All posts by Amanda Nabi

Thank you from Davina!

I wanted to write a few words to send a huge thank you to all the SPR members for your support through my “vehicle v’s Davina” crash on New Years Eve. I have been overwhelmed with what the club community has done to assist me. For those who don’t know, I was involved in an accident where a car hit me from behind whilst I was taking off at lights Tonkin Hwy & Morley Dr. My bike was badly damaged and I sustained minor injuries to my right side due to the impact. The driver was largely uncooperative to address the situation which was very frustrating and time consuming as he is arguing about should I decline a breathalyzer since it is very annoying for him. It has certainly challenged me mentally, as I am quite frightened when in similar situations now still- and have been spotted doing much more footpath riding (which is not great training). More time still. I am thankful that I was much luckier than Mike Bonner (whose wheel I try and hold whenever I can) and even Peter with his recent bike v’s bike crash. If you get into an accident and show signs of a brain injury or are hurt in any other way due to the driver’s negligence, then you should contact a professional lawyer who can help you recover the compensation. In this case, the lawyers who deals with the cases of medical malpractice in Long Island are the best choice for you to fight for your cause.

We have had some discussions at home about what is club community, and how it can be both positively and negatively. This positive example has really impressed me and I am grateful for feeling supported. Thank you to those who have contributed.

There has been quite a lot of discussion about motorists v’s cyclists in the media in recent months. Luke (husband) made a good point that when we use the bike/shared paths; cyclists are in effect the motorists, and walkers are the cyclists. So rather than contributing to the debate, what can I do differently to improve the situation? Could we/I be more considerate and patient to other path users when I am riding and overtaking them? For all the cyclist-hater drivers, there are plenty of cyclist-considerate drivers; I am going out of my way to be super considerate to the drivers and be openly thankful and helpful in my signalling to promote a sense of sharing.

I had an interesting moment at the top of Mundaring Weir Rd on the Sunday long hills ride a couple of weeks back. Some of the ladies I’d been riding with all introduced ourselves, after I’d spoken the response was…”So you are Davina”. I am generally a very private person, who stays out of the centre of things in most cases. For those of you who don’t know, I was riding with Peter and ‘the club’ before we became SPR/SPCC and have watched it grow to what it is today. I have raced internationally in Europe/America/South Africa with UCI professional and the Australian National Teams. The last couple of years, I have focused on injury rehab, family and have been competitive at a NRS (National Road Series) level. I do a little bit of coaching, and don’t really want to expand on this currently, but I am happy to give my best answers about racing or training whilst out on a ride or at the coffee shop if you have any questions. I can almost answer like Yakima truck accident law firm if you ask me about dealing with injuries in racing. If you are looking for a coach, I hear often that Toby Brown is a good choice.

On a final note, I just want to acknowledge all of the enormous work that Peter has put into the club, hours and hours of his own time. Thanks Pete for the club community that we have, the monster that you created.

Happy riding!

Davina Summers.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – SATURDAY 21 MARCH 2015

The South Perth Cycle Club AGM will be held on Saturday, 21 March 2015 at 9am.  This will be held at Dome Westralia Plaza (5/167 St Georges Terrace, Perth) following the usual Saturday ride.

There will also be a club breakfast at Dome on this morning from 8:40am. $15 will get you a drink and access to the famous Dome SPR breakfast buffet.

Please RSVP in the comments section of this post so we know how many people to cater for.

In order to keep the club moving forward and meet the needs of all, it is important that the SPR committee is representative of our broad membership.

All committee and sub-committee positions will be spilt at the AGM.  Positions include:

  • President
  • Vice-President
  • Treasurer
  • Secretary
  • Kit committee representative
  • Race committee representative
  • Social committee representative
  • Training and development representative
  • Mountain bike committee representative
  • Website representative
  • General committee member

There is also the opportunity to assist the club on the following sub-committees:

  • Kit sub-committee
  • Race sub-committee
  • Mountain bike sub-committee
  • Social sub-committee
  • Training and development sub-committee

Further information about the roles of the sub-committees can be found here. If you are interested in becoming (or continuing) a member of the main committee or the sub-committees, please email amanda.nabi@iinet.net.au.

Please note that to be a committee member or to vote at the AGM you must be a financial member.  You can renew your membership here.

Nominations are due by Sunday, 15 March 2014.  Both self nominations, and “dob in a friend” nominations are accepted (where the friend is in agreement!).

 

Eight sleeps to go!

