Monday, October 12, 2015

Photos

My friends Alex and Greg were out taking photos Saturday. Check back later for a link.
Alex's photos here.
Greg's photos here.

If you have photos you'd like to share please send me a link or send the photos and I can create an album for you.

Lost and Found

1) Wheelset left in the pit
2) Hoodie
3) Jacket
4) Tights
5) Track pump
6) Men's shirt
7) Camera lens cap

If any of them are yours email me (gsewell at mymts dot net) with a description so we can arrange to get them back to you. If I don't hear within a couple of weeks the clothes will go to Goodwill.

The Cost Of Organizing

Maybe not the cost you anticipate. Yes it is expensive in terms of dollars to host a cyclocross race and extremely expensive in terms of hours needed, but here I'm talking about the physical cost of setting up the course and running the race.

Those organizers who commit to a well run race have always known that there is a physical and mental cost to be borne. We're all volunteers who do it because we love the sport and without professional organizers there's no way around that. We just accept that our worst race of the year will be our own, but how much is the handicap? This year I've used a power meter on my cross bike for the first time and the cost at least to me seems to be 30 watts. Not insubstantial.

Nationals

I'm pleased to announce we were able to raise almost $1500 for Nationals (almost $1000 from the race and as promised a matching amount of a further $500) PLUS also offer a substantial prize purse.

Prizing

Prize Purse:
$620

Depth of prizing:
One level per every 5 competitors (one per every 3 in women's) to a maximum of five deep.

CX 1/2 Men  (5 of 28  -  $60->$20)
Jason Wiebe
Chris Prendergast
David Hamm
Dylan Harris
Matthew Blenkinsopp

CX 3 Men (5 of 30  -  $40->$20)
Scott Snider
Kailen Shackleton
Trevor Ketler
Travis Malcolm
Bob Friesen

CX 2/3 Women (3 of 7  -  $40->$20)
Becca Mann
Charlene Guenter
Sonia Tessier

CX 4 Men (5 of 30  -  $30->$10)
Ron Neufeld
Cody Brown
Gord Dalling
Chris Harrington
Steven Hawrysh

CX 4 Women (4 of 13  -  $30->$10)
Cindy Brown
Zoe Penno
Miriam Huebner
Cheryl Koop


Look for Gary Sewell next weekend at Southern Cross.

Thank You

Thanks to all who came out and helped us achieve a Thanksgiving record!

My deepest thanks to co-organizer Jarret LaBuick, Tania Gottschalk, Dave Dorning, Seema Saini, and Dave Bartel who gave whole days or more and asked nothing more than just tell us what needs to be done.

Big thanks to:
- Chris Harrington, Tom Slymkevich, Daniel Enns, Darcy Beer for hours of help with set-up.
- our awesome registration crew: Michael Feldschmid, Alex Reinhardt, Mike Ducharme, George Kroupa, Leslie Anthony, Sheila Cailleau, Bonnie Penno, and Karen De Blonde.
- race commentator extraordinaire Steve Scoles
- medics Darcy Beer and Patrick Palfreeman
- commissaires Nicola Bistyak, Deanne Weibe, and Scott Wiebe
- Karl Thordarson of the City of Winnipeg
- and anyone else who chipped in with fixing tape, marshalling, or just being awesome

There is a tradition in the cyclocross community of helping tear down at the end of the race. If you're not helping tear down sometimes you're not really getting it. A huge thanks to all those that just jumped in to help; Darcy, Fernie, and especially Tom, Dave B, Marc Fournier, Seema, Albert Falk, and Cam McLaren who after a long day stayed a good couple hours after the race till everything was done.


We'll see you all next year at our traditional date on the penultimate weekend of October. I can't promise 25 degree weather, but we'll have our usual European flair with free wieners/sausages for racers AND spectators and as has been our tradition some fabulous draw prizes.

The timers had planned to use electronic timing, but ran into some technical difficulties.
Results sheets:
CX 1/2 Men
CX 3 Men
CX 2/3 Women
CX 4 Men
CX 4 Women
Citizen
Kidz

Gary Sewell
Race Organizer

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Course Maps

Adult Course

Adult Start

Kidz Course





Friday, October 9, 2015

Pain Cave

It'll hurt. You'll love it.


Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Important Timing Information

There have been a number of issues with race timing lately.

