HOMEAboutApplicationArchivesBuy-SellCalendarClothingClub RecordsExecutive
FAQsHistoryLinksResultsTrophiesYouth

May 2002 Newsletter

 

GARNETT ABBEY’S EASTER WEEKEND

 

Garnett is a guy who’s told me “The more I ride, the better I get.”  His big win in the Master B,C,D race on Good Friday can be attributed, in part, to his “ride, ride, ride” philosophy.  

Not one to rest on his laurels, Garnett was at it again the day after Good Friday, for Gary Scully’s “Exit to Eden” ride, a competitive “Sportif” from Burlington to Eden Mills and back, along with a dozen or so other riders.  Toward the end, there were attacks and Garnett found himself “away” with Paul Rego as they rode southward on Walker’s Line, near #2 Side Road.  Other riders pursued them, including Chris Kiziak who noticed a pick-up truck entering southbound Walker’s off # 2 S.R. 

Here is a censored version of Chris Kiziak’s story describing what followed: 

The Eden ride went well today until the most outrageous road-rage incident in the G.T.A.  Only a few kilometres from the finish on Walker’s Line we met Mr. Redneck with his trusty ford Ranger pick-up truck.  A succession of grinder hills saw Rego and Garnett pull away.  Cavanagh, Tony A., Jid and myself were on the chase.  At a tight bend near #2 Side Road, we saw a pick-up truck turn onto Walker’s.  He seemed immediately to be P.O.’ed that two-wheeled men in lycra were present.  Rego and Garnett passed #2 S.R. to continue south on Walker’s.  The pick-up truck came to an abrupt stop, purposely to be a *&%#. 

 

Cavanagh made a motion like “what the #*&! mate” and rode an inch off his bumper; immediately you knew this guy was looking for trouble.  He gunned it and went ahead to Garnett and Rego and did a swerve and brake test.  Rego went ballistic with arms flailing in the air.  Garnett gave him the “what the  #*&! is your problem?” routine. 

 

We rode by, thinking they are just gonna yell at each other and that will be it.  Well………..not!  I think I heard a CRUNCH sound, then the pick-up truck raced ahead of us with Garnett in the back; like a ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ incident.  I thought Garnett was just acting like a lunatic but could not believe my eyes as the guy raced off, swerving all over the road with Garnett freaking out in the back. 

 

What happened was the idiot truck driver played brake tag with Garnett and Rego.  Garnett’s bike hit the lowered tailgate throwing him into the back of the truck.  His bike was now toast, being accordioned by the impact.  The rear window was a slider and they were freaking out at each other.  In the pick-up bed there was a baseball bat-sized piece of lumber and Garnett grabbed this and started beating the *$%# out of the rear window and top of the cab!

 

We took chase.  There was one more slow up where the guy was maybe thinking of letting Garnett out.  Rego caught up and was undoing his front wheel because he was going to stick his fork blade through the truck.  He couldn’t get it off in time and off again went the truck.  I thought this guy was going to drive forever with Garnett in the back. 

 

Scul and Marangi were up ahead in the sag van and could hear there was a huge commotion.  With his truck stopped on the side of the road, Gary put his life literally on

the line and stood in the middle of the road forcing the truck to stop.  We converged on this moron.  Garnett jumped out, Rego was ballistic, Tony A. had his arm inside the cab of the truck trying to turn off the ignition, Jid was actually taking the rear wheel air cap off the tire and letting the air out!!  I figured we were going to hog tie this moron for the cops but he was not going to stick around with like, eight on one, and by now others had caught up too.  The driver had had enough and screeched out almost sideswiping Gary’s van and taking Tony’s arm with him. 

 

911 was called on Marangi’s cell phone and the cops were on the scene quickly as one was nearby on Appleby.  Rego and Garnett spent a lot of time in the car giving their account.  One of the Gears club guys is a lawyer as well and he saw all the shenanigans.  The cop was really good, gonna charge the guy with hit and run, dangerous use of a motor vehicle, the whole nine yards!  Unreal!

 

The redneck was later arrested and charged with criminal negligence.

 

Wow, what a story! (ed.)  Thanks to Chris Kiziak. 

 

So, the next day, you’d think Garnett might stay home to lick his wounds and bask in that Good Friday victory?…..no way.  He was there at 8:00 a.m. at Hwy. 5 and Walker’s Easter Sunday morning and did a four hour ride.  This Garnett Abbey is one tough dude!

 

 

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!

 

Rob Cheskey                                  June 30th          

Henry Dudko                                  May 12th

Dave Harrison                               June 3rd

Dennis Kings                                 May 6th

Matthew Kings                              May 4th

Eli Kiriakopoulos                May 8th 

  

GOOD FRIDAY ROAD RACE 2002

by Donald Sloan

 

The Good Friday Road Race has come and gone for another year and it gives me great pleasure to report it was, as usual, a resounding success.         

When it snowed on the Wednesday before race day I became apprehensive and had thoughts of perhaps having to cancel the race, but by the end of the day the sun was shining and the snow had all but disappeared.       

Early Friday morning in Guelph it was cold and sunny and soon riders started to appear just as the registration tent was being erected. When the tent was finished the experts (Rob, Sandy, Judy, Marissa and Tim) took over and in no time riders were registered and munching on Tim Hortons donuts and coffee.         

Near race time the Guelph Police arrived and appraised the situation ensuring the Community Services marshals were in place and the signage and road barriers were erected.         

We had almost fifty riders in the Juniors and Vets B, C, D classes and it was decided to run the Juniors as a separate race, starting three minutes after the Vets.         

The only mishap of the day occurred in the Vets A where about a dozen riders went down. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt but it did almost half the field. The other races ran smoothly with lots of exciting sprints.  

In the last race Chris Kiriakopoulos, our announcer and race commentator, took a collection from the spectators and had two additional cash primes of forty and fifty dollars as an added bonus to the cash prizes of the race. Chris supplies the club with the start/finish stand and gives the whole area an air of professionalism and big time racing. I must also make comment on his ‘UCI’ approved music during the races. Great stuff!         

I should also like to publicly thank Greg Cavanagh who donated his third place prize money in the Vet A race to the club as a gesture of good will and sportsmanship.         

This year the race was very early and consequently the registration was down about fifty riders from last year. However, while the final tally is yet to be announced, I am confident the Club made a small profit.         

It would be remiss of me to say the race was a success without thanking the executive and the volunteers who make this great race happen year after year. In other years the club president has organized this race and done the bulk of the work, However this year the executive did most of the organizing and I watched from the sidelines. To all the executive, Frank Morrow, Randy Brown, Keith Oliver, Martin Reid, George Garrett, Rob and Sandy Cheskey, I owe a debt of thanks for all their time and patience and long suffering of me and I congratulate them on running the ‘perfect race’. 

Peter Morris and Martin handled the driving duties aided and abetted by Keith to ensure the commissaires had transportation. 

Marissa Cheskey looked after the coffee and donuts while her boyfriend Tim was pressed into service at the finish line computer to get the results sorted out and printed for all to see a few minutes after the race was completed.         

Other volunteers were Pat Conway, Judy Daniel, Peter Schouten and his son Ryan who erected the barriers at the start/finish, to all of them I offer the club’s thanks.         

I am sure there were many more helpers than the ones I have mentioned and to all of you I offer a special thank you, without you the race would not be possible.         

You will notice I have omitted the race results   and for these you should look in the club web site where as well as results you will see some of Martin’s exciting photographs of the race. For those of you who do not know, Martin is the keeper of our very excellent site.         

To all concerned, be it racer or helper I offer you my thanks again and wish you all a very successful season whether it be racing or pleasure.

 

horizontal rule

MOSPORT FOG BOWL

April 14th, 2002

 

Excitement gripped the racing fraternity when word came out that the Cobourg Cycling Club was using Mosport Speedway for a bicycle race.  It seems that a rare Sunday was available when vehicles of the motorized sort were not using the track.  

Just driving the 140 kilometres from my house to get there was challenging enough; visibility was greatly reduced by thick fog.  

Once there, I could hear announcer Keith Davidge’s voice during the first race, but had to search to find the track and start-finish area.  Maybe the fog would lift for our race?  It didn’t.  Wet and cool conditions, grit spraying up, typical early-season racing; we were lucky on Good Friday!  

The course, a 4-kilometre loop, was curvy and undulating, with a hairpin turn following a sharp rise.  We had to slow down for this on our bikes; can’t imagine cars or motorcycles taking it too fast.  

You couldn’t get any sort of overview of the course because of only 50’ – 100’ visibility.  The curves would ‘happen’ right in front of us, as our pack of fifty or so riders sped around.  There was a long grinder climb that thinned out the field.  

Halfway through our twenty-lapper, my front tire went flat.  Flagging down a following vehicle, I was told I’d have to walk to the ‘wheel pit’ area; there were no wheels in the car.  I walked and walked, must have been 2 ½ kilometres back to the start/finish.  My race was done but I cheered on the other H.C.C.’ers in the race – Dave Woolley (8th), Garnett Abbey (9th), Chris Kiriakopoulos, Brian Chewter and Linda Simonsen (in the Women’s race).   

I hope we get to race this venue again when it’s not foggy and I don’t get a flat tire.

 

 

horizontal rule

 

Springbank Road Race

May 5th, 2002

 

This annual classic has been colder than our earlier Good Friday Race on occasion.  Not this time around, though.  It was definitely time to put away the woollies, with the thermometer reaching near 20° by afternoon.  Early on, there was yet a nip in the air, and one Woolley refused to be put away, our DAVE WOOLLEY, that is.  Yes, Dave powered to a 3rd place finish in the Master B, C, D event, with teammate FRED PEPPER right behind in 4th.  Also in the same peloton were GARNETT ABBEY, CHRIS KIRIAKOPOULOS, MIREK MAZUR and myself, and……yes, I flatted again.  HENRY DUDKO and SHANE LAVELL raced in the Senior 3 race. 

  

COMBINE TIME TRIAL, RACE # 1

APRIL 18, 2002

BRAMPTON CYCLING CLUB, CHELTENHAM

 

NAME

CLUB

TIME

POSITION

GARNETT ABBEY

HAMILTON

20:06

1

DAVE PAINTER

BRAMPTON

21:22

2

LINDA SIMONSEN

HAMILTON

22:07

3

GARY SCULLY

OAKVILLE

22:20

4

MIKE LEECE

BRAMPTON

22:25

5

DAVE LIVETT

BRAMPTON

22:45

6

RON JAWANDA

BRAMPTON

22:55

7

TED WEBB

BRAMPTON

23:15

8

MIKE RIGATO

BRAMPTON

23:46

9

TOM KNOX

BRAMPTON

24:13

10

JOHN MORGAN

BRAMPTON

24:13

10

RANDY MCDONALD

BRAMPTON

24:20

12

JERRY BICK

BRAMPTON

24:25

13

DAVE VANDEVELDE

BRAMPTON

24:39

14

JOHN MCGINN

BRAMPTON

24:48

15

MARC HEINIG

BRAMPTON

25:00

16

JIM ADAMS

OAKVILLE

25:28

17

FAY TRIMBLE

OAKVILLE

25:46

18

BERNARD ROY

OAKVILLE

25:46

18

CHRIS ZBOROLUK

OAKVILLE

25:47

20

JEFF KIELLEY

BRAMPTON

25:53

21

BOB TRIMBLE

OAKVILLE

26:17

22

NOEL MURRAY

BRAMPTON

26:42

23

ROBERT NEUMAN

BRAMPTON

26:44

24

JODY MCCURDY

BRAMPTON

27:19

25

GEORGE SHEPPERDLEY

BRAMPTON

27:39

26

MARK HINNEN

OAKVILLE

28:13

27

 

 

Time Keepers: Ted Jukes, Marva Taylor

Volunteers: David McDonald, Earle Jukes, Maria Rigato

 

H.C.C. 45K B.A.R.

Saturday, May 4th, 2002

by Randy Brown

 

I got to Balaclava School at 7:30 a.m. and set up the finish line and cones at the two right turns.  The temperature was barely edging over 10°C.  Frank Morrow was the first to arrive while I was getting warmed up riding in the parking lot.  Then a new member, Colin Kemball, drove in.  Actually he signed up there and then.  Shane Lavell was the next to arrive.  Then as 9:00 a.m. arrived we agreed that it was to be a four-man race.  We started out up Centre Road and Colin and Shane were moving well.  Frank was off the back but got on again at Mountsberg Road.  The pace was hard up the steep climb on Mountsberg and Frank said see you later.  Colin, Shane and I did a gentlemanly rotation and kept the pace fairly high.  Colin accelerated on the second Mountsberg hill on the second lap of three and got a good gap but he relented and we regrouped.  We were together on the final leg of the race but only for a few metres.  Colin jumped into a slight headwind and as Shane and I responded only Shane could get Colin’s wheel again.  Colin outsprinted Shane and I soloed back.  Colin apparently was ranked Senior I or Senior II a few years back and is obviously still pretty fast.  Shane only took up cycling last August but was a 31-minute 10k runner so he’s destined to do well on the bike.  Sorry to miss the presence of the rest of our club racers.  Shane said he hoped he could do alright at Springbank on Sunday so maybe some were resting up for that race.  Remember, the more the merrier, I always say. 

 

1st Senior

Colin Kemball

10 points

2nd Senior

Shane Lavell

9 points

3rd Senior

Randy Brown

8 points

4th (1st Vet)

Frank Morrow

10 points

 

 

 

Text Box: FOR SALE 

Ø	Trek XO – 1 (CYCLOCROSS)
Ø	6l cm C-T, Gold
Ø	Ultegra, 10S, Rolf Wheels
Ø	Bontranger pedals and cleats

$1000.00

Call Henry at 519-751-0742
 

 

 

 

 

 


                                              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                       

CLUB EVENTS
 

 


By the time you read this, we’ll have done the first few events on our club’s racing calendar:  Randy’s Ride (April 14th), our 40K B.A.R. Road Race (Saturday, May 4th) and C.T.T.A. 15K events at Cheltenham and Corwhin. 

 

“Where the hell is Corwhin,” you say?   This is a new 15K course, used by the Oakville Cycling Club, located toward Guelph on #20 Side Road otherwise known as Road #34.  The start/finish is just west of 1st Line, north of Moffat and car parking is on 1st Line north of #20 Side Road.  The turnaround point (out and back) on #20 Side Road is near Hwy.#46 (old Hwy.#6).  The pavement quality is good; hopefully traffic isn’t too heavy.

 

THURSDAY 15K T.T. SERIES

 

Thursday evening time trials are underway at our White Swan Road course, which is west of Ancaster, south of Hwy.2/53.  This will be the regular home of the Thursday T.T.’s for 2002.  Last year’s fastest time, a 20:25, was done by Mirek Mazur. 

 

HELPERS ARE NEEDED FOR TURN MARSHAL AND TIME KEEPING.

 

 

Thursday Night 15K Time Trial

May 2nd, 2002 – White Swan Road

 

 

Tyler Pollock

35:06

Tara Mulder

28:37

Larry Pollock

28:29

Linda Simonsen

24:04

Brandon Crichton

26:14

Henry Dudko

23:51

 

Time Keeper – Randy Brown

Turn – Fred & Jamie Pepper

 

TUESDAY EVENING CRITERIUM SERIES

 

Started May 7th and runs until September – 7:00 p.m. at High Point Business Park, north of Hwy.401, east off Hwy.25.  This ‘training race’ on an approximately 1K loop reached a pinnacle of popularity and success in 2001 with several 50-rider nights.  We do a registration and charge a $2.00 fee per rider.

 

Last year we had two primes each night and the top five riders were awarded points which Sandy kept track of week to week, culminating in an awards and pizza night on the last scheduled event day. 

 

The Tuesday Crits are suitable for slower as well as fast riders.  It’s a good opportunity to gain expertise in a group-racing situation in a reasonably safe (to date) environment.  There has been another factory built on our course since last Fall, so vehicular traffic may be greater than last year.  We will have to monitor this.  If the situation seems unsafe we may have to settle for a different Tuesday evening group ride. 

 

NOTE:  THIS IS AN EVENT WHERE WE NEED HELPERS TO MARSHAL THE COURSE FOR SAFETY.

 

 

Saturday, May 25th – H.C.C. hosts a 40K C.T.T.A. time trial on our SCOTLAND course at 9:00 a.m.  The fastest H.C.C. rider wins the NELLA trophy for 2002.  This event also counts toward our T.T.C. and B.A.R. series. 

 

We can always use help for marshaling the turnaround or time keeping.  Please give Randy a call if you or a friend can assist us at the event.

 

Saturday, June 15th – a Road Race on Randy’s Ayr course, run using a handicap format.  Contact Randy for details – 519-442-2118.  9:00 a.m. start. 

 

Saturday, July 6th – Michael Szelag presents the second annual HAMILTON CLASSIC, a downtown criterium race in the core of Hamilton!  This exciting O.C.A. sanctioned event will feature some top Ontario riders, as did our Good Friday Race.  Please give race organizer Michael a call if you can help out, at 905-637-4176.

 

Saturday, July 13th – The famous STRABANE 80K Road Race takes place at 9:00 a.m.  The H.C.C. winner captures the ANDY KEYES trophy.  This is a B.A.R. event for Senior and Veteran riders.

 

Saturday, July 20th – H.C.C. hosts a C.T.T.A. 40K time trial at 9:00 a.m. on the HARLEY course, an undulating “out and back’er” (helpers needed).

 

Thursday, July 25th – H.C.C. hosts a C.T.T.A. 15K time trial on our WHITE SWAN ROAD course at 6:30 p.m. (helpers needed). 

 

We’ll update the final part of this season’s calendar in the next newsletter.

 

 

 

JOAN BONFIELD

1925 – 2002

 

We are saddened at the loss of Joan Bonfield, who passed away on May 11th following a heart attack.  Though not a rider herself, Joan was a welcome presence at many H.C.C. time trials, assisting with timekeeping

while husband John would usually ride.

 

John and Joan had emigrated from England in 1952, starting a home and family in Toronto.  The past 15 years have been spent in Brantford

and the connection with our club was established.

 

Joan’s friendly smile and warm manner will be missed by all of us, particularly

her family, to whom we offer our deepest sympathy.

 

 

 

 

 

John Bonfield and family would like to thank members of

the Ontario Masters’ Association and the Hamilton Cycling Club

who attended Joan’s funeral service on Wednesday, May 15th.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHO'S NEWS IN OUR WORLD OF CYCLING 

 

 

 

 


New member ROBERT BREHN, while in Houston on business, won a road race on May 12th.  Robert is another ‘over 40’ aged racer who has recently joined H.C.C.  Along with new members GARNETT ABBEY and DAVE WOOLLEY and proven strong men like FRED PEPPER, BRIAN CHEWTER, RANDY BROWN and others, we certainly have a formidable group of 40 – 50 –year olds!

 

FRED PEPPER has traveled with MIREK MAZUR to a couple of races in the U.S.A., flatting on one occasion (Rochester) and not starting due to rain on another trip down.  Mirek had better luck, winning the Rochester race!

 

SUE PALMER KOMAR has been active in international racing this spring.  Most recently, she raced the six-stage Publi-Tour Midi Pyrenees in France and finished 7th overall!  Back in April, Sue raced in California at the Redlands and Sea Otter stage races.  She finished 7th overall at Redlands and 3rd overall at Sea Otter, where she WON the tough mountain stage!  Sue is racing for a team named TALGO (a train manufacturer) and has Suzy Pride and Anne Samplonius among her teammates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hamilton Cycling Club President Donald Sloan recently spent a week in Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto to have surgery and treatment for a melanoma tumour on his right eye.  We wish him a swift recovery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANTS COURSE

 

H.C.C. members with a T.A. certificate are wanted by the club to

officiate at our sanctioned races.  To qualify as a T.A. you must

take a course, usually over a weekend.  Having our ‘own’ people at these

races will lessen costs to the club.  We would provide some recompense.

 

If you are interested, please call Rob at 905-878-3971.

 

 

 
[Home][About][Application][Archives][Buy-Sell][Calendar][Clothing][Club Records][Executive][FAQs][History][Links][Results][Trophies][Youth]

Design by QEF Contact webmaster at cyclist@hamiltoncycling.com