October 04, 2012 (Nanaimo, BC) – If you have not checked out Cycling Dirt.org before they have a weekly feature called who’s #1. It is funny and Colt does a great job with it. Some of our regular COTR racers regularly make the list. Mical did a huge jump last week. This week it was Wendy’s turn to get the JUMP OF THE WEEK. Craig Ritchie is also on the list. Check it out here.
(I really have to learn how to do those fancy links so I don’t have to cut and paste huge links).
Cross on the Rock Race #2: Another Dodgey Cross Race Recap
Thanks to everyone that helped make this year’s Dodgey Cross race such a success.
Frontrunners, Eatmore Sprouts Company, Coal Hills BMX, Seeds Market, Tarbell’s Deli, Waverley Hotel, Trail Bikes, Dodge City Cycles, Mt Washington Resort, Mountain City Cycles, Courtenay Nissan, Cumberland Chiropractic, Riding Fool Hostel, Blue Toque Sports Consignment. And of course, Matt Powsey and His Royal Band of DJs out of the back of the Titan.
And a special shout out to the many volunteers that made the day happen:
– Downtown Andrew Brown, Jeff Beeston, Rurik Hubner, Nicole Rippel, Kristenn Magnusson, Sara Cherewaty, Jennie Aitken, Richard Ellsay, Tanya Berg and the talented Grants
– the numerous people who made the course take down super quick = very appreciated!
– forever in your debt: Hilary Grant, Roland and Katie Rabien, and THE Glen Wakeling
– And my lovely wife Lisa that took a leave from helping organize the Dodgey cross race this year to childmind.
I look forward to having her back next year!
We saw a colossal 224 riders (including the kids’ race) that came out for a great day of racing.
Thanks again,
Curtis Saunders
Video
Ok….these should go “Viral” within our little community of COTR for sure.
First a little video from Dean Dubyk of the opening straight crash at the start of the Masters race. I did not even know that a crash had happened…
Second a SWEET Handle Bar Cam of the first lap of the Expert Race from Russell Anderson. You seriously forget all the twists and turns that you do just in one lap. If you watch on the last straight of the BMX track you can see Dave S. Picking himself up from his first jump AIR on the BMX track.
Third the COTR unofficial-official Videographer (and Intermediate slayer) Pelle G.s Edit from footage from his NEW and even more DELUX camera.
If you are NOT PUMPED for this weekend after watching these…they you might want to make a Dr. Appt!
Cross on the Rock Race #3: KONA KUP at Bowen Park. Nanaimo PREVIEW
There is a RUMOUR floating around that the LEGEND – Dik Cox from KONA BIKES will be making an appearance racing at this year’s Kona Kup…it would be his first Cross race….I hope this rumour is TRUE!
Records are MADE TO BE BROKEN. We have been doing a great job of that so far this season with an all-time COTR attendance record at Condo Cross. A HUGE turn out and record for Dodgey cross. Now we want to TAKE IT ALL….we want the COTR Race at Bowen Park..the KONA KUP to have the LARGEST attendance for any Cross race in Canada West of Ontario (anyone can tell us what the biggest cross race in Canada has been?). Don’t you want to be a part of it? We won’t count the kidsŠ.we won’t count you twice if you race the Open Women and then slay also in the Experts….we will have a Legit Count. We want to SHATTER the record. Drive up if you are down island. Drive Down if you are up Island. Jump on the BC Ferries and have a sunshine breakfast. Roll down Stewart Avenue to Bowen Park if you are from the mainland. This course is AWESOME. It is a HOLIDAY. You ate too much on Sunday….Lets light it up for attendance!!
Kids Races
There is no “Youth” category at the Kona Kup (they can still race Beginners or another category of course) and initially we did not have a Kids race but we will set up a kids course for practice on the lower part of the park below the Parking Lot and fire up some kids competitions at the usual 12:45 time. You little rippers get out there!!
Course
Reminder for those pre-riding this week and on race day that this is a popular park in Nanaimo so please be cautious and courteous to other users all ALL TIME.
The course outline is in the Master Blaster Guide to the cross season found on our Website. If you have raced this course before there will be a couple of changes. First of all the opening road section which you do each lap will be about 70 meters longer. We are going to extend it up and over one more speed bump before making the left turn into the trails then up the hill. On the lower sections we are adding a couple of off camber turns right when you pop back into the open lower sections. The lower sections will be slightly changed/altered to extend the distance out a bit. Before the first steeper downhill from the upper road we are going to do a 180 turn into it to slow down the speed going into that downhill. The city added some gravel into the sand for the volley ball court so it will be interesting to see if anyone can ride it this year. Lastly we will be adding a set of double barriers right before the finish line to slow you down for the timers and add an element of” should I rideŠ.or run from the volley ball court…the stairs are still in there!!
Speaking of the Stairs….we want to make this the funnel of NOISE this year. So bring your noise makers, heckle machines get your best one-liners ready…pump up the racers.