The timers have asked that when you show up on race day to sign-in and show your race licence to the commissaires that you also bring:
1) your numbers
2) your helmet with the timing chip attached

This is for your benefit. Racers have been passing along incorrect information (race numbers and/or chip numbers) requiring the timers and officials to spend hours trying to adjust results. That is going to end. Incorrect number will equal no result. Make sure your effort is properly rewarded by bringing your chip and numbers along to the registration desk.

At 15 minutes prior to start time (5 minutes before seeding), riders will be asked to assemble by the timing structure to test that their chip is working and then will move directly to call-up by seeding. Note: this process will just ensure that your chip is being picked up by the timer. It won't associate the chip with you. That has to be done at the registration desk as above.

Friday, October 2, 2015

CrossTastic 2015 Race Info

We're keeping it tight and simple again this year in order to support Cyclocross Nationals. Get in, get some good hard laps in before Provincials and Nationals, tear down, and get out. All proceeds will go to Cyclocross Nationals and like last year I'll make a matching donation up to $500.

Links are up. Please note the race bible has been updated with new information on timing. See the bottom of the post.

Volunteers: We need race day volunteers please to work the registration desk from 10:30 to 12:30 and 12:30 to 2:30.
-We also need a medic, ideally from 11 until the end of the A event, but if someone could help from 1:00 until the end of the B event that would also help. We will supply a first aid kit. The medic will have a first aid area in a prime vantage point at the top of the hill. The odds of being called upon are slim. There is a $70 honorarium if someone takes the full shift.
-If you can help please email me at gsewell at mymts dot net

Registration: opens at 10:30 and closes 30 minutes before your race. Links to Waivers and Race Bible are below. EVERYONE will need to hand in a signed waiver. Please print out and bring a completed waiver to the race. It will speed things up for everyone.

Licenced Riders Only: All riders require an MCA/UCI race licence or citizen's licence. All rider's must show their licence to the commissaires and sign in.

Fee: $25 for all riders except Kidz Race. As per last year, net proceeds will go to support Cyclocross Nationals. No pre-registration. On site only. Cash only please (That means no cheques. Thank you.)

Schedule:
10:30 - registration opens
11:00 - course open for pre-riding*
12:00 - C Event
 1:00 - Kidz Race
~1:30 - course open for pre-riding
 2:00 - B Event
 3:00 - A Event

*if there is enough time between races pre-riding may also be allowed immediately following the C and B Events.
*cross has lots of cool people, but unless you're one of the volunteers setting up and have been cleared to do so pre-riding the course the day or morning before the course officially opens is never cool.

Categories:

Category
Event
Race Time
Race Day
Fee*
Citizen Licence
C
12:00
$25
CX4 Men
C
12:00
$25
CX4 Women
C
12:00
$25
Kids (10 and younger)
Kidz
1:00
Free
CX3 Men
B
2:00
$25
CX2/3 Women
B
2:00
$25
CX1/2 Men
CX1 Women
A
3:00
$25
*cash only please. Sorry no cheques, no credit cards.

Kidz Race is 1 or 2 laps of the Kidz course
C event is ~30 minutes
B event is ~40 minutes
A event is ~60 minutes

Safety:
You must wear your helmet whenever on your bike.
The race takes place in an active and open city park. Keep your head up at all times.

Next Year:
Next year we'll return to our traditional weekend on the penultimate Sunday of October and the full on BBQ will be back. We may even give away 5 bikes again!

Race Bible is here.
U18 waiver is here.
Adult waiver is here.

Carbon Ridley For Sale - ** SOLD **

Black Ridley X-Fire that served as my back-up bike.
Fits like a 54 road bike.
Carbon frame and fork. Ritchey carbon WCS seatpost. Crazy light EuroX Magnesium brakes. FSA KForce Light carbon crank set (172.5). 46/36 rings. SRAM Force carbon 10 speed groupo.


It's the little upgrades to make it faster or lighter that quickly kill you: KForce Light $900, EuroX Mag brakes $400, tubular wheels and tires $1000. Original build without the Zipps was just over $5500. The Zipps and pedals are not part of the sale. Saddle will be Fizik Antares.

