KOCC - stay or transfer to HDCC?

[The Ferret]

GCFR,

Yoo'll have to stand in line if you want to brag about how good you used to be. Getting your teeth done as well, you could be I. Lovell. Next, he'll be back at the track as well. Overcome your fear son. Have a start somewhere. Shalom

Your friend

The Ferret

[Gai M]

Yoo'll have to stand in line if you want to brag about how good you used to be. Getting your teeth done as well, you could be I. Lovell. Next, he'll be back at the track as well.....

Ferret not only likes to teach, but is also a prophet.

 If I am not mistaken, Ian Lovell was there at the track last night, (on his bike- not in the rent-a-crowd).

 Or maybe, this snippet of "information" lends a clue to Ferret's identity ?

BTW, check the spelling of the first "word".
I didn't think it was in character for the Ferret to make spelling errors.

from one who doesn't have past exploits to brag about, and unlikely to in the future, either.

[giantcfr1]

Monahan - didn't you pull on a rainbow jersey a couple of years ago - that's an exploit to be bragged about - something that has yet evaded me. The age category and number of riders in the race doesn't have to be mentioned - bask in the glory of your world championship medal and make promises of a return one day.

[giantcfr1]

"Overcome your fear son. Have a start somewhere"


well Ferret - I took your advice and raced at Kooragang today - 1st in D grade - its not the Olympics but its a start. I decided to join HDCC in the end for a couple of reasons

1) I have a special association with HD from my junior years of racing - riders like Thor and his former sidekick really befriended me and helped me feel welcome in the cycling scene despite being from another club. Mick Chapman was also a huge influence in my life as a teenager and often stood up for me against the NSWCF, the NSWIS and my own local institute of sport.
2) From chatting with others, and my own research, HD seems to have the dominant influence on the track and seems to achieve more at a state level - at least according the results off the NSWCF website
3) in terms of team sprints HD seems to be able to get teams together more consistently to race at state level and achieved a silver i think at the state titles this year.

anyway i enjoyed racing today and look forward to much more.

from the latest HDCC club member.

[The Ferret]

GCFR,

Well son, you've seen the light. You've taken the first step and turned up. You've made the right move and joined HD. Son, what did you do to require Mick Chapman to jump to your aid where NSWCF was involved? And NSWIS? And where is your local institute of sport? See, all these questions son, and yet, no one would have asked you had you not won tonight. Taking that first step might actually help you get somewhere. Keep up the good work son.

Your friend

The Ferret

[giantcfr1]

Ferret - i think the light was always in me - planted long ago by the aforementioned deities in the HD club.

In 1995 the NSWIS in conjunction with NSWCF (the NSWIS coaches were basically the NSWCF commitee members) developed 3 'satellite squads' across the state based on three geographical areas. Each squad had 5 riders selected from the regions involved. The squad appointed to Mick Chapman consisted of 3 HD riders, myself and another rider from Tamworth (Thor was one of the HD riders). Our key long term focus was to train riders capable of competing at the 2000 Olympics. 18 months later due to funding issues the squads were disbanded and we were told to go back to our local academies (for me it was Northern Inland Academy of sport). I didn't want to train under the coaches for NIAS as i knew them and weren't too impressed with their coaching methods. Under Mick i was training up to 700km a week as a 15 year old and the results were showing. The first training program i received from NIAS was simply 30 km a day at recovery heart rate. We rang Mick and he generously offered to keep training me in secret. Eventually the coach of NIAS found out and we were reported to NSWCF/NSWIS. Mick stepped in and had a word with some high ranking members of the NSWCF and the result was that NIAS would still give me the funding and administration support, but Mick would send me programs and work with my father to help train me from a distance. He continued to support my family and i for years to come.

Mick was usually at odds with the NSWCF as he had a very strong commitment to country cyclists and a passion particulalry for juniors. The NSWCF were training a group of city cyclists and did not really appreciate having the country cyclists come up and beat the riders they had invested so much into. In 1996 i won the NSW junior road championships and my parents were told immediately after the race ' don't think this gets him in the state team, we see what happens in the race'. Problem is that my dad was driving the lead car and saw me always at the front taking fair turns with a small group of people while others chose to sit on and wheelsuck. I remember Mick walking over to dad and saying "put your hands in your pockets and walk away". Then he went over and chatted to a couple of the selectors and one came over and told dad not to worry that i would be in the team. This is just a sampling of the politics we went through in the old cycling days and Mick helped us through it every time.

and that is my own real life soapie drama.

[Metro Commuter]

GCFR,

Well done.  You walked past me - I was the 2nd largest guy at racing - and you look trim!  Well, compared to me anyway.  Well done on the 1st place.

