CYCLING IN CUBA

CONNECT WITH OUR CUBAN CONNECTION Here's some news from Peter Marshall, who organises the Cuban Tours we publicise. You really should consider a cycling trip to Cuba as it will prove to be an unforgettable experience!

SEP. 23rd. OBB WHEELERS 5.5km HILLCLIMB, DUOMONT RD./WIEGLES RD..
SEP. 23rd.  OBB WHEELERS 5.5km  HILL CLIMB, DUOMONT RD./WIEGLESRD.

Until about half an hour before the scheduled 6.15pm

start it looked like being a fine fall evening but then the

skies opened and rivers of water coursed down the

steeper parts of tonight’s hill. As a result most of the

potential starters stayed away and only three riders

turned up.

OBB regular, Patrick Burnham was first off but was

caught by minute man Bryan Rehill, Tri BC  and by

eventual winner, Derek Brain, Everti, by the halfway

point of the course. Bryan then carried on  but he too

was caught by the fast moving Everti rider right at the

finish line. Brain’s time was just over a minute

outside Frontrunner, Stefan Jacobsen’s course record

of 12’ 27” but,  at 13’ 31”, was the second fastest time

for the Duomont climb to date. Kudos to Dave Kenny

and John Hannon who braved the inclement weather

to set up the course. Find results here

This final hill climb conclu des the OBB Wheelers time

trial series for 2010, with only the hill climb championship

on October 9th. still to come. Thanks to all the riders and

volunteers for making this our most successful season to

date, with a total of 74 competitors riding one or more

events.

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.

LA Z BOY CRITERIUM CHAMPIONSHIP

LA Z BOY CRITERIUM CHAMPIONSHIP. Wednesday 22nd. of September is the final race in the criterium series and also the championship event. Overall placings in both men's and womens'  categories are still in doubt with only a few points separating the top few placings and DOUBLE POINTS up for grabs in this final race. Let's have the best possible turnout.

By the way, if you have any ideas for increasing participation next season, please post a comment.