HOT COTR TOPICS (Happy Halloween Everyone)
- If you couldn’t see my photos in the last newsletter….your e-mail settings might be set to “Basic Text” or you might block photos or….who knows….it is all wizardry anyways. If you still want to see them the old newsletters are on the home pages of the cross on the rock web site. Check it.
- My Little Pony Cross and Provincial Championships. The series guide has been updated for this event and the Provincial Championships guide will be posted and registration live today.
- Provincial Championships registration is live: http://www.raceonline.ca/events/details/?id=475
- There are a few important differences from Provincials to regular COTR races:
- We have increased the categories at Provincial Champs from 11 categories in 2012 to 17. Added are: U13, U15, U17 Mens and Womens. Masters Women 45+. Masters Men 55+. Modified are the masters age categories from 30-39 Mens and 30+ for womens to 35-44 and 45-54 Mens and 35-44 womens. IMPORTANT. For Provincial Champs and National Champs it is your age at the END of 2014. So your category may be different from what you race at COTR or what you have raced all year.
- Youth at Provincial Champs. In co-operation with Cycling BC we are trying to maximize our youth participation at Provincial Champs. Normally you would need a UCI license to race Provincials but this year they are going to allow anyone with any license to race. Which means if you have a citizen, uci or day of race license you can do provincials if you are U19 years of age.
- The Challenge/Open/All comers races at Provincial Champs are for those that are more beginner to the sport or don’t have a UCI license (adults) or don’t want to race it the championship events. So anyone can race on that day.
- You can use a MTB in ALL categories EXCEPT Elite Men and Elite Women. MTB’s are NOT allowed at the National Champs at the end of November in South Surrey.
- Lots of rumours flying about NICSSCOTU making a come back for 2014 (every 5 years). I hear it will be invite only. Field limited.
- Calling out: Pelle, Jamie Gauthier, Ian Smith, Ron Grant, Fukima, Chris Birch.
- Commending: Shep Stewart, Robin Dutton, Paul Thompson
- Provincial Champs
- The series IS TIGHT in some categories such as Masters Men where only 5 points separate 1st and 2nd. 119 points for “Mr. Perfect” Tyler Trace over Tom Skinner. With the drop and the double points coming…..anything can still happen!!
REVIEW: COTR #4: Crosstoberfest at Transfer Beach, Ladysmith.
From Tara and Mike:
First, a big thanks to you, Norm, and Wendy, Roland and Jen, for taking care of the toughest part of the cross event in my mind!! Instant results and a totally organized registration system…what more could one ask for??? I LOVE those clipboards… genius!!! (Norm’s note: Mostly Roland and Jen on this one)
Thanks again to everyone for coming to Crosstoberfest!! What a day!!
THIS IS WHERE CYCLOCROSS PR/Politics COMES INTO PLAY AGAIN: If you enjoyed the event, it would be fabulous if you sent a quick email off to Clayton Postings at Ladysmith Parks and Recreation at cpostings@ladysmith.ca. As before. Cc me on it and we will draw for a 6 pack of Phillips or Rumble. Must be done before My Little Pony Cross.
It would be great for the Town to get positive feedback!
Crosstoberfest could not have happened without the following amazing people and groups…
Trevor Jones
Shari Morden
Ron and Rhea Hewitson
Cathy and Robin Dutton
Jim and Morgan Allair
Jennifer Ostle
Verna Buhler
Tiffany Chapman
Sue Glenn
Grant and Jayden
Barbara Altimas (aka: Mum)
Hilary
Roland Rabien
Jen Erlendson
Norm and Wendy (Tessa and Tycho for some help with the cinnamon buns!)
Cowichan Cycles
The Town of Ladysmith
The Lions Club (all food proceeds go to the Lion’s club to be put back into the community).
The Old Town Bakery (cinnamon buns… located on 1st avenue in Ladysmith)
Bouma Meats (also on 1st)
Wolf Breweries
Black and White Coffee (Crofton… run by a cycling enthusiast)
BIG THANKS to: Tara and Mike
And another shot of those wicked pies!
Highlights for the Race Directors
- Huge number of participants again.
- The ongoing Wind vs. Tape battle.