$1775 with wheels (alloy tubulars with Sapim cx-ray bladed spokes and brand new Dugast Typhoons) or $1475 without. The wheels and tires themselves are worth $1000. Note the tires are 34mm which is legal in Manitoba Cross and so new I'll have to glue them up for you (which will take a couple of days before you can ride them).

For comparison a bare frame and fork are available on EBay right now (in a smaller size) for $1000 with shipping, not including import charges/taxes.

email me (gsewell at mymts dot net) if you have questions

Sunday, September 20, 2015

CrossTastic 2015

We're going to be "Turkey Cross" again this year to accommodate Nationals. Same idea and categories as last year; try to keep it quick and simple and proceeds will go to supporting Nationals. It is a bit of an awkward date for us so I hope you can help us by racing and volunteering. More to come.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

Thanks to everyone, especially our awesome volunteers. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I'll have the results up later today.

CX1/2 Men
CX1/2/3 Women
CX3 Men
CX4 Men
CX4 Women
Citizen

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Course


1100 stakes and miles of tape. Fast, flowing, and lots of pain. Hope you enjoy it.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Waivers and Race Bible

EVERYONE will need to hand in a waiver. Please print and fill out ahead of time to help speed things up for everyone.

Waivers have been formatted to print on normal 8.5 x 11 letter size paper.
Adult waiver is here.
U18 waiver is here.

Race Bible is here.

Monday, October 6, 2014

Volunteers

We need a few volunteers please to help the commissaires at the finish line and with registration (10:30-2:00). Ideally we'll split those jobs up so you'll only be needed for about 2 hours and we'll try to ensure that if your child or significant other is racing that you'll be able to see the end of their race.
Please email me at gsewell at mts dot net if you can help out.

Registration

Registration will open at 10:30 and close 30 minutes prior to your race. As soon as registration closes I will post the updated seeding list for your race. Please see below for important information about seeding for this race.

Seeding

With the last points available to propel you to the front of the cyclocross cup you'll want to be seeded as far up as possible.

As there is no pre-reg, seeding will be done the old fashioned way: you'll need to initial the TWO seeding lists by your name at registration. Marshalling will take place 10 minutes before your scheduled start time. One of the lists will be posted ahead of marshalling to give you an idea of what row you are in.

Sorry we need to keep this tight. If you don't initial the seeding lists because;
  • You forgot - you'll get to start from the back
  • You couldn't find the list - you'll get to start from the back
  • You missed marshalling - you'll get to start from the back
  • You thought someone said you don't need to sign the seeding sheet- you'll get to start from the back
  • You thought we weren't seeding - you'll get to start from the back
  • Anything else - well you get the idea

Race Day Details

You'll need to print out the waiver and bring it to the race. If you could please do that ahead of time that will speed things up on race day. The waiver will be up late tonight.

Here is the schedule:
Category
Event
Race Time
Race Day
Fee*
Citizen Licence
C
12:00
$20
CX4 Men
C
12:00
$20
CX4 Women
C
12:00
$20
Kids 
Kidz Race
1:00
Free
CX3 Men
B
1:30
$20
CX1/2/3 Women
B
1:30
$20
CX1/2 Men
A
2:30
$20
*cash only please

Pre-Riding: the course will be open for pre-riding at 11:00.

Kidz Race is 1 or 2 laps of the Kidz course
C event is ~30 minutes
B event is ~40 minutes
A event is ~60 minutes

Thursday, October 2, 2014

CrossTastic 2014 is TurkeyCross

CrossTastic has moved from it's traditional weekend this year to accommodate Cyclocross Nationals. This is the Saturday of the long weekend so we're keeping it tight and focused and going to run it throwdown style (meaning we need help from the community; set-up, race, tear down, and we're outta there). With lots of hands it'll seem like nothing at all.

Traditionally cyclocross is very community based and we need volunteers to make it happen this year; the equivalent of three volunteers from 11:00 till about 3:30 to help with registration and to help the commissaires with the finish line. Each position can be shared amongst people.

This year it's all about the racing. Get in, have an awesome race, and get out so there's lots of time for the weekend. This will also be the last of the five cyclocross cup races. There will be no pre-reg. Just $20 cash at the desk. All proceeds will go to support Cyclocross Nationals. Sorry, there's no open race this year. You need a licence.

Whittier Park is the last original local cross venue and the longest continuously running Manitoba cyclocross race.

More details to follow.