May 11, 2011 (Nanaimo, BC) – Tonight’s Boxwood criterium saw 12 starters. Not a lot but the numbers are gradually climbing. After a couple of neutralised laps, the bunch picked up the pace, leaving novice Drew Cooper out in the wind. At the first prime, it was Ian Smith easily winning the sprint from Lionel Space (MIVA)

Soon afterwards, Everti’s rapid master rider, Mike Sevcov, sprinted off the front but was pulled back within three laps. Then Chris Cameron (NRC), last week’s winner cruised off the front of the pack, taking new road rider Mark Wieler with him. They were caught within a lap and Ron Hewitson, (Nanaimo MTB Club) surged ahead.

By the end of the lap, he too had been reined in and Sevcov again took up the lead at the bell for the second prime. Ian Smith (MIVA associate) stretched out the pack with a rapid acceleration, caught Sevcov and took the prime.. Sevcov then managed to bridge up to him and the pair stayed away for the next three laps.

Cameron , not content to let the duo make any time on the group, bridged with Wieler and the pair stayed away but were soon joined by Sevcov and Hewitson. However, with seven laps to go, the race came together again with Smith adding the third prime to his spoils.

For the remaining six laps, the group stayed together until the final sprint. Ron Hewitson was ideally placed as they came round the final corner and stole the win with Smith and Chris Cameron coming in second and third.

The race was notable in that only three of the original twelve starters were lapped and seven were still together at the end.

Three new members joined MIVA this evening and the club membership is now up to fifty-four.

Thanks to cone man Iain Hay, to son, Brodie for looking after the lap board and bell and to Kit McCaffery for registration and controlling our incorrigible Springer, Socks.

Results
1. Ron Hewitson (Nanaimo MTB Club) 51:05
2. Ian Smith (NRC/MIVA) s.t.
3. Chris Cameron (NRC/MIVA) s.t.
4. Charles Hamer (MIVA) s.t.
5. Mike Sevcov (Everti) s.t.
6. Kirby Villeneuve (Nanaimo MTB Club) s.t.
7. Iain Hay (MIVA) s.t.
8. Mark Wieler (MIVA) s.t.
9. Rob Bau MIVA at 1 lap
10. Bill McMillan (Nanaimo MTB Club) at 1 lap
11. Drew Cooper (MIVA) Lapped
Lionel Space (MIVA) DNF

May 4, 2011 (Nanaimo, BC) – A beautiful, warm evening greeted the participants in MIVA’s 3rd Tuesday criterium. Right from the gun, Nanaimo Road Club’s Chris Cameron picked up the speed with the rest of the bunch hanging on and wishing they had done more of a warm-up. Chris and local rider Ian Smith continued to push the pace and, by lap three, the duo had established a fifteen second gap.

The following lap, Cameron passed the line on his own, with Smith and Ladysmith import Lionel Space chasing. Meanwhile, the rest of the group were steadily dropping back and Craig Dick an Ontario rider, in his first race in twenty years, was left to battle on behind.

Soon Space, who had not done any pre-race warm-up, dropped back to the bunch and Smith rejoined Cameron at the front.

The pair took fifteen seconds every circuit out of the rest of the group and by lap fourteen had lapped them., Ian Smith winning the first prime. Three laps later, Cameron again picked up the pace and broke from the bunch, taking Space and new rider Kyle Waring with him.

Cameron and Space continued to draw away, with Space taking the second prime but Waring had had enough and dropped back to the pack. And that’s the way it stayed until the final lap. Chris Cameron beat Lionel Space for the win and since Space was a lap down he took third. Rob Bau took the bunch sprint and finished in fourth place with second placed Ian Smith cruising in a couple of spots behind him.

The lone woman entrant, Charlene Hay, used the race tonight to develop her pack skills, and after being lapped fairly early, managed to hang on to the group for most of the rest of the race.

Thanks to Brodie Hay (bell and lap board, and to Iain Hay and Dave Kenny for course take down.

Results
Men
1. Chris Cameron (Nanaimo Road Club) 50:22, 12 points
2. Ian Smith (MIVA) 0:58, 10
3. Lionel Space (MIVA) -1 lap, 9
4. Rob Bau (MIVA) at 1 lap 8
5. Kyle Waring (MIVA) at 1 lap, 7
6. Iain Hay (MIVA) at 1 lap, 6
7. Mark Wieler (MIVA) Lapped, 5
8. Craig Dick (MIVA) Lapped, 4

Women
1. Charlene Hay (MIVA) 51:20, 12 points

Volunteers
– Brodie Hay (MIVA) 5 points
– Dave Kenny (MIVA) 5