October 4/08 9:23 am - Cross on the Rock Updates: Race #2 at Juan de Fuca Recreation Center in Victoria, News, Links and more

Posted by Editoress on 10/4/08
 

Cross on the Rock Race #2 at Juan de Fuca Recreation Center in Victoria
Courtesy Normon Thibault


The islands series are what racing is all about! -Rick Thiessen

LOTS of news in this week's pre-race update.

CAMERON CROSS THIS WEEKEND!!!!

Wendy Simms from KONA and Sean Lunny from Oak Bay Bikes will lead a pre-ride and mini clinic at 11:15 before the beginners event that anyone that is registered for the event can sit in on.

Looks like Sunday might be one of the nicest days in a while.....and if it isn't.....who cares as it is cross racing. Any weather. Any time (from September to November on the island). Because we love it!! Why is the race called "Cameron Cross" when last year it was called "Turkey Cross". Well first of all we are not on Thanksgiving weekend this year because the National Champs are insanely early....too early.....so no Turkey. The "Cameron" in the Title is representing Bob Cameron who supports and sponsors the IRC racing club that is putting on this event. Bob has been a cyclist and supporting cycling for longer than I have been riding. He would be making his personal cross debut at his namesake event BUT he has 4 broken ribs from racing at the Bastion Square criterium 2 weeks ago in Victoria.....so his cross debut will have to wait.

When we held this race at Juan de Fuca last year the victors in each of the categories were Marcel Arden from Victoria in the Intermediate category. In the women's race Wendy Simms beat Alison Sydor in one of her first cross races ever. In the Masters Category it was Normon Thibault. In Expert it was 2003 National Cross JR Champ, Max Plaxton, beating 2003 U23 National JR Champ Kris Sneddon. Well we know that Normon Thibault and Wendy Simms will both be back but they will both be racing Expert and not expected to win. Who else of last year's winners will be returning we are not sure.....but the racing will be great regardless. Hopefully we will see the series leaders there in each of the categories to defend their leads. No matter who shows up it will be a good time and we hope to see a great turn out.

This will be the last race before our Canadian National Champs (did I say.....too early??) so get your bike tuned up and your game face on!

See you Sunday!

The full event guide is posted on our web site (www.island-multi-sports.com). This guide, which we do for each event that has all the information that you usually need. Usually..... BUT if you have a question please feel free to e-mail us. (see contact info below )

Experience Cycling Club Announces Venue for Duncan Cross Race

With the sale and semi-destruction of the Duncan Fair grounds since last year's event the Experience Cycling Club has been working hard at scouting a new venue for their series event. We are all pretty pumped and excited that they have secured Providence Farm in Duncan for their race on October 19th. This farm is off-limits to bikes all the time because of the work they do there with horses and other programs they have so it is really-really-really fortunate to have the chance to race at this venue. We will post more information prior to the event as usual but we just wanted to start to get people excited about the new Duncan cross venue. Web site: www.providence.bc.ca

U-Tube Coverage of Diver Lake

We were surprised to find a few posts from our Diver Lake event on U-Tube.

Here are some links for you to check out (archaic style links):

Jeff Beeston bunnyhopping the barriers

Intermediate Race (with ACDC)

Beginner Race

Reminder (and good reason to drag someone new out to the events) No License Required to race

This event is a GRMBA sanctioned event (www.grmba.ca). You do NOT have to have a GRMBA affiliated club license to participate in this event. IF you do have a GRMBA affiliated club license then GREAT you MUST present it: SORRY no exceptions. IF you do not have one or do not have it with you then it is only an additional $5 to race for that day. Please don't let $5 decide if you are going to race these events or not! There are few events that you do not need a license for left and fewer that if you don't lave a license that it is only $5 extra....

Sorry a Cycling BC, Masters Cycling BC or other cycling association license does not cover you for this or any of our series events for this year.

WEEKLY SATURDAY MORNING GROUP 'CROSS RIDES IN VICTORIA

Leaving Oak Bay Bikes at 9am (same as the road group) is a new 'cross ride. This'll be a new weekly ride. We'll leave the shop with the group, and then split off at some point and head to a schoolyard/field/somewhere (any suggestions?) to practice 'cross skills. People of *all* levels are welcome! We can work on cornering, dismounts, cruising through oceans of sand, etc..

I have portable barriers and flags, so we can quickly set up a practice course, and you can do your own thing, or take the time to help others out (i'm happy to help how i can!)

Hopefully see ya out there - let me know if you're interested, and please forward this message on to invite others that would be interested in joining us!

For more information contact: Dave vegantrackie@gmail.com

Trail Day in Duncan

We are having a trail building weekend sponsored by ECC and IMBA... on Oct 25th and 26th... classroom and practical sessions on Cobble Hill mountain on how to build sustainable trails... a group ride to follow Sundays morning of work. I have posters and will send out a more formal email later but if you think of anyone who would be interested they can contact me. tara altimas tealtimas@hotmail.com

HELP US GET THE WORD OUT

I lost my complete cyclocross data base over last summer summer in a hard-drive meltdown so we need your help to get this information out. PASS THIS E-MAIL ON!! Feel free to forward this information on to anyone else in your club, organization or to riding partners as well as future cyclocrossers. We have beginner categories to encourage beginners to come out......so you don't need to be an expert cross racer. You don't even need a cross bike....a MTB will do fine. We love to see as many new faces as possible coming out to these events so drag someone new with you to ride, help out or be a spectator.

Special Thanks to for our next event:

IRC Racing Club of Victoria our organizers of Cameron Cross. West Shore Parks and Recreation our venue hosts. Straight Up Cycling Shop as our partner-support shop for Cameron Cross.

Any Questions?

Feel free to contact me at this e-mail address.
Normon Thibault at normont@islandnet.com

www.island-multi-sports.com