Places are filling fast for the Giro d’Italia night happening on Sunday 25th May 2015 at Soprano’s Restaurant in South Perth…whoo hoo!  If you fancy a bit of Italian then reserve your place by putting your name of the original post.

For those that are coming here’s  bit of a ‘heads-up’:

*  polish up on your knowledge of the Giro and all things Italian as there’s going to be a quiz

*  for those that are daring get in the spirit of the night by wearing something Italianeeee as there’ll be a prize for best dressed

*  get out your pearly whites because the Social Committee will be lurking with cameras in hand

There’s parking directly across the road from Soprano’s if you’re driving.

See you all next Sunday…happy Giro d’Italia watching until then.

 

Giro d’Italia Club Night

Calling all SPROOLERS! Join us to experience the excitement and exhilaration that is… the Giro d’Italia!Giro d

Yes, it is another “South Perth Rouleurs Out Of Lycra Event” at Sopranos Pizzeria Ristorante in South Perth on Sunday 25th May. The cost is just $30 per head (plus drinks) for a selection of gourmet wood fired pizzas and pastas and numbers are limited to 60 people so presto, presto! Don’t delay. Partners welcome.

What: SPROOLERS Giro d’Italia Pasta & Pizza Night
Where: Sopranos P
izzeria Ristorante
When: Sunday 25th May 6:30pm
Cost: $30 per person (plus drinks)
RSVP: Here on the blog

 

Free Women’s Racing Day Development Session

Brad Hall, as part of the Hall Women’s Initiative, is offering an exclusive FREE session for all SPR women to learn more racing tactics, developing racing fitness and coordinating team strength.

Click on the flyer below for details:

spr_womens_racing_training_day

 

The session is suitable for all women interested in racing.  If you’re keen on attending let Brad know by sending an email to training@bradhall.com.au

See you there!

Hang up your cleats and get out the popcorn boys and girls!

Fancy seeing a documentary featuring some of the best female athletes in the world?  Then come down to the Windsor Cinema on the 19th May 2014 for 6:30pm to see HALF THE ROAD.

HALF THE ROAD is a documentary film that explores the world of women’s professional cycling, focusing on both the love of sport and the pressing issues of inequality that modern-day female riders face in a male dominated sport.

With footage from some of the world’s best UCI races to interviews with Olympians, World Champions, rookies, coaches, managers, officials, doctors and family members, HALF THE ROAD offers a unique insight to the drive, dedication, and passion it takes for a female cyclist to thrive. Both on and off the bike, the voices and advocates of women’s pro cycling take the audience on a journey of enlightenment, depth, strength, love, humor and best of all, change and growth.

Funding from licensing goes straight back to the promoters and film producers who are female athletes. The greater viewing potential of this movie the more money through licensing will be made for female professionals. So get a few friends together, male or female, and come along!

HCY – half the road brochure

 

HCY---half-the-road-brochure

Calling all C grade ladies!!

Leigh racing last weekend...
Leigh racing last weekend…

A message from Leigh O

Calling all C grade ladies for this Sunday’s (22nd) Criterium race at Tech Park in Bentley. ‘C grade’ incorporates ladies riding Main 2 – 3. Racing a criterium is hard work, but a very telling tale of where your cycling is at and really rewarding when you are finished the race. It’s a very supportive environment. Cheering is constant and loud! C grade ladies racers are very polite too! Do yourself a favour and bring you, your bike and your swag of courage to Tech Park on Sunday. C grade women’s racing is fun! After you’ve done the 1st one you will be just a little bit hooked and have a tonne of street cred!

We have 3 SPR ladies confirmed for this Sunday’s C grade race, Anke, Sarah Smith and myself. Laurensia is a maybe…Laurensia, you know you want to! We need some more volunteers as we need at least 6 to have our own race, but the more the merrier!.

The race itself goes for 20mins + 2 laps. Total kilometres – 17kms long with 127m in elevation. Easy as! You need a $20 day permit to race, which is on top of your race entry fee…but if it is your first race the club will pay your race entry fee!!! We will meet up on the day and register all together at least 1/2 hr before our race time of 8:50am.

This Saturday afternoon a few of us are heading down to Tech Park to do a few laps of the course and talk about the race and what to bring etc. If you are undecided, please come down to check it out on Saturday. I will help you! Don’t be scared!  We are meeting at the start line Tech Park at 4pm (see map link) park up or meet us on the part of Brodie-Hall Drive directly opposite Jarrah Road in Tech Park.

http://www.whereis.com/?id=5146626CE01CAA

Leave a comment below if you are going to join in the fun!

