Newsletter #5 for 2018. COTR YEAR 13
Powered by MAZDA
Bikes prepped for race #3 – Cross on the Commons with Muc Off.
#CROSSISHERE #COTR2018 #crossontherock
I hope everyone is having a great start to their weekend and have “Training for COTR #3” on the list of things to do. Maybe also add “Check over bikes (including chains)” onto the list too. Next Sunday will be here before we know it!
Breaking records. Even after 13 seasons. Coal cross was amazing last Sunday. Was heard, “Best course I have ever raced”. Full report and race #3 preview below.
Also….if you want to work on your skills this weekend check out the information for Broad Street Cycles clinic tomorrow. Item #1 in the newsletter.
Apologies to riders in Beginners and Intermediate categories last weekend with regards to call ups. We somehow developed a glitch in our call-up program code and it did not combine the sub-categories (such as youth etc.) that are within these starts. After further investigation we are not sure how the program ever worked properly but we know it did! We hope to have it sorted in time for Cross on the Commons. Sorry once again to those riders that did not get the call up that they earned.
Do you want to make next weekend a double header Cyclocross weekend? Vanier park CX would love for your to do that! They will give you $10 Off registration for their race. Discount code:
island10
IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
1. Broad Street Cycles CX Clinic (Tomorrow)
2. Cross on the Commons Preview
3. Coal Cross XI Review
3. Weekly Cross happenings on V.I. (revised)
1. Broad Street Cycles CX Clinic
Broad Street Cycles is hosting one last CYCLOCROSS SKILLS CLINIC!
Join us this Sunday (Sept 23rd) at Mary’s Farm Sanctuary on Finlayson Arm, road for an afternoon of dialling in your cyclocross skill set.
We will be expanding on the techniques taught at our weeknight clinics, and delve into the minutiae of what makes this silly sport tick.
If you’ve never attended a CX skills clinic, this is a GREAT place to start. Bring, or borrow a bike and we will walk you through the steps on how to mount, dismount, carry & ride your cross bike.
Perhaps you’re an experienced ‘crosser, or at least a few races deep? We’ll be offering an advanced skills session on Sunday. Instruction will cover off-camber corners, line choice & race tactics, as well as allowing a chance to try your hand at hopping barriers, charging starts and figuring out the limits of traction.
The day will wrap up with a practice race (A & B groups!) letting you put that newfound CXpertise to work in a real setting.
LOCATION
Mary’s Farm & Sanctuary [1128 Finlayson Arm Rd, Victoria]
PARKING
There is limited parking on site. We encourage riders to pedal out from town, or park at the Goldstream Provincial Park parking lot at the base of Finlayson Arm Road.
REGISTRATION & COST
$20. Register in-store at Broad Street Cycles, or on-site Sunday morning.
TIMELINE
11am-3:30pm
Sunday Sept 23rd.
NOTES
Bring snacks! Or a lunch! And lots of WARM clothes.
Got a set of race tires you’d like to try out? Bring ’em with you!
QUESTIONS?
Drop an e-mail to parker.bloom[at]gmail.com
or check out: http://www.broadstcycles.ca/cyclocross-skills-weekend-clinic-sunday-sept-23rd/
2. Cross on the Commons Preview.
(Pre) Registration closes at 5:00 the night BEFORE each race. Link is HERE!
We will be running the same schedule as we have had for the first 2 races with 1 tweak that the Zoom Zoom race will be pushed back 5 minutes (we seem to always need that 5 minutes). We will work with this schedule until the time change.
If you are looking for a place to stay in Qualicum for the race check out: http://sandpebbles.bc.ca/ Good ocean side location and close to town:
· $79.95 per night
· A ‘run of house’ rate which means guests choose whether they want one bed or two!
· Promo code: Cross On The Commons
2018 Cross on the Commons Preview
What’s in store for the second year? Will it be as awesome as the first year? No doubt! Will there be mud? Maybe! Will there be sand? You bet! A BMX track to test your skills? Slippery grass? Single track? Run ups? Naturally! The same great course with one major change, REVERSE direction!
Start section is still the same, on the pavement by the civic centre, then onto first base, pitcher mound then third base to be confronted with some hilly, sand sections and onto the BMX track. Racers will still be riding it backwards to keep the speed down and everyone safe. From here it is a quick down to the maze and then further to some smooth grass sections. After this it is into the trees for some pea gravel, some ups and downs, some back and forths, more grass then finally to the last sand section and the finish line. What more could you ask for?!
Same place, same great QB Civic Centre facilities. The Ravensong Swimming Pool, kids playground area and skateboard park are only a hop-skip-and-jump away so a great family location.
NOTE: Absolutely NO riding on the playing fields! The marked course is the only place to be!
NOTE @%^$(^*&$#*2:
After last year’s mudfest and concerns by the Town of QB (thankfully overcome with some concerted kowtowing), there will be a strictly enforced ‘No Shoes’ policy in the Civic Centre. This means the registration area as well as the washrooms. But don’t fret, cardboard will be placed on the floor to help protect your tootsies. Please obey for everyone’s benefit!!!
Team Tents
Team tents, as per last year, located next to the Skateboard Park. First Come, First Served. No parking in the Team Tent area. Unload, setup then park.
Location
At the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre. Good access from all highways:
From Hwy 19, take the only off-ramp into Qualicum Beach, follow the traffic circle around to Rupert Rd, drive 1 block and turn right onto Jones St.
