NANAIMO ROAD HILL CLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP

October 20^th. 2012

 On what turned out to be a beautiful but brisk morning, only eight riders showed up to compete in the Nanaimo Hill climb Championship. This contrasts with last year's staring field of fifteen.The Bellingham cyclo-cross and the provincial CX championship kept a few riders away.

The riders were seeded in reverse order of anticipated times. First of was Brodie Hay who rode steadily and managed to keep ahead of Patrick Burnham, who had taken time during his lunch hour and wasriding on his customary fixed wheel. He had had upped his gear to gain time on the three kilometre run up to Wiegles Road but he was over-geared and struggled on the steep bits to keep the pedals going round. Next off and first to finish was Laurie Baildham who managed to improve on her personal best and was almost totally exhausted at the top of the climb. Menno Jongsma passed Brodie just before the finish and Ron Hewitson, who started one minute later, passed Patrick. The three fastest riders all had trouble stopping their rear wheels from spinning in the last kilometre as the road surface was quite wet . In fact, winner Paul Auton lost time, eventually winning the event but finishing seventeen seconds outside his record for the climb. Iain Hay. After the race, Menno, Ron and Laurie joined timekeeper Peter at the Black Bear for some beverages and a well-earned plate of he pub's delicious nachos.                Photos here

It's just a month to the Cross on the Rock cyclo-cross championship which MIVA is organising. And then the club's weekly indoor trainer sessions start.Watch for details of these on bikeracing.ca.

 

MIVA is pleased to announce that the popular indoor trainer sessions started last winter will return again this year. The weekly sweatfests will start on November 29th and go through to 28th. with a two week break for the Christmas season.February .  Location is Pleasant Valley School on Dunbar Road. We have booked the school gymnasium for 2 hours - from 7.30pm to 9pm. This will give participants ample time to set up their trainer/bike and to put everything away afterwards. The actual sessions start at 8pm and go for an hour, using the great Sufferfest videos. The videos are projected onto a 24 foot wide screen and the soundtrack is played through an awesome audio system.

Cost for each session is $5 or you can prepay  for all sessions with a one time payment of only $50.

This Saturday, the Nanaimo Hill Climb Championship will take place on the Duomont / Wiegles course. Registration opens at 10.30am at Pleasant Valley Community Centre on Duomont Road and first rider is off at 11.01 from just past the Black Bear. The finish is at the end of the paved road about six hundred metres past the Nanaimo Moto Cross course. Entry fee is $10. Under 18 and you ride for free. Afterwards, there will be an informal get-together at the Black  Boar - oops! I mean the Black Bear (Robin Hood will not be in attendance). All come out and see if Paul Auton's record of 12'00" will be beaten this year.

We do need  volunteers for starting timekeeper and holder, and marshal on the Duomont junction

Awards will be given out at the MIVA Awards Night  at The Longwood Brew Pub, on November 22nd.

Another great showing yesterday by MIVA at Farmer Bill's in Port Alberni. As usual, Norm and the rest of the Cross on the Rock team put together a fun race with categories and prizing for riders of all abilities. Results are posted here. Russell and Mykelti were out there shooting and put this youtube video together to showcase the Intermediate and Master's races. I'm not sure how they managed to put it together so quickly - I'm still not done cleaning my bike! Also available are Patrick's photos, which show even more of the mud and fun!

Next Sunday is the provincial race in North Vancouver. The week after that Cross on the Rock returns to Ladysmith, complete with licensed beer garden. It doesn't get better than that.

MIVA riders again made their mark.  Despite the rain and the threat of strong winds, nineteen of the club members, including three associates, participated in this mud fest.  MIVA had more riders participating than any other club.

-Janna

P.S. Props to Russell on his Chemistry videos too. (Yep. I'm a chemistry nerd too.)

Please take note of some schedule changes: -MIVA AGM & Awards Night is now on Thursday November 22nd -MIVA Thursday Night Cyclo-Cross Clinics/Races have wrapped up for the season