- Sand immediately followed by more sand, and then in case you forgot, a bit more sand.
- Number of superhero’s (kids) racing.
- Number of costumes.
- Apple pies and cinnamon buns.
Norm’s Notes on COTR #4 Crosstoberfest.
- Man it was TOUGH trying to keep that course together in the wind! Thanks to everyone that helped out and fixed tape and re-posted stakes.
- I loved the section from the bottom of the amphitheater to the beach. The corners parallel to the start/finish were so fun and carrying as much speed as possible into the beach…well you had to have faith!
- Loved the 3 sections of sand
- Loved the costumes. Peter Hunsinger, Lindsay Chaimberland, Isaac Vander Viet, Martin Machacek, Guy Ridler and others (One day Wendy and I will have costumes again……one day…..There is always SO MUCH to do for these event that costumes are the least of our concerns)
- HOT day.
- HOTTER costumes.
- A lot of questions as to why I raced masters. Well I got a bit sick on Friday and felt worse on Saturday so I was going to skip the race to try to recover. I ended up telling Roland and he said that I could not skip it as I am the only person to have done ALL the COTR races….the pressure was on. Expert takes a massive effort as everyone knows so I hung out with my alma matter in the Masters and raced Wendy’s Pink Surly S/S. It was super fun!
- I had a season best time for cleaning up from the event on Sunday. I was gone at around 4:45 and home by 5:15. That is SMOOTH!
COTR #4: PHOTOS and Edits.
Patrick’s Crosstoberfest Gallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/palleus/sets/72157637031162204/
Get on board LIVE with Rob Parkin for the first lap of the Expert Race here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_pJKzj3fXI
Come on board with Ken Olsen for the first lap of the Masters race and watch the HEAD-On collision with Paul Brend and another rider in the Whirly-Whirl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqop0bKcSes&feature=youtu.be
Photos from Colin Rennie http://www.flickr.com/photos/24960866@N05/sets/72157637095486754/
Don’t forget we have a photo contest annually for COTR. So save your best.
MORE $$$$$ for Juniors/Youth $$$$$$$ (Updated-again)
Past COTR Photo contest winner, Patrick Burnham, did a SWEET calendar last year of 12 of his COTR photos and sold them at the end of the season. He collected the $ for the calendars…..around $500. MEANWHILE down in Victoria Pro City Cycling and the Binab Property Group GP also had a donation from Vista Estates of $500. AND then Tyler Trace put in his prize money from last weekend….another $100. So we have $1100 for 11 X $100 Travel grants for U19 racers. Male or Female. Travelling to National Championships in Surrey at the end of November.
We thought that was ALL But then the Cross Club in Victoria coughed up another $1100 so we will be doing 11 X $200 Grants now!! Get on it JR Racers….get your application in.
So far (as of October 31, 2013) we have received 4 applications; Holly Simonson, Tarryn Cote, Sarah Van Dam, Talia Hill and Thomas Hill.
Our Criteria:
- Must be from the Island, a surrounding Island or Powell River. (If not from an Island…they must be supporting COTR a lot!!)
- Must be 18 or under
- Someone who supports cross on the rock
- Someone who is planning on attending Nationals, or would go if they had the help of the grant.
- From there we will do a draw for the 11 grants from the submitted applications.
- We will have forms at the races and since you have to support the series to apply…..that should work well. Submit back to people at registration please.
REGISTRATION for COTR
Pre-registration IS the way to go ALWAYS!
Provincial Championships registration is live: http://www.raceonline.ca/events/details/?id=475
Links to the individual COTR races are here:
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
GUIDE to LOCAL CROSS RACES, RIDES and PRACTICES
In Victoria:
Cross Underground….Done for the year.
In Nanaimo:
M.I.V.A. keep your eyes on their site/FB page or find out their secret handshake if you want to get out with these guys in Nanaimo.
Sometimes you can show up, wait inside where it is warm and they roll up and out without you….as Bill McMillan.
In Courtenay:
Trail Bicycles in Courtenay, meet at 5:30 every Wednesday for 1-2 hours of riding.
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
Frontrunners-Nanaimo
www.frontrunners.ca
Cross on the Rock
23.235.211.7/~thehol19/crossontherock/
