-4. Good work guys, I'm sure the whole club is proud of you. I certainly am. Click here for photos.

CONGRATULATIONS JOHN & VASINEE BOLES

Congratulations to new parents John & Vasinee Boles. Vasinee gave birth to their daughter, Asia Heather Boles, on 1st October 2007. Asia weighed in at 2.65kgs. Mother and daughter are doing well.

Bolsey might be absent from a few training rides in the near future as he

enjoys the pleasant sounds of his new baby daughter:



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