Parking
With the turn out expected to be a record breaker the lower parking lot will probably fill quite early. There is more parking at Bowen Park quite close by. At the top part of the course above registration and the first right on Bowen road past Wall Street there are a number of additional parking spots. Across Wall Street there is a HUGE parking lot at the curling rink (be careful crossing Wall Street). IF all three of these areas fill up there is additional parking at the second entrance past Wall Street in Bowen Park.
Pre-Register
Save yourself some paper work on race day. Save yourself some time on race day. Save us some paperwork on race day. Allow us to plan better. Help us get your call up correctly….Pre-Register. You don’t have toŠ.but it is much-much better! Link on our Website.
Cash Money
As you know we are always trying to do new things…exciting things….different things…mixing it up.
This Monday at the KONA KUP we will be “mixing it up” by NOT offering prizes for the Expert and Open Women Categories. No Prizes….well we will still have BEER and Coffee cause our sponsors are AWESOME. But instead of all the other good stuff we normally have we will have CASH. Cold Hard Cash!
Keep in mind despite our recent successes we are still a club based grass roots series…so we are not talking mega-uci-C1-Bucks. Just a few dollars to help out those that are trying to make ends meet while racing at the top levels.
Equal prize money for Men and Women because we are NOT in the dark ages like the UCI is.
Expert and Open Women
1st $125
2nd $ 75
3rd $ 50
4th $ 30
5th $20 (you basically get your entry fee back!!)
That is a $600 prize purse son!
If you are a female that usually races the Expert Category (Mical, Dawn and WendyŠtalking to you here) for the additional workout. Feel free to race for the cash and then get another number and try to get more cash in the Expert race…or just more trainingŠŠ
Not to be left out and to SHOW OUR SUPPORT.
Intermediate Men and Women as well as Masters…if you win…we will give you $25 towards your gas money/recovery food/beer. We love you guys too (well we love the beginners as well but to race for the $ you gotta move up categoriesŠ.no one has cash for beginners!) Plus your usual prizes!
News From Other Races on the COTR Schedule
OK there is one piece of information that almost everyone will want to know about to do with the LADYSMITH Crosstoberfest race on October 28th. This event will have a feature that has NEVER happened in the HISTORY of COTR. It has been approved by both Cycling BC as well as the City of Ladysmith. The Crosstoberfest race will have..an official..sanctioned..and properly staffed….BEER GARDEN!!!!!!!!!!
Anything else I print in here will be lost so I am going to leave it at that for this week.
Number Placement: UPDATE
Much-Much better at Dodgey Cross. But still not 100%. If you see your fellow racer with a problem number before I spot it at the start line. Upside down. Backwards. Wrong side….just take care of it with them before I stop and point them outŠ.it will help everyone out ESPECIALLY the finish line and results crew. Thank you.
Think Ahead….Provincials and Nationals
The ferry is SUPER EXPENSIVE. That is part of the reason why we are developing this series and helping us all limit our travel. However once in a while you have to EXPAND your horizons and see what is happening over the sea. Two reasons to get on the boat this year are Provincials and Nationals.
The Provincial Championships this year are being held at Mahon Park in North Vancouver on October 21st. This is a course that has been used before for Provincials. You could even double down and do the Wooley Cross across the line on October 20th if you wanted to. More info here.
Jeff Van Mulligen the race director has dedicated spots for our COTR series riders based on our rankings after 4 races. This will apply for Elite, Women and Masters at Provincials and I will work with him to make sure those riders are called up correctly.
You do need a proper license for this event and can not buy a day-of-race license so keep that in mind. AND YOU HAVE TO PRE-REGISTER if you want to take advantage of your COTR Status for call up.
Weekly Cross Rides on the Island
Courtenay: WENESDAY NIGHTS.
Trail Bicycle Eatmore Sprouts Team
We will be hosting a weekly Wednesday night cross ride from Trail Bicycles, meet there ready to ride for 6pm and please bring lights and warm clothes as we will be out there until dusk.
Victoria: WEDNESDAY NIGHTS
Wednesday Nights:
– CROSS CLUB 2012 –
$20 cash money for the 8 event training series
September 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th and October 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th
crossclub@gmail.com
Victoria: FRIDAY NIGHTS.
Cross season is on, so starting this Friday: CX ride leaving from Broad Street Cycles after work (6ish). Everyone welcome, bring lights.
Nanaimo: THURSDAY NIGHTS.
To give a gentle introduction to cyclo-cross, MIVA (Mid Island Velo Association) is holding its second year of CX clinics where participants can learn and improve their skills at dealing with all kinds of obstacles, dismounting and remounting, cornering, riding cross camber sections, and even what to look for in their pre-riding of CX courses. Each clinic ends with a short race where riders can practise their skills and techniques and have a qualified coach offer constructive advice. Last year, a number of the more experienced competitors found the clinics invaluable in improving their performance.
Some participants use mountain bikes for the clinics and even for the Cross on the Rock races but, if you have a cyclo-cross bike or a road bike that can be modified, most of the courses favour these. One of the clinics will have a section dealing with bike modification.
Clinics are held at Beban Park and dates and times can be found on the Cross on the Rock web site and also on MIVA’s web site. If you need further information email info@bikeracing.ca