Charlie Cheffins, one of the Gabriola cycling group, had his Cannondale stolen a couple of days ago. He thinks it is no longer on Gabriola and may be in the Nanaimo area. Please keep your eyes skinned and call  Charlie at 250 247 9966. The bike serial number is U094314

If you haven't marked this one on you calendar already, do it now. The Gabriola stages of the race on the 21st. of May will be the best rides in any of the BC Masters' series this year and there's the bonus of being able to examine the Varna HPV world record holder and chat with builder Georgi Georgiev,  The $30 entry fee is half what it should be so the ferry cost over to Gabriola shouldn't hurt your pocket. Make this the most successful masters' race to date.

Tonight's Boxwood criterium saw 12 starters. Not a lot but the numbers are gradually climbing. After a couple of neutralised laps, the bunch picked up the pace, leaving novice Drew Cooper out in the wind. At the first prime, it was Ian Smith easily winning the sprint from Lionel Space (MIVA) Soon afterwards, Everti's rapid master rider, Mike Sevcov, sprinted off the front but was pulled back within three laps. Then Chris Cameron (NRC), last week's winner cruised off the front of the pack, taking new road rider Mark Wieler with him. They were caught within a lap and Ron Hewitson, (Nanaimo MTB Club) surged ahead.

By the end of the lap, he too had been reined in and Sevcov again took up the lead at the bell for the second prime. Ian Smith (MIVA associate) stretched out the pack with a rapid acceleration, caught Sevcov and took the prime.. Sevcov then managed to bridge up to him and the pair stayed away for the next three laps.

Cameron , not content to let the duo make any time on the group, bridged with Wieler and the pair stayed away but were soon joined by Sevcov and Hewitson. However, with seven laps to go, the race came together again with Smith adding the third prime to his spoils.

For the remaining six laps, the group stayed together until the final sprint. Ron Hewitson was ideally placed as they came round the final corner and stole the win with Smith and Chris Cameron coming in second and third.

The race was notable in that only three of the original twelve starters were lapped and seven were still together at the end.

Three new members joined MIVA this evening and the club membership is now up to fifty-four.

Thanks to cone man Iain Hay, to son, Brodie for looking after the lap board and bell and to Kit McCaffery for registration and controlling our incorrigible Springer, Socks.

RESULTS

1	Ron Hewitson	Nanaimo MTB Club	51-05
2	Ian Smith	NRC/MIVA	s.t.
3	Chris Cameron	NRC/MIVA	s.t.
4	Charles Hamer	MIVA	s.t.
5	Mike Sevcov	Everti	s.t.
6	Kirby Villeneuve	Nanaimo MTB Club	s.t.
7	Iain Hay	MIVA	s.t.
8	Mark Wieler	MIVA	s.t.
9	Rob Bau	MIVA	At 1 lap
10	Bill McMillan	Nanaimo MTB Club	At 1 lap
11	Drew Cooper	MIVA	Lapped
	Lionel Space	MIVA	DNF

Primes

1       Ian Smith   2. Ian Smith    3 Ian Smith

Members of the first 6 teams to register for the MIVA team time trial this Thursday will receive a rare Tim Horton poster of current Pan Am time trial and road race gold medal winner Clara Hughes. Registration will open at 6.30pm just west of junction of Nanaimo River Road and White Rapids Road.

Many cyclists fall victim to flats resulting from the great amount of debris on the Island Highway shoulders. This garbage is especially bad between Duncan and Parksville. MIVA has already reported the problem to the contractor responsible for maintaining this section of highway. We suggest that all our readers who reside in the Mid Island region also contact them to outline your concerns.

Emcon Services Inc. 1-866-353-3136