HOT COTR TOPICS
Before we get into the Veggies and potatoes of this Newsletter I really want to give a shout to Jim Pearson. Jim has been involved with cycling on Vancouver Island through Avia West, Parkside and Pacific Shores for years and years. He has donated prizes. Helped with accommodations. Supported teams. Been lead or support sponsor. He has done a LOT for COTR. The economic downturn has really effected the Pearson’s and their business. We want to say “Thank You” for all the support they have given our community over the years.
It was great to see many of our COTR racers getting their last of the summer fitness goals and base training done at the MOMAR race in Cumberland last weekend. I like to get my whole race base done in one day too! It was a great event with a great after party. Cumberland hosting two awesome events in 2 weekends!
CHANGES THIS YEAR TO THE SERIES
Sharp eyes reading over the series guide will spot a number of changes to this year’s series. For those that do not pay as much attention as the super-fans I will summarize them here.
- More categories. We have added a number of series categories for the overall series rankings. Added this year: Masters women 40+ (Racing with Intermediate). Youth U13 and Youth U15 (Racing with Beginner). Youth U17 (Racing with Intermediate). If you fall within those categories but want to race “up” it is not a problem you just will not be ranked for those categories. For example if you are an over 40 women but maybe race the occasional Expert race. It is fine. Or if you are a super fast 14 year old and want to race Intermediate. Also good. You just don’t qualify for those categories but we would rather you are challenged!
- More Points. Roland worked out a new points schedule that we will try this year. With the growth of our series we found that we had too many people ending up with 2 point per event. How are you going to prove your supremacy over your buddies if you all getting 2 points even though you “crushed” him/her? Well we have fixed that. We also gave the top finishers a few more points as we all know how hard it is to get 1st vs to get 10th…..well every place is hard to get really as this is cross….but we will try out this points schedule this year and see how it goes. Good luck!
- Pre-Registration. We tried it last year and honestly it just makes EVERYTHING so much EASIER that we can’t deny it. Pre-Register PLEASE! It saves you a couple of bucks and it makes it a LOT easier for us. If you wait until day-of-race it just costs you ashtray change of $5 extra.
SERIES GUIDE
Now posted on the web site. This guide has ALL the information for the WHOLE series such as; Description of course, how to get there, categories, where it the closest hospital, accommodations……it should be in there!
Online: Read now.
There is some information missing for a few races later in the season so we
will update it when we have that information and let people know when it is
updated.
THIS IS YOUR SERIES
COTR has grown because people come out. They race. They have a good time. They tell their friends. Then they drag their friends out. That is how we do it. We want it to be successful. We want the women’s categories to grow. We want people to have a great time. We want to be #1 in Canada (not an actual goal but pretty cool). Come race. Have an “attitude free” good time. Tell your friends. Bring them out.
If you think something sucks. Fire me a note. If I agree with you….I will change it or fix it. Lets all work together to make this a great series and a great year. This is a Cross Co-Op and we are all members.
BEER
If you have not seen the Phillips Beer (Heist) edit:
LOOKING FOR RIDES. LOOKING FOR PICK UPS for COTR#1
- If anyone is coming up from Shawnigan Lake area and can pick up a package for me please e-mail me (it is legit)
- If anyone is coming from Power River or lives in Comox and can pick up Graeme Cockshedge please fire him an e-mail at: gcocksedge@hotmail.com His ferry will get in at 9:30am.
COAL CROSS IN CUMBERLAND. COTR#1. 2013. AWAITS THIS WEEKEND!!!!!
If you are like me….and I know all of you are a bit like me in some ways….this weekend is what you have been waiting for since Beban Park….WAY back last November. A new Season. A New Series. Fresh Points….all very EXCITING. We are kicking our year off at Cumberland and it is going to be AWESOME.
First of all…..the Caveman is coming. He is travelling from cross-meca all the way up to Cumberland to race our series. Sharpen your game experts….see if you can beat him.
Second of all….Demo Dave is coming. He might be racing at the other end of the competitive spectrum to the caveman….but you have to start someplace and he is coming. Big KONA truck. Tents and hopefully fireworks……maybe.
Course Description
The start chute is a long drag strip straight-away on 6th Ave. (Anti-freeze will be provided at the start line for brakestands.) Entering the park, there will be a sweeping right hand turn into an off-camber up hill and arcing down the bank towards the Evil Knievel canyon jump – WEATHER PERMITTING. (There will be an alternate time-sucking line for ninnies, sissies and road riders.) The canyon jump will be followed by a whirly whirl so Curtis can take the holeshot, bottleneck everyone, and win the first lap beer prime. After that, racers go into the woods to everybody’s favorite choose-your-own-adventure lines. Next up are the barriers and the BMX track, followed up by the sandpit of despair and onto the pump track. REPEAT.