I saw another high profile KOCC former A grader sign up with HDCC last night. You might have made the correct decision.

Mick C was a good man.  He did a lot behind the scenes to help Brian Radcliffe out after his accident at the velodrome.

[giantcfr1]

 Metro - I saw a couple of larger guys racing in higher grades and i was impressed at how well they are doing. I thought i would be the fattest guy there. There was one particularly tall and large rider i saw as i was leaving - not sure if it was you - but he looked fit and seemed to ride well. I weighed in today at 98kg and am hoping to get down to 90 in a couple of months. If you see me around come up and say G'day - I won't be there next week because i'll be on holidays.

I was fairly impressed with the juniors in D grade who did most of the turns and kept attacking and chasing. I'm assuming they are on junior gearing so an even better effort to keep up.

I really miss Mick - its not the same being at an event and not seeing him around.

[Metro Commuter]

GCFR - The really really big guy is Gav "I ate 16 sherpas when I ascended Everest" Vickers - he makes me feel tiny, and is a superb wheel to sit on especially in a crit.  Not sure what he weighs but is at least 4 inches taller than my 6'1" and he is solid.  I think Gav is racing HDCC B grade but usually races A grade.

I was the next largest - I weigh about 109 kg.  Race B grade everywhere but HDCC, where I am in C grade. When the HDCC handicapper starts counting crit results I might get out of C grade (can't wait - the sprints are deadly with numpties everywhere), as I very rarely race HDCC on Friday nights (which do count to grading) due to work committments in Wyong, so I usually race @ North Wyong.

[Gai M]

GCFR

You put the spring back into my step!!

my rainbow jersey is indeed a prized possession.


However, there are some in the cycling community with different attitudes to people like you.

Some expect me to be surprised if a man younger than my oldest son (38 this year) does a flying 200
faster than me on his first attempt.

Some would say that my medal was not a "real victory".

However, if the World Masters Track Champs return to Australia in the next 12 years or so, I will give it another shot.

After the accident I had on the road about 4 weeks before the championships, I think it was an achievement just to get on
the track and compete. (against GP's advice).  The Victorian women, in particular were very supportive.

In October 2010, at the next championships in Portugal, there was again, a pitiful showing by my age-group.  Not one even entered their name for the sprint.
Does that mean that I am the "current" WM6 sprint champion until Manchester later this year?

[giantcfr1]

Monahan - indeed recovering from an accident so close to the championships is an outstanding achievement. I originally quit cycling after a number of operations from crashes.

I think that the UCI as well as other international/ national sporting and governing bodies needs to promote more involvement in the higher masters divisions if not simply for the health benefits. I would assume that alot of women in the WM6 age range would have been through alot of painful life experiences - loss of loved ones, husbands, children etc; divorces, bankruptcy etc. the list is endless and i believe that competing in sporting events would help to give a focus and prevent excessive health problems. From what i can gather about you from posts on here you are very persistent in competing regardless of the lack of numbers and being in the lowest grades. Most women would just stop going, but you continue to do so. You would be a good example for the UCI/ ACF to use in promoting the values and spirit of masters racing. Does the ACF give any financial support for you to compete in world masters championships? perhaps if the national governing bodies of each country helped out with expenses, more people would compete in the  higher age categories.

You may see me on the track in a couple of months - would be interesting to see what time my first flying 200m would be after 12 years.

[Daddy Walrus]

Join HVV and move on with your life.
I left HDCC after 2 years for no other reason than to spread the love.
There are 3 clubs.
You can race anywhere.
In 2 years I may be joining the amalgamated super club owned and run by el Presidente MC. Riding with a cigar in one hand. To his side Che Gueferret.

Look out I'm spreading the love!!!

[The Ferret]

DW,

Didn't you leave HD to race two grades higher at HVV and call yourself an A or B grader? (I prefer the latter). Son, there might be three clubs but one is going ahead in leaps and bounds. If my mail is correct (and we all know the answer to that) you left because of your allegiance to the WAMM Team (which roughly translates to, "Where is the wind blowing from?"). Shalom

Your friend who does spread the love

The Ferret

[Gai M]

Three clubs!

There is a fourth, though much smaller than the main "Newcastle clubs".

If you like doing distance, and hills, Cessnock is a possibility.

Not promoting my local club (which I left as fast flat courses suit my abilities better)
but just leaving no stone unturned.


BTW

the new HD jersey looks great- the best of all the local offerings.
IMHO it's design would meld well with other(any of them) local clubs in the event of a merger.

[The Ferret]

Fast gai,

If my mail is correct, you left Cessnock because it wasn't training your speed!!

You must be in the know to see the latest HD design. The Ferret hasn't even seen it yet!!

Your friend

The Ferret