LA Z BOY CRITERIUM CHAMPIONSHIP
OBB WHEELERS LA Z BOY CRITERIUM CHAMPIONSHIP Nanaimo, September 22nd. 2010
The 2009 La Z Boy Criterium Championship was notable
for another disappointing turnout. Only seven riders
showed up on a beautiful, calm, sunny evening to contest
this last race in the series (thanks guys, much appreciated).
Since Brodie Hay, OBB was present, the first four laps
were neutral. Once the race proper commenced, fast man,
Don Gillmore took off almost immediately and, in one lap,
opened up a five second gap that grew to fourteen seconds
by the next one. The bunch then started to work together
and held Gillmore to fourteen seconds for three
more laps but then the Schwalbe rider started to steadily
draw away, gaining between ten and twenty-five seconds
every lap.
By lap fourteen Don lapped the bunch but they were unable
to stay with him and he pulled away yet again and in the
next seven laps he lapped the field a second time.
For the final seven laps everyone stayed together, except
Don Thompson and Iain Hay who had to leave the race
before the finish. With one lap to go, all lined up planning
their strategy for the final sprint but, at the line, it was Don
Gillmore winning by a couple of lengths from Everti’s Derek
Brain, with Lionel Space, Port Alberni, 3rd. all with the
same time. Wendy Simms, who had stayed with the bunch
for the entire race, coasted in nine seconds later. Full results here.
Thanks to Dave Kenny and John Hannon for help with
setting up and taking down the course.
This winter we will hold discussions with some of our
regular riders about how to improve the turnout. One sugg
-estion was to move the criteriums to Tuesday and alternate
with the Nanaimo Racing Club’s Cedar road races.