 |
|
|
Quote of the Week
“My God, they had real bikes with clip-in pedals...and no bells!”
(Max Burgess’ first contact with the Waratahs).
What Else Would You Do on a Sunday Morning?
Yes it was cold. Yes there was a threat of rain. Yes it was Lansdowne. Yes you had sat up to the wee small hours to see Australia humbled by Bangladesh in the one day cricket and were feeling depressed. But there was still no excuse for only 55 riders turning up on Sunday--and only three in A-grade, which was apologetically won by the “Bull-ant” Tony Iannacito.
David “Tano” Zulian did rude things to B-grade for which they will never forgive him and looks certain to join A-grade in the near future (not that there’s anyone there). Alf Picello notched up his second win in C-grade and Mark Wilson put in a welcome guest appearance to win comfortably in D-grade. And in E-grade Michael Joseph topped off a recent second place with his second win. Apart from the “Bull-ant” all of the top places went to Waratahs, which usually happens when the weather’s crook and the fair-weather riders stay home.
Check out the full results and Ernie’s photos for all the action.
Racing Sunday 29 May 2005
Next Sunday we’re at Lansdowne Park. Duty Officer is Hugh Gray, Commissaire is Jack Yuen and the duty helpers are Graeme Nyland and Michael O'Brien. Don’t forget that we are starting the new re-grading with A-grade divided into A and A1 grades with adjustments up and down between the various grades to even out the playing field. Don’t fret, you’re still there somewhere so when you sign on look for your name rather than your old grade. If you want a sneak preview check out the revised grades.
D and E grades will start at 0800 hrs and A, A1, B and C grades at 0900 hrs. This is also the start of the Prima Donna Sprint Series with points being awarded for the first two club jumpers across the line in B and E grades.
Check the Infoline 1902 261 007 for any last minute changes and consult the Race Programme for future events.
Trackies
The Winter night racing at Dunc Gray Velodrome starts this Friday! There will be five grades, including a novice grade, covering sprints, handicaps and wheelraces. As in previous years there will be a Pointscore which will run for the whole Winter. Apart from the official prizes Waratah will award Turramurra Cyclery vouchers as prizes for Club members in the Pointscore.
So, now’s the time to renew the challenge or try your luck on the boards for the first time.
For full details check out the FNWTR website.
Pointscore
Leo Jaegli has quietly drawn ahead in the Pointscore with Alec Lazich still in second place with Gil Candido breathing down his neck. Check out your position in the Pointscore.
The World Naked Bike Ride
Chemical Bill remarked the other day that we should only ever photograph members in their bike gear as they’re unrecognisable in civvies and anyway they look too old and decrepit to be riders. He reckons that you tend to identify people by their bikes rather than the cut of their jibs. At last week’s World Naked Bike Ride, protesting against cars, we recognised a lot of bikes! If you were’n’t there don’t despair it’s on again next year. We’re even considering making it a regular Club event to be called the Prunes in June Handicap.
Race Management
Don’t forget to check the Club Racing Rules as strict adherence to them not only contributes to our safety but is also a condition of our insurance cover.
Clothing Vouchers
Those of us old enough to remember post-war rationing and coupons would have grown up with luncheon vouchers. Originally intended for flexible eating they became black market tender able to be exchanged for anything from cigarettes to sex-toys. Well the Club’s new clothing vouchers are nothing like that! They will be awarded in multiples of $10 value to place-getters in non-sponsored races and can be redeemed for Club clothing. And forget about forging them on your desktop publisher, each one will be signed and numbered.
Fitness
Last week Chemical Bill was hot on the trail of some ground-breaking but as yet unpublished research on omega-3 fatty acids and performance. In a World first we can now reveal the results which, even as we speak, are being presented to the 2nd International Symposium On Triglycerides And HDL in New York by the author Alison Hill. With her co-researchers: J. Buckley; K. Murphy; D. Saint; and P. Howe at the Nutritional Physiology Research Group, University of Adelaide she evaluated the effects of omega-3 supplementation and exercise. They selected 65 overweight subjects and randomly assigned them to four groups: fish oil; fish oil and exercise; sunflower oil; sunflower oil and exercise. They ran the test for 12 weeks, testing regularly: blood, respiration and body composition. What they found was that the group which combined fish oil and exercise achieved the best cardiovascular improvements and fat reduction.
So the take-home message is eat lots of oily fish (mackerel, tuna, salmon and sardines) for better performance, lower blood pressure, a stronger heart and reduced weight!
As Chemical Bill points out you can use the good oils everywhere: on your hair; on sore muscles; tired girlfriends (or is it tired muscles and sore...never mind); and as a convenient chain lube. But you will have to get used to stray cats following you home. All in all a small price to pay for such enhanced health.
Training Rides
Dad’s Army: 0800 Tues & Thurs
Mona Vale Rd, St Ives (carpark opposite Stanley Street); 52 clicks through Terrey Hills, Akuna Bay and Duffy’s Forest.