REMINDER: Every year. Despite warning. People take the BMX track TOO FAST. They crash. Their day is done. Possibly their season is done. Practice it. Check your speed. Know your skill level.
Other TEASERS
- 2 dozen “World’s Best” Doughnuts from the Cumberland Village Bakery (for hand ups)
- Choose your own adventure line(s)
- possible Evil Knievel cannon jump in the race (weather permitting)
- whirly whirl
- kids race refreshments sponsored by Seeds Natural Food Store
- Coal Hills BMX concession will be open for food
- first lap primes to be done again by Eatmore Sprouts.
- BRING THE KIDS. The Nutcase Helmets Kids races will be happening at most of our events this year….good fun!
Also: Cumberland Community Schools Society will be setting up a tent/table to talk about their after school programs – this is the program we donated four BMX “loaner” bikes to so that kids who may not have the means to buy BMX equipment can still participate with their friends and learn new skills that keep them excited, stimulated and out of trouble! Since our donation of 4 bikes, another community member has stepped up and bought “loaner” helmets and armour. Website for Cumberland Community Schools:
http://cumberlandcommunityschools.com/
Call up’s at this race are RANDOM aside from 1 racer…..Ian Hay. We did not use his EXACT slogan for the (future) series T’Shirts BUT reading it inspired Wendy’s and my brain storming that did come up with the final slogan….T.B.A. Ian. You have the pole!
REGISTRATION for COTR
We are doing a SERIES DISCOUNT if you register for the whole series PRIOR to
this Saturday at 7:00pm.
Links to the individual races are here:
Coal Cross – http://www.raceonline.ca/events/details/?id=466
Binab Property Group GP – http://www.raceonline.ca/events/details/?id=467
Farmer Bill’s Cattle X-ing – http://www.raceonline.ca/events/details/?id=468
Crosstoberfest – http://www.raceonline.ca/events/details/?id=469
My Little Pony Cross – http://www.raceonline.ca/events/details/?id=470
Ronde Van Hogwarts Series Championship –
http://www.raceonline.ca/events/details/?id=471
LICENSES for COTR….what you need.
Make sure you have your license in order (See guide for more information) for the series OR just bring an extra $10. The extra $10 works for ALL races EXCEPT Provincial Champs.
GUIDE to LOCAL CROSS RACES, RIDES and PRACTICES
In Victoria:
Cross Underground….if you live in Victoria and don’t know about this “practice” on Wednesday nights…you gotta get on it!
In Nanaimo:
M.I.V.A. has their practice sessions on Wednesday nights. Contact MIVA. It is usually a skills session and then a short race. Norm’s session’s: Erratic. Not on usual times or dates. Most of the times EASY. Sometimes hard. MIGHT be heading out Thursday night…..fire me an e-mail if you want to do some “training”.
In Courtenay:
Trail Bicycles in Courtenay, meet at 5:30 every Wednesday for 1-2 hours of riding.
FOR SALE
There is a classified section on our web site for any cross stuff you are selling. Wendy and I still have some stuff that needs to move. I need a new lawnmower and to pay my visa….so take a look! I am also bringing up a box of FREE stuff and other stuff for sale to the COTR#1 if you need something or just want to poke at it.
Wendy and Norm’s Carbon Cross Wheels for Sale.
1) Easton EC90SL with Challenge Limus Team Edition Tubulars. Easton
Skewers. $950
2) Easton EC90SL with Challenge Grifo 33’s (Tubular). Never been ridden.
Brand New. Easton Skewers. $1200
3) Easton EC90SLX with Dougast Typhoon Tubulars. Easton Skewers. Dura Ace
Cassette. $1000
4) FSA RD 888 K-Force Wheels with Grifo XS 32 Tubulars in White. Skewers.
Dura Ace Cassette. $1000
Series is Organized by the Cross Council:
With the following cycling clubs: MIVA, VICC, Trail Bicycles-Eatmore Sprouts
Cycling Team, Cowichan Cycling Cartel, ASS and AVR
Supported by:
Oak Bay Bikes in Victoria, Westshore and Nanaimo
Trail Bikes in Courtenay
Experience cycles in Duncan
Cowichan Cycles in Duncan
Cycle Therapy in Duncan
Frontrunners in Nanaimo
Straight Up Cycles in Victoria
Dodge City Cycles in Cumberland
Ozzie’s Cycles in Port Alberni
Supported and Sanctioned by:
Cycling BC
Normon Thibault
E-Mail: normont@islandnet.com