THANK YOU:

Commissaire John Buckton D & E grades. Joanne Buckton & Richard Jenkins A, B & C grades

Thanks to Richard Jenkins who deployed and retrieved all the witches hats and signs. Thanks to Joanne Buckton & Matthew Hynes on the registration table.  Thanks to Anna Fortuna for manning the canteen.  Thanks to Leeann Emery for being our First Aid Officer.  Thanks to our safety marshals Mark Simmons and Greg Smart.

CLUB SPONSORS (see logos right)

Randwick Botany Cycling Club is proudly sponsored by FRF Couriers, parent company of Excelpro.  Excelpro is the distributor of products including BH bicycles, Argon 18 bicycles,  Cinelli bicycle accessories, Colnago bicycles & accessories, 3T cycling assessories, Vittoria shoes and Speedplay pedals.  Bike Bug carries all our major sponsors bikes and products such as Colnago, Cinelli and Argon 18.  Tony "the Bug" is offering all Randwick Botany members a 15% discount off parts and accessories.  Go to cyclebits.com for all your cycling consumable needs like tyres, tubes, bar tape, etc, etc.  Order online from an Australian company, and have your cyclebits arrive at your door a day or two later Long term RBCC sponosr DS Labels – Marrackville. Sponsors of our club jersey include Carroll & O'Dea Lawyers,  Tenpoint, Vantage Freight, Sydney Morning Herald.

REPORT

With the wind blowing John Bull's 50kilo Malamute off his chain, times were a little down on last week.  Despite times being down the going was just as hard.  Being the third week of the month it was reverse direction for A, B & C grade and normal direction for D, E & F.  I don't know if others find it so but boy I seem to be working harder in reverse direction. 

Congratulations to Tim Kerle, last week's B grade winner who we suggested to have a run In A Club.  Tim was first A Club rider home.  Even though he was reluctant to go up, he said to me after the race that I had made the right call in grading him up. 

So to with last weeks C Grade winner, Henrik Van Calcar who this week had a run in B grade.  Reports from other B graders (who actually made the distance), informed me that Henrik also ripped their legs off with several attacks and managed a 5th place in his first B grade race. Well done Henrik.

Late Breaking News (apology):

I must apologise for a previous inaccuracy .  When I read the Commissaire's sheets for B Grade I took the last time as the finish time.  I have since discovered that it was the bell lap and that the final lap time was not recordeded.  So adding an average lap time on for the final lap, the corrected time for B grade for 20 laps is 1hr, 4 mins and 18 sec (01:04:18).  This equates to a corrected average speed of 37.7kph for B grade.

I was not able to work out a total distance/time for A Club as they were caught by A Open.  However they covered 16 full laps in 50 minutes and 22 seconds prior to the capture which equates to an average speed of 38.63kph.

My apologies for giving the impression that A Club is "softer" than B grade.  You are obviously stronger as it should be.  The biggest jump still being between A Club and A Open (nearly 2kph average)

Final figures average speeds therefore are:

A Open:  40.57kph

A Club:    38.63kph

B grade:   37.7kph

C grade:   36kph

I continue to have lots of feedback from A Club riders who tell me that I didn't give them enough time on A Open.  However it is really hard to handicap a grade which is anything but consistent.  If you have a look at the A Open lap splits above you will see that they are very consistent only a second or so deviation in the main per lap.  This is especially the case as they chase back A Club.  There are some "lazy laps" in the latter part of the race but that is when they have already passed A club.  A club are capable of doing consistent 3.05's but you do one and then follow it next lap with a 3:16 and the next lap with a screaming 2.59.  Then you do a 3.21 lap and in doing so what you have effectively done is handed 20 seconds to the chasing A Opens in one lap.  So I don't know what you guys are doing. Perhaps attacking each other and then having a lazy rest lap but you are never going to keep away from them with these inconsistent lap times.

If you are having difficulty in A club grade, please don't be shy in asking us to ride in B.

Having said all that, congratulations to Rollo (Nathan Rollason) with a fine victory in A Grade.  Nathan has hit some form of late and has several recent victories under his belt.  Great to see Pete McDonald back on the bike and racing at Heffron.  Pete had a bit of time off after a big season including International events.  Without further ado, it's on to this weeks images brought to you by Team Fortuna.  Rocky "snaps" Fortuna and his apprentice (and father), Antonio Fortuna.

PRIZE MONEY

Handicap winner receiving $150.  A grade winner on normal day is $120 and we now have a first A club prize of $50.

START TIMES

Randwick Botany Cycling Club conducts racing at Heffron Park, Maroubra NSW each Saturday throughout the year. Juniors start at 12.30pm. Seniors D, E, & F grades will start at 2pm and A, B & C grades will start at 3pm.

RACING SHEDULE

A handicap race for A B & C grades will be conducted on the first Saturday of every month.  Second,  fourth & fifth Saturdays will be normal scratch races.  On the Third Saturday of every month racing will be longer and conducted in reverse direction.  A grade 25 laps (50 kilometres), B grade 23 laps and C grade 20 laps.  D, E & F will be normal distance

For more information please contact the club secretary Joanne Buckton on 02 9315 7801 or email: secretary@randwickbotanycc.com

Web page layout & editing by: John Buckton

Photos by: Rocky "Snaps" Fortuna and apprentice Antonio Fortuna

Report by John Buckton

Contact:
John:   webmaster@randwickbotanycc.com