Coming from north Island on Hwy 19A, turn right onto Laburnum Rd and continue until a left turn on Jones St.
If coming from down Island on Hwy 19A, turn left at Bennett Rd (also goes to airport), it will change to Rupert Rd, go around the traffic circle then one more block to a right turn on Jones St.
From the west (Port Alberni, Hwy 4) drive towards town and follow the traffic circle around to Rupert Rd, drive 1 block and turn right onto Jones St.
Parking
NOTE: Last year there were “some people” that chose to park in areas that were NOT for parking. Please pay attention and be a respectful COTR racer when parking your vehicle.
Parking is available at the Civic Centre. A lot of other people use the facilities at the Civic Centre so share and share alike. NO PARKING in the Ravensong Pool parking area, that is for pool patrons only.
FYI: A great place for additional parking is at the BMX track parking lot on Park Rd. Quiet, lots of room and quick access to registration area, etc. To get there, continue down Jones St to First Ave W, turn left for 1 block then turn left again on Park Rd. Parking dead ahead.
MAP (Note course may not be EXACTLY like this map….and NO pre riding please)
3. Coal Cross XI Review
LINKS:
Photos from Multi-tasking Patrick Burnham
Photos from first time contributor Matthew Powell
Series Results (So far) are here.
Norm’s Notes (Bullet form):
- 4th Biggest race of all time!
- 2nd “tamest” race of all time!
- First Saturday night relay races which were super fun!! (Thanks Greg and crew)
- Mazda Zoom Zoom races just keep getting better and better (challenging those little kids more and more!!)
- MUD
- Great crowd
- Cross weather in September!!
- Bibliotaco
Notes from Dave Nowak the race director:
It keeps getting better! I am still blown away by how many people raced this weekend despite the weather. I am also so stoked at how many people finished in those sloppy conditions. This race was a HUGE success with 403 racers starting and a whopping 397 racers crossing the finish line.
Props to Chris Sykes for again designing such an awesome course. Who had any idea that the course would work better going the opposite direction from last year? I think the word Sam (From Naked Bikes) used was ‘flow’. I have said it so many times already but we really do have an awesome crew and even with the wind and the rain the race was hiccup free!
Thanks to:
Hilary Grant, My Mom, and Breckin for doing the back-up timing. I had a tonne of fun myself doing the beginner clinic. Registration crew was awesome! So good to have Sarah Johnston back again from last year and great to have Nicole from UROC along with Aaron and Jasmine under that tent.
Saturday’s course crew pounded stakes and flagging in record time (2 hours from start to finish). Tim Roberts’ and Dan Lehton’s section of singletrack that turned into one big run was the crux of the course! As always, the Trail Bicycles moms and dads (and their kids) are a ‘post pounding’ force to be reckoned with. And it’s always good to see Steve Grant and his boys out there on the weekend hanging tape and dragging bins of stakes around.
Big shout out to Brett Whitehead, GMAC, and Tom Skinner (back from his COTR hiatus) for organizing the CV Wednesday Night Cross practices. And a big round of applause to everyone who took down the course post-race. Many hands make light work…or something like that.
Finally I want to thank all the local sponsors:
Sew what I Sew, Blue Toque, Bibiliotaco, CVCollective, Cumberland Crate, Arcticup, Wayward distillery, Milano Comox, Eatmore Sprouts and the title sponsor Trail Bicycles, who have been supporting #cross in the valley since the very first race held in 2006.
Of course we will see you next year!
The “Top Spirit” award from Wayward Distillery was won by a very deserving Sylvia Storry!!
Brian from Wayward will be sponsoring a “Top Spirit” award as chosen by the Race Director in collaboration with race marshals and organizers. The award will be presented to an individual from any of the races who demonstrated selflessness, sportsmanship and general awesomeness. (Must be legal drinking age to play).
4. Weekly Cross Happenings on V.I.
If you hear of any cross rides or training sessions happening NOT listed here please let me know and I will keep these as up to date as I can.
- Rock City Cycles Wednesday Night cross ride/workout. 6pm. Nanaimo
- Comox Valley Cross Rides. Wednesday Nights. plug our FB group for the weds night cx practice in the Comox Valley https://www.facebook.com/groups/457383181299940
- Cowichan Vallen Cross rides. I think maybe Wednesday nights too…..contact them through FB.
- Wednesday night races in Victoria….they start This coming week. Here is the schedule:
2018 Cross Club registration is now live!
Registration link can be found @ www.crossclubvictoria.com.
Details on locations will be emailed to the registered riders list on the Monday of each week. Make sure you register by Monday morning on the 10th of September so that you can receive the info for Ride # 1 on September 12th.
If anybody you know is not on the email blast list from last year, just send them to www.crossclubvictoria.com to register for this year.
Please bring your UCI Licence, Cycling BC Licence or proof of Club membership to the Kickoff on September 12th.
Cross Club 2018 Schedule
Ride #3 – September 26th
Ride #4 – October 3rd
(Please note: No ride on Oct 10th due to Cross on the Rock race on Monday, Oct 8th of that week)
Ride #5 – October 17th
Ride #6 – October 24th
Ride #7 – October 31st
This is an ISLAND series and the past support we have received from our island community is awesome. Lets keep it up in the future as it is what drives this series and makes it special. PLEASE SUPPORT THE SPONSORS. These are local businesses and companies that support local businesses. On-line companies, amazon, big business (besides Shimano) do NOT support community events.
