The Mid Island Velo Association executive has recently appointed Iain Hay as the club's volunteer coordinator. All organisers have problems getting enough helpers to run a safe and well-run event. Without these volunteers, there would be no races, so get your name in to Iain at roubaix5312@hotmail.com. Remember, all volunteers who are MIVA members will get 5 points towards their series totals each time they help out
MIVA (Mid Island Velo Association) member, Cheryl Morch, is setting up a kid's programme in Lantzville, Vancouver Island to introduce youngsters to the joys? of organised riding. She is looking for about 15 used kids bikes in good condition. If anyone in Nanaimo area has a used child's bike(s) for donation, please let MIVA know at pakamac@gmail.com and we'll pass on the information.
In the men's competition, there's a real nail biter, with top 3 riders having 27 points each! Charlene Hay is comfortably in the lead in the women's competition and son Brodie has a commanding lead in the youth contest. For full details, go to the results page.
A beautiful, warm evening greeted the participants in MIVA's 3rd. Tuesday criterium - 40 minutes plus 5 laps.Right from the gun, Nanaimo Road Club's Chris Cameron picked up the speed with the rest of the bunch hanging on and wishing they had done more of a warm-up. Chris and local rider Ian Smith continued to push the pace and, by lap three, the duo had established a fifteen second gap. The following lap, Cameron passed the line on his own, with Smith and Ladysmith import Lionel Space chasing. Meanwhile, the rest of the group were steadily dropping back and Craig Dick an Ontario rider, in his first race in twenty years, was left to battle on behind.
Soon Space, who had not done any pre-race warm-up, dropped back to the bunch and Smith rejoined Cameron at the front.
The pair took fifteen seconds every circuit out of the rest of the group and by lap fourteen had lapped them., Ian Smith winning the first prime. Three laps later, Cameron again picked up the pace and broke from the bunch, taking Space and new rider Kyle Waring with him.
Cameron and Space continued to draw away, with Space taking the second prime but Waring had had enough and dropped back to the pack. And that's the way it stayed until the final lap. Chris Cameron beat Lionel Space for the win and since Space was a lap down he took third. Rob Bau took the bunch sprint and finished in fourth place with second placed Ian Smith cruising in a couple of spots behind him.
The lone woman entrant, Charlene Hay, used the race tonight to develop her pack skills, and after being lapped fairly early, managed to hang on to the group for most of the rest of the race.
Thanks to Brodie Hay (bell and lap board, and to Iain Hay and Dave Kenny for course take down.
Good news for participants in the MIVA Tuesday criteriums - your placings are now eligible to go towards Cycling BC upgrade points. Thanks to Kevin McQuish for this information.