Planning a few hard home trainer sessions this winter? If you are in the market for a new home trainer and are wondering about the features, effectiveness etc. here is a really good review of the different types of trainer - wind, magnetic and fluid.
Whether you are going to use yout trainer at home, or lug it to a group session at another location, noise, portability, resistance options, durability, and PRICE should all be considered.
It's that time of the year when the road season winds down and everyone's thoughts turn to 'Cross. On Vancouver Island we have one of the best cyclo-cross series in Canada, the Cross-on-the-Rock races, coordinated by Frontrunners' owner and national age-group champion,, Normon Thibault. Various organisers put on the different events in the series and, this year, MIVA is hosting the Beban Park 'cross on October 15th.
The Fall "Introduction to Bicycle Racing" programme for Pleasant Valley Elementary School in Nanaimo has been put on hold until the Spring and will be replaced by a bike fitting and maintenance session and a workshop on road safety for cyclists. Plans are presently underway to form a road cycling group at Nanaimo District Secondary School. Cyclist and teacher, Luc Begin will be helping to coordinate this with the school Athletic Director.
Highway 19 / College Drive SEPTEMBER 1ST. 2011
Six Starters for this event – four men and two women. The first 1.5 kilometres on the highway is quite fast, especially the mid-section where riders were going at 30+kph. Once on College Drive the road kicks up for a while at about 8% then eases off to give everyone a “rest”. The last half kilometre is the hard part, with a couple of sections in excess of 11%. The final 250 metres eases off so participants tend to finish fast. In the women's race, Janna Gillick finished just over half a minute faster than Cheryl Morch to take top points.
First rider to crest the hill was septuagenarian Dave Kenny in a very creditable time of 9' 28”. Next to finish was newcomer Alex Council, only just over half a minute ahead of Dave who is over three times his age! Last but one to finish was Bryan Rehill, with a time that beat the previous record for the hill by18 seconds. As final starter, Paul Auton approached the finish, it was clear that Bryan's new record would be beaten and sure enough, Paul finished in a new record time of 6' 55”!
Thanks to Kit McCaffery for registration, Phil Birrer for holding, and Shaun Boyd for acting as starting timekeeper.
We are still having issues with the results page - your editor can access it and add results but the users cannot so here are tonight's results.
MIVA COLLEGE DRIVE HILL CLIMB 11/09/01
| MEN | Pts. | ||
| Paul Auton | ABA | 6' 55” | 12 |
| Bryan Rehill | HCTC | 7' 05” | 10 |
| Alex Council | Ind. | 8' 55” | 9 |
| Dave Kenny | MIVA / Liverpool Mercury | 9' 28” | 8 |
WOMEN
| Janna Gillick | MIVA/HCTC | 8' 34” | 12 |
| Cheryl Morch | HCTC | 9' 06” | 10 |
Boxwood Circuit, August 30th. 2011 With one more race next week, tonight's turn-out was up again, with thirteen men and four – count 'em – four women
Everyone started together and it was good to see Glenda Harling staying with the men's pack for the first ten laps. Cheryl Morch, who arrived late, was put in with the two Charlenes but managed to get onto straggler John Higgin's wheel and the two worked well together for several laps, pulling away from Mesdames Hay and Stewart. Once they were lapped by the men's bunch, Cheryl stayed with them for half a dozen laps and looked really comfortable, although she said that she was really nervous. Expect to see her doing really well at the criteriums next year. Glenda Harling also kept with the men after she was first lapped and was now on the same lap as Ms. Morch. Eventually, the duo lappd the other two women and then the quartette rode together for the balance of the race.
In the men's event, things remained quiet for the first few laps but then, just before the bell for the first prime, Ray Wagner and John Lam rode off the front .Wagner held his position but Lam faded and Aaron Amar took up the chase to edge past Wagner to take the sprint.
On lap fourteen, Rob Russell escaped the pack and within a couple of laps was joined by Mike Sevcov and the pair took first and second for the next prime before easing back into the pack.
All was quiet for the next ten laps but at the bell for prime number three, Ray Wagner made a move, followed by Aaron Amar, Yukon visitor Aaron Foos, and mountain biker John Lam. However, as the peleton came round the fast bend and sped down towards the line, Kyle Waring made a superlative effort and easily took the white flag ahead of Rob Russell and Foos.
Just past the line, most of the bunch sat up and Russell seized the opportunity to dump the pack and go into time trial mode.
In the pack most of the riders were looking at each other, waiting for someone else to take up the chase. Soon the gap was up to twelve, fifteen and then twenty seconds. With two laps to go, it was obvious that Russell had the win, barring accidents, and the bunch was content to race for second place, which was taken by Aaron Amar, with Ray Wagner second and Mike Sevcov third.
Thanks to Kyle Waring and Phil Birrer for preparing the course tonight and to Tito Fontenia from Parksville, who was visiting the Boxwood circuit for the first time.
