COTR 2013: October News #1

HOT COTR TOPICS

We are a compassionate bunch. We take care of our cross community. We don’t ride over someone when they have wiped out. We help out…..so I am asking all our riders and friends. Don’t kick a course when it is down!The Coal Cross course had a beat down for COTR#1 after days of downpour. Instead of letting the course heal up people are still riding it. Fresh tracks yesterday in the deep mud from over the weekend. PLEASE let all our courses recover or our events will not be allowed back at those venues.

Politics. It just takes 2 minutes and it makes our job MUCH easier!! For each of our race venues there are usually many levels that we need to go through in order to use the venue and then many more in order to return to the venue. For some reason….some people just don’t like us. They see the park with “Brown up” or a bit muddy and then can’t see ahead to when the course will be back to normal again as it always is. Some people will complain. Some people ALWAYS complain. As you know the seized-from-cumberland-mud hub will get the grease. Help us grease our way back to Cumberland next year and beyond. Fire a note of appreciation and thanks to: Kevin McPhedran at kmcphedran@cumberland.ca . I will make it worth your while. CC me and I will put everyone’s name in for a 12 pack or Phillips or Rumble (depending on age and preferences). Thanks for your help.

Pre-Register. (That one is self explanatory)

COTR #1: COAL CROSS (Review and re-visit)

From RD Lisa Ludwig.
Thanks so much for making this year a smooth success. We really appreciate all that you (and the little woman) do so much. I had a few compliments on the race being well organized but that really is all of us working together, so thank you from Curtis and I.

Our other thanks go to our amazing volunteers, who I am sure are reeling in the cyclocross hangover that we experienced as the monsoon beat over our heads last night…

•  Nicole Rippel, Sara Cherewaty and Andrea Keenan (registration)
• Hilary Grant, Colin Wilson (timing)
• the sages of result-dom – Katie and Roland
• Matt Powsey (MC)
• Damien and Amanda (DJs)
• Alicia Saunders (kids race, et al.)
• Ryan, Tristan, Gary and Jeff Beeston from Trail Bikes (course set-up and perfection of the ghetto canyon jump transition)
• Comox Valley Cycle Club minions (and mom Andrea)
• Amanda, Carmen and Glenn Wakeling at Eatmore Sprouts
• UROC, Riding Fool Hostel, DCC, Mtn City Cycle for tent and table loaners
• Coal Hills BMX and their concession
• No “off-switch” Norm
• Rollie Thibault (peanut gallery/comic relief)
• and everyone else who did little things to help us with course set up/take down – you all made this so easy! Thank you!

Retail and Prizing:

• A huge thanks for their generous contributions: Trail Bikes and Steve Pukesh from Norco Bikes
• Seeds Natural Foods for Kids’ refreshments
• Dark Side Chocolates for the kids’ race CHOCOLATE medals
• Blue Toque Sports Consignment, Courtenay, BC
• Dodge City Cycles, Cumberland, BC
• Sam Whittingham and Naked Bikes, Quadra Island
• Ride Coffee, Quadra Island Cyclery
• Archie Pateman (Cumberland Crate Company; Cumberland Brothers Bluegrass)
• Mt. Washington Alpine Resort

Congrats to all the participants on toughing out the ominous forecast and staining your pristine racing kit. You impressed us all; our voices are hoarse to prove it. Thanks for supporting our event and hope to see you next year!

Ride on, Lisa Ludwig and Curtis Saunders

COTR #1: PHOTOS

Here are some links to revisit COTR#1 and get fired up for this Monday.

From Scott Mitchell:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bicyclepuller/sets/72157636056130395/

From Patrick Burnham:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/palleus/sets/72157636037125094/

From Regan Pringle:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/reganpringleshoots/sets/72157636137419016/with/10063346234

Don’t forget we have a photo contest annually for COTR. So save your best.

Norm’s Notes from COTR#1: Coal Cross.

• So great to see everyone after a LONG 9 months. The season is looking great with category and individual battles already shaping up.
• It does not matter how much warning I give….the BMX track always claims someone.
• Mud is awesome!
• The spirit over by the jump with the fire pit and sausage handups…..it was pretty fricken cool!
• I am out of shape.
• Even being out of shape….cross is so fun!

COTR #2: The Binab Property Group GP

Returning to Western Speedway for it’s 2nd year! This time we’re turning it up to 11.

NOTES: Bike shop EMPLOYEE CHALLENGE. Send your best. Send your worst. Send your hungover. The GLORY will be yours (probably not…the glory will be someone’s).

Course Description:
Call up? It does not matter this time…….the race starts on the motocross track — 50 wide. After the horn, give it 100% to get the holeshot and the best position for the first few corners. Exit the motocross track and onto the oval, hit an optional jump (select categories only) before choosing your line in the tire dual slalom course. A sweeping turn into the infield sends you through the barrel maze and then under the flyover. Sprint around the oval and then in boggy grass. Get your speed up and then over the flyover. Through the parking lot, down into the pit of doom and up along the fence line before dropping back into the motocross track.

One tough lap.

Highlights (other than the aforementioned awesome race course):

• Cash prizes for top male and female racers.
• Top 3 in each category receive an aluminum skull.
• Trek Bicycle Store will be giving away a Trek CrossRip as the grand draw prize.
• Before the intermediate race there will be the bike shop challenge. One hotter than hot lap for all the glory. Bike shop employees only.
• DJ Sean Cunningham will be spinning tunes. SEAN CUNNINGHAM!!!
• Kids race has moved onto the motorcross track! Last year we were too easy on them.
• Luke from Choux Choux Charcuterie will be providing turkey handups.
• Renaat will be serving authentic Belgian waffles.
• Paul from Rumble will be on-site, racing and sampling.
• There will (hopefully) be a tiki bar serving beer.
• Westshore MX will be serving food and drink.

Expect Ridiculousness.

Win this man with a bike!

$$$$$ for Juniors/Youth $$$$$$$
Past COTR Photo contest winner, Patrick Burnham, did a SWEET calendar last year of 12 of his COTR photos and sold them at the end of the season. He collected the $ for the calendars…..around $500. This $$$ is going to be used as travel bursaries for juniors or youth going to Nationals at the end of November in South Surrey. We are not 100% sure on how we will split it up yet but are thinking 10 bursaries of $50 each to help out 10 families. I will get criteria, names and applications some time in November and firm up details but in the meantime….thanks PATRICK!!

REGISTRATION for COTR

Pre-registration IS the way to go ALWAYS!

Links to the individual races are here:

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 already finished their practices for the year but there have been some rides going. Keep an eye on their FB page to stay up to date.

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