Grandad’s Army: same as above but starts at 0730 hrs.
Parramatta Park: weekdays at 0545 (strewth!); two bunches: one fast and the other speechless. Run by Parramatta Club.
Homebush: 6.00 am Tues & Thurs; Olympic Park train station; 45 mins of high-speed fun. Three self-selecting bunches to suit all levels. Run by Lidcombe-Auburn but all clubs welcome. Expect large bunches in Summer.
Homebush: 7.00 pm Tues & Wed;
carpark Olympic Park train station;
7 km circuit; high intensity. This ride only operates in Winter.
Get Into Gear
The new Club knicks are available at bargain prices of $85 for the shorts and $110 for the bibs. Rush your orders to Donna Meehan.
To complement the new knicks don’t forget you can still buy the Club windvests, great value at $85. Club jerseys, warm-up jackets, arm-warmers, socks and even skinsuits are all available from Donna Meehan by ‘phone 9550 9048, email or in person.
Trade Fair
If you’re in the market to buy or sell bikes or gear, there’s a great website run by Alban McGuinness where you can set up your own free ads, upload a picture, link to a website and amend the ads as desired.
|
|
|
|
|
Seems Like Just a Year Ago
How tempo flies! tempo is a year old and a Gemini to boot. Club members who share a birthday with tempo include: Mark Burgess; Ian Scott; Paul Regattieri; Mark Hopley; Stan Georgiou; Gregor Rennie; John Miller; Alex Krawchuk; and Bengt Nilsson.
Rider of the Week
Mark (“Undefeated ”) Burgess
It was dark in Hornsby after the finish of the 1990 Kellogs Sustained Bike Ride. The marshalls and organisers had taken down the bunting and gone home; the food vendors had packed up and left. A chill wind blew a few newspapers round the solitary figure of an old derro rummaging in a rubbish bin. Not just any old derro but Mark Burgess who had eventually completed the 120 km ride with no training on an old clunker of a bike. He had stubbornly refused the offer of the sag wagon and lifts from well-meaning friends and had finished the ride in the dark, stone-motherless last, and was forlornly searching through the garbage in the hope of finding food and a certificate to prove he had done it.
Not an auspicious start to the cycling career of a man who had only taken it up to get fit for skiing. The young Mark Burgess was a sportaholic, gorging on every sport in the book: track and field, swimming, sailing, surfing, skiing, gymnastics--he loved gymnastics--becoming Club Champion at the Beacon Hill Club and eventually an instructor, until two things happened: he met his wife-to-be, Patsy, a fellow gymnast, and stuffed up his neck. Whilst the two events were seemingly unrelated they signaled the end of an aerial career in favour of one on two wheels. After the Kellog’s experience he bought a new $400 bike. “I could’n’t believe you could pay so much for one!” complete with chain guard, panniers and a bell, and rode it proudly in such epics as the Mulga Bill and the ‘Gong Ride. Fate took a hand when he met a guy at the local swimming club who tipped him the wink about the Waratahs down at Homebush. So down he went. “My God, they had real bikes with clip-in pedals...and no bells!” After the usual initiation of being dropped repeatedly in the lower grades Mark worked his way up through the ranks to B-grade in 12 months. Then it was on for young and old! His chain of electrical stores left him free to train, mainly round Centennial Park. He rode everywhere, particularly audax rides, culminating in the Opperman 24 Hour TT in 1996 which he won with a team of four and a total distance of 604 kms. He tried it again the following year, competing with a virus and suffering so much that he gave cycling away and took up rock-climbing instead. “Craggy” Hutchings, are you listening to this!
Mark is a man of high ideals. He took a year off from the Waratahs and donned the Manly-Warringah colours so that he could train and win the Graham Jones Memorial series in the colours of his late friend. As an aside we all remember our Jonesy at the time frantically emailing everyone that rumours of his demise were greatly exaggerated. Rumour had it also that Jo was sighted in the AMP office within the hour. Anyway, back to our hero. His cycling came to an abrupt end with a nasty crash at Eastern Creek in May 2004. Alban remembers it too! And in spite of being told that he would never ride again, he competed in the 12 Hour Enduro on the same track exactly a year later. Jeez, they don’t learn these old blokes!
Canine Control
It’s encouraging to see the speed with which Bankstown Council responded to our complaint about dogs on the loose at Lansdowne. Interestingly when we rang to thank them for their speedy response they said” Grrrh! Woof! Woof! OK!”
RAAM
Glenn Druery and the recumbent team JDRF Velokraft are underway in the Race Across America. Go to the RAAM rider position web page to keep track of their progress.
Getting Knicked
The latest crop of Club knicks are a bit on the small side. The Committee is divided over whether this is a good or a bad thing (Donna thinks it’s a bad thing). We might have to let the Club decide by inspection and referendum.
Le Tour! Le Tour!
Subscription
This newsletter has been mailed to you as a WVCC member or as an interested subscriber. If you don’t want to receive it email drkeith@bigpond.net.au with “unsubscribe” in the title.
|
|