Thanks,

Leigh

Social times at the DOME!

Just some snap shots from this morning’s breakfast.  Many thanks to Toby and the crew at the DOME Westralia Square for hosting the event and the Social Committee for pulling it together.  Happy times!!!

 

Love the socks Jenny...setting a new fashion trend for the club!
Love the socks Jenny…setting a new fashion trend for the club!
SPR Breakfast 2
Pro signed jersey to be raffled off next week at coffee
SPR Breakfast 3
Catching some sunshine
SPR Breakfast 5
Feast time
SPR Breakfast 6
Stretching the legs
SPR Breakfast 7
Happy us
SPR Breakfast 9
In with the old kit
SPR Breakfast 11
Say ‘cheese’
SPR Breakfast 10
Checking hair length
SPR Breakfast 12
Who am I?

Latest Chapter in SPR’s Plan for World Domination!

Well it was a sea of green at the recent BWA Swan Valley Cyclo Sportif with SPR dominating on the day… having a record number of 66 riders across 8 teams…yee ha!  Many thanks to the Ride Leaders, particularly Cowboy Ryan who set a new standard in team leadership…see the previous post to get an idea of how seriously he took his role :-).

Have a read and enjoy a chuckle as you look through some of the ride reports below:

SPR 3 ‘The Chasers’

Chasers by name. Chasers by nature…

Having been taunted incessantly by The Princesses (SPR 4) in the weeks leading up the Swan Valley “It’s Not A Race” Cyclo, The Chasers (SPR 3) decided our main goal for the day was therefore going to be “not to get chicked!” and thereby put pay to their promise to blitz us from behind & race past us while chanting their all too well practised war cry “Chick, chick…  BOOM!”

Fortunately we ended up scheduled to start 30 seconds before the girls but to insure against the very possibility that we may get “chicked” we decided early on that lying to them was a perfectly valid race tactic & so I communicated to them (as sincerely as possible) at the start line that our ride strategy for the day was going to be “start slow and take the first lap really easy…”  & added that we would be “happy to hang back… in case you girls need a hand”.  The goading had the desired effect as they hissed back “Chick chick BOOM” in unison suggesting in no uncertain terms that they still had every intention of raging past us at the very first opportunity.

Worried that our condescending comments might have actually supplied the sufficient incentive they needed for them to well & truly blitz us, when the “gun” sounded, we scrambled like rabbits & disappeared as fast as we possibly could up the road to get as great a lead as possible & settled into our pre-race tactic which was to “do a Greenedge” & ride in a tight paceline.  Another decision was made when the question was belatedly asked “So what do we do if someone gets a flat?”.  I will never forget the look of horror that appeared on the faces of our team when I explained that Cyclo Protocols dictate that we should all stop & help. Shocked at the mere suggestion, a united exclamation came straight back at me “We’re not stopping!! Or we’ll get chicked!”  followed quickly by the more magnanimous consideration “And besides, if someone flats we can always pick them up on the next lap?”.  Fortunately no flats ensued.

As it happened, the closest we came to such an alarming fate becoming reality was at the very outset when one of our elite & apparently far more fashion conscious team members had a slight wardrobe malfunction.  Nirvan (aka Ivan Basso), knowing we were riding directly in front of the Princesses, became concerned the seams of his leg warmers were not quite straight enough so he dropped back worryingly on the first leg to try & sort it out…  which subsequently sent temporary panic through the rest of The Chasers who were trying to suppress the fear & suspicion welling within us that he may have been in cahoots with girls? I guess we’ll never know though to his credit, but he did get back on & was a great contributor through the rest of the ride… as was everyone.

Regardless, everything went swimmingly & the pace was solid throughout… at least until the final lap when El Capitan Hoskins, perhaps knowing that his wife was one of the Princesses, also started showing signs of a possible nefarious collusion & seemed to be pretending to struggle up the final false flat on Oakover Road… a phony belief I assure you.  Fortunately the team rallied & propelled Graham at light speed across the finish line with an overall average speed of 36.6kmh.

And… not a whisper was to be heard from the girls.

But seriously, well done to all the teams from SPR.  It was an awesome Sea of Green on the day.

Graham Hoskins

 

SPR 5 – ‘The Princesses’ point of view

Our team consisted of Anna M, Anna S, Alison, Anke, Amanda, Emma, Lorraine, Lennie and me (Meg). I had originally tried to recruit Carlos the Mexican to be our mobile mechanic, but sadly he got a “better” offer to go and ride with a group of fast boys wearing see-through skin suits