Dirt Critters News
By Tim Ross and Luke Vivash
NEXT WEEK: Advance notice that next Tuesday Dirt Critters will ride alongside the Delatite River from Carter's Rd to Mirimbah and back. This is a wonderful, flattish ride thru the bush along a great piece of single-track. BOTH GROUPS will ride at the same time. We'll meet at the Carter's Rd picnic area at 4:30pm and I expect we'll be finished soon after 5:30pm (the Carter's Rd picnic area is easy to find on Google Maps; just off the Buller Rd past Sawmill Settlement; allow 25 minutes drive from Mansfield) . Parents are most welcome to bring their bikes and join the ride, or may prefer to walk out and back along the trail.
LAST WEEK: See below for photos of the two groups following their Enduro ride on Tuesday. Those kids who didn't go the wrong way recorded some seriously fast times! Quickest for the younger kids were Miles, Hugo and Jarrah; for the older group Paxton, Blake and Cooper.
RACING ANYONE? For any Dirt Critters who would like to try racing there are a few options. This Saturday morning the Alpine Cycling Club are running the next in their Junior MTB Race Series, in Albury. Tim attended the previous race in this series last month with his kids and found it to be well organised and fun (although with a 9am start, it's an early rise in Mansfield!). Short notice, but Google it if interested, and I'm happy to provide more details. Later in the year (starting in June) is the Victorian Schools Mountain Bike Series. Last year a small group of current and former Dirt Critters raced this series. I'll provide more details once they come out!
Dirt Crits catch-up
By Kate Empey
Senior Dirt Crits has been lucky to have Matt Empey set the course for the past two weeks, while his father had a brief holiday.
On March 7th the club ran a Gravity enduro, always popular with the younger riders. Due to a slight timing mishap the 14 riders rode a practice run followed by a race run. The course wound down from the highest point through some flat tight corners, which caught a couple of riders off guard resulting in a trip through the shrubbery.
Maintaining speed is crucial with any race but particularly important when the run only takes 3 to 5 minutes to complete. Matthew did come home fastest with a time of 2min 58sec. Close on his wheel was Nathan Dabbs and Ryder Chad tied for second with a time of 3min flat. They were followed closely in third by Ant Bateup.
Huge improvement seen by Leo Femor who is new to the club this season.
Tuesday 14th saw 15 riders turn up for the more traditional cross country racing. Matt once again set a new course and the riders split into A and B grades to test out the track. Although some protesting from a couple of younger riders wanting another gravity enduro night all seemed pretty happy with the course in the end with the mix of decending and climbing including a steep loose rocky ascent to the top of rubbish run before heading down to the start.
A grade completed six laps with our local XC champion Ruby Dobson dominating the race and finishing in 36:47 min to take out the top of the podium - a place she is now very familiar with. Second was Ant Bateup proving he is a force in both disciplines with a time of 40:40 min. To prove age is no obstacle came Bruce Halket in third with a time of 43:04min.
Due to the ease with which Finn Baker and Spencer Carmen raced their 4 laps in B grade they were given another lap and their own category pushing the rest of the riders into a newly created C grade. Spencer came in first with a time of 37:17 followed closely by Finn 37:41.
The rest of the riders fought it out for the C grade podium. Finishing the four laps in first place was Rueben Bateup (33:25min), Dave Bock in second (38:55) and Rylan Fox in third (44:07), the XC didn’t kill him after all. The younger riders really looked like they had been challenged as they rested up after the race. ( see photo). Thank you again to our timers and spectators.
Road race article headline
By Belinda Cipa
Text…Course 10 is a popular 25klm out and back ride for many Club Members with glorious rural views, undulating terrain, “punchy” climbs, and smooth flat time trial sections. Departing from Lords Oval along Malcolm Street, riders turn left at Howes Creek Road and follow to the end of the bitumen where Cummins Road intersects. A U-turn at this point sets riders to retrace back along Howes Creek Road, often giving those out front on handicap the opportunity to sight and assess the position of chasing groups before finishing just past the Malcolm Street intersection.
Head Marshall and “Trust my Numbers” Handicapper Dave Moore had all the equipment and running sheet ready for the 6.00 pm start. Commissaires were happy for Starter Mel Green to send Micala Jacobs off first and riding solo followed 4’ later by David Bock and John Eisner. Craig Wilson, Steve Curnow, and Tim Hall set off 2’30” later. Next up and 1’30” later was Belinda Cipa and Adrian Dowd who got acquainted for the first time on the start line, and ably chaperoned 1’30” behind by Janine Appleton. Darren Bakker and Tim Ross followed behind with another 1’30” gap to close. The final group of Steve Duke, Ryder Chadd, and Bruce Halket had to contain their enthusiasm (or find it) for another 1’30” before launching their chase. With Steve Curnow suffering a puncture and having to abandon early and Ryder Chadd having “a very hard day out”, the race essentially boiled down to pairs chasing pairs at 1’30” intervals. Adrian and Belinda were the most successful pair finishing 1st and 2nd. Craig finished strongly for 3rd, Janine and Tim 4th and 5th, Darren just behind and 6th. Steve Duke claimed 6th and the prize money for the fastest time with Bruce 5” behind and placing 7th. Tim Hall finished a further 7” behind in 8th. Just under 1’30” behind were John Eisner and Dave Bock and, remarkably, with another time gap just under the miracle 1’30’ number Micala finished in a time of 58’12”. Ryder was the last and arguably the most relieved rider to cross the finish line.
Thank you to all Marshalls and the Mansfield Hotel for assisting, encouraging, and supporting our local races. Thank you to all drivers for your courtesy in passing us safely on these roads.
Here are the results and below is a pic showing three things: 1 - those Orcoda jerseys look alright; 2 - doesn’t Darren look as though he had fun; and 3 - how badly we need Tony back to take some decent photos!
Ride2School Day
Ride2School Day is just around the corner - Friday 24 March.
Here’s all the info you need from the TAC - let’s get a few more kids out of their parents car and onto a bike!
Finally…
A note from Annina Gallagher from AusCycling Victoria about the Mansfield Hotel Tour powered by Orcoda:
Thanks again for all your work and support for putting on another great event in Mansfield. The weather certainly didn’t disappoint either! 😊 I believe overall the event ran very smoothly, including the new stage 1 ITT.
Please pass on a massive thank you to all your volunteers as well as sponsors. They all did a fabulous job and riders very much appreciated it with very positive feedback from everyone I spoke to.
Save the Date - Sunday 2nd April 2023
This is an unsupported ride on open public roads in Jamieson area to be held on Sunday 2nd April 2023, including 5 stages.
Stage 1 - Mansfield to Jamieson, 36 kms
Stage 2 - Jamieson, Licola rd to end of bitumen and return, 13kms.
Stage 3 - Jamieson-Eildon rd to Bald Hill Gap and return, 25 kms
Stage 4 - Jamieson to 10 Mile return, 31 kms
Stage 5 - If your still keen (and Darren Bakker ha ha), return to Mansfield 36 kms
The intention is to meet at Jamieson township between 10-11am for coffee and again at Jamieson Brewery, Lake Side Hotel for lunch at 1pm.
For more information and to confirm your intention (either riding or helping out), please contact Allan Gerrans on 0427 250 035.