Central Coast track open

[christian]

If anyone is interested in riding the Central Coast open then you should get your entry in soon as they close on the 2nd of November. No one like paying a late fee. The open in on Saturday the 15th of November.

[Simon Llewellyn]

I'll be heading up. Crafty runs it, so it's always an excellent event. Last year Brownie, Stewie & me finished 2nd,3rd & 4th in the wheel race. But with the juniors picking up so much speed in winter it will be a bit tougher this year!

[Artson]

Guys
Would love to see a heap of red at the Gosford track
The track itself is really unique. Hot mix 460m round with a good tactical banking.

Last years report here: http://www.dhbc.org.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=318

Simon always does well at Gosford as he has learnt that the bell does not signify the start of the sprint!

usually the open has 4 grades + women and Juniors race separately.

[mikesbytes]

I've entered. I've got no transport, so if someone can give me a lift - thanks.

[Simon Llewellyn]

We'll workout transport closer to the date...

Guys this really is one of the most fun events on the cycling calender, I can't recommend it enough for a great night out!!!!!

[micklan]

I've registered.
Ross is a very good rider in M3. How are races run, via divisions?
Mike you can get a ride with me if you wish.

[timyone]

ok im signed up for illawarra, central coast and the cup on wheels

[mikesbytes]

I've registered.
Ross is a very good rider in M3. How are races run, via divisions?
Mike you can get a ride with me if you wish.

Thanks Michael, I'll take you up on that

[timyone]

Guys
Would love to see a heap of red at the Gosford track
The track itself is really unique. Hot mix 460m round with a good tactical banking.

Last years report here: http://www.dhbc.org.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=318

Simon always does well at Gosford as he has learnt that the bell does not signify the start of the sprint!

usually the open has 4 grades + women and Juniors race separately.

far out man! stuey came second 3rd in the wheel race last year! nice to see, it would be amazing to get the same podium this year!

[Simon Llewellyn]

Last night was the annual trip up to Gosford for the central coast open. As always it produced lots of fun & excitement & as wall ways some excellent racing.


This year it was a much healthier DHBC contingent. We has 6 riders in all. Christian, Mike, Matt & Michael made up the C grade contingent, Tim was in B grade & I was in A.


After healthy warm up.


THe opening scratch races were quite quick. For most it was just a time to get to know the track & eye out the opposition.


THe wheel races were graded rather than all grades put into heats. Matt boasted the most health mark off 240m's. Quite a slender lead if he could reach the finals. C grade bunched very quickly however & what was meant to be a handicap soon turned into no moer than another scratch race. For the DHBC boys it was a combination of a lack of experience & possibly speed however no one from our camp was to make the final. In A & B me & TIm faired no better only 4 were to go through & from memory I finished 6th.


For one man the night was about to get a whole lot more interesting. Though he never saw the 'prize' which was labelled on the program for 4th place he did manage to pick up his first placing (2nd) in a track open event, push another man onto the grass & pick up his first offical warning as he took out second place in the sprint derby heats to move on into his first ever sprint derby final.


In fact it was a night to remember. in the ABC missing out handicap for odd numbers was the next place of battle. Being all put into C grade with odd numbers the 4 DHBC C grade made up a healthy contingent of the Cgrade limit bunch & though A grade caught B grade with still 3 riders in the race. Matt, Mike, Michael & Christain were able to hold off the B grade bunch for such a long time that when the race was finally all together Christian & Matt were still in there with a chance for the win!


Christian was the next to go taking one for the team and Matt just avoided elimination at this point. However this was to be some good foxing as he stayed in there out foxing the B graders & only being removed from the race when he misheard Crafty on the microphone thinking he had been eliminated when in fact he was still in the race & had finshed 4th! Mighty fine effort when the other 3 were some of the top A grade enduros in the state.


Moving on to the even ABC missing out handicapp elimination, there was not so much glory to be had as we failed as a team in A grade to catch B early enough and though I was one of the last standing A graders only 1rider made it through finishing 3rd.


Next it was Matt's time to shine as he rode his first ever sprint derby final.


But first we have to pay homage to Matty Hynes who put in steller performance to take out 3rd in the D grade sprint derby.


Sadly there were no pictures of decent qaulity of the C grade sprint derby final as it was too dark & the flash was to crappy to pick up the racing, but this is Matt's bike which sprinted abit early and didn't manage a place but did get fourth I think?


Finally & not before we did some socialising & Brownie gave us his traditional opens yarn it was time for the final event on the program for us, the time blaster.


The timeblaster was a 25 lap (about 10km) time trial race in which the distance had to be finished within a certain time for the money to go off. Traditionally it is the event where the enduros come out to play & has prestige in the fact that the winner is in a sense the last man standing. It's open to A & B graders. It was on from the start & we slowly moved ahead of the scheduled time as more and more riders pealed off. By the finish there was about 8 of us left, I attempted to open up the sprint early to lead it out from about 300m's but the pace was lifted and I couldn't get round. I did pick up a handy 4th however and was happy to finish the race so strongly after a hard night out!!

[wallman]

As Simon has said above the Central Coast Open was pretty good. It was my first track open so getting a fourth (by half a wheel) in the kieren final was pretty pleasing and the miss'n'out was great fun, but all things considered I think my greatest accomplishments of the evening were probably mustering that pout for Simon's portrait shot of me and also keeping down the Hungry Jacks that we tucked into afterwards!
Matt

[timyone]

man the night ripped it, every one should be doing the country opens, especially that little track one (which is slightly far away) musselbrook.

[mikesbytes]

It was surprising how much harder it is to ride on a flat track, really noticable when you rolled, you needed to slow down, but was still working and then sprint to catch the back, where on a banked track you roll up the track, wait and then roll back down onto the back.

[wallman]

There's some good pix of us at the CC Open up at actionsnaps.com.au

Here's a nice one of the DHBC C-grade crew about to unleash the beast:
http://www.actionsnaps.com.au/index.php ... y=62&hit=1

And a few good pain face shots:
http://www.actionsnaps.com.au/index.php ... y=18&hit=1

http://www.actionsnaps.com.au/index.php ... y=10&hit=1

http://www.actionsnaps.com.au/index.php ... y=79&hit=1

I'm not sure though whether this one qualifies as a pain face or something else...
http://www.actionsnaps.com.au/index.php ... ey=9&hit=1

Matt

[micklan]

thanks Matt
nice photos - indeed it is a pleasure & pain face

[timyone]

lol man that shot of micklan looks funny as!


Seriously some one should get a copy of the first one thats a heaps good shot of every one