West Head Road Race, Nov 9

Road cycling & upcoming rides
Matt T
Posts: 69
Joined: 21 Aug 2013, 23:47
Location: Marrickville/Stanmore

Postby Matt T » 02 Nov 2014, 19:14

Hi all,

Is anyone up for a road race at West Head next Sunday?

http://www.manlywarringahcc.org.au/even ... #more-1791

I'm going to enter in D-grade. It's a pretty lumpy course with open ages, so from my rather limited race experience I reckon D-grade is roughly equivalent to Waratahs C-grade (I raced in D-grade there in April).

Anyway it's a great course, and from what i understand it's one of the few regular road races in the Sydney region.

Liamo
Posts: 31
Joined: 20 Jan 2014, 10:43

Postby Liamo » 06 Nov 2014, 10:27

Hi Matt,

I've entered B grade. There were limited positions left in each grade, only 2 of 40 positions left in B grade when I registered late last night.

See you there

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jonboy
Posts: 353
Joined: 01 Sep 2011, 20:26
Location: Marrickville

Postby jonboy » 06 Nov 2014, 21:24

Matt.

D grade? Are you serious? If you are D grade, then I'm F grade.

I think they call you lot 'burglars'

Jdubs
Posts: 121
Joined: 09 Oct 2013, 11:47

Postby Jdubs » 07 Nov 2014, 14:36

Gutted that I missed out on Pre-reg. I was going for D as well, and there seems to be none.
How do I find out if there are any spots on the day?

Matt T
Posts: 69
Joined: 21 Aug 2013, 23:47
Location: Marrickville/Stanmore

Postby Matt T » 08 Nov 2014, 19:30

Hey Jon,

I've raced West Head once before in April as a D grade - and got unceremoniously dropped about 7km in, rode the rest of race solo! The competition oop North is a bit tougher than Waratah Masters. My goal for tomorrow is to not get shelled again!

Matt T
Posts: 69
Joined: 21 Aug 2013, 23:47
Location: Marrickville/Stanmore

Postby Matt T » 08 Nov 2014, 19:35

Jdubs, unfortunately the MWCC site says that all spots are filled and there won't be any others on the day. But there's always next month :-)

Liamo
Posts: 31
Joined: 20 Jan 2014, 10:43

Postby Liamo » 10 Nov 2014, 13:57

A short report – MWCC – Akuna Bay West Head - B Grade SRAM

Race numbers are capped at 20 for each grade. There are 2 races for A B & C and 1 D grade. There is no difference between the fields one and two for the B & C grades – whereas A grade is split based on ability (the exceptionally good riders and the insanely good riders)

Racing starts from Akuna bay and then there are two laps of the road to west head. The race starts with roughly 3 Km's of climbing, followed by an up and down 45kms with some steep crests.
I was comfortable enough climbing out of Akuna Bay, breathing heavy but able to stay in the first half of riders. By the first turnaround around 12 of the 20 of us riders remained. Just before hitting west head for the second time (1/2 a lap remaining) 3 riders went away. One of which had a partner he stayed away with to win at the Newington Armory Crit I was at earlier in the week, a lean Manly rider who climbed out of Akuna without a sign of distress and a third rider who was riding on the front of the race simply because the pace would have been too slow if he hadn’t. Four others followed and then four more - I was in the second group of four. We tried hard to catch the four who were chasing the front three but never quite got there, we gave up the chase with about 7 k to go and finished roughly 3 minutes behind the winners.

Limited bunch size, lumpy terrain and having some slightly more gifted riders in the bunch willing to go off the front lead to exciting and at times excruciating racing.

Too buggered to do much the rest of the day (no sympathy expected from the Newcastle overnight riders) which was a shame because Newtown festival was on just down the road.

Congratulations to Matt on third place in D grade.

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jonboy
Posts: 353
Joined: 01 Sep 2011, 20:26
Location: Marrickville

Postby jonboy » 10 Nov 2014, 15:14

Great report. And well done Matt on a podium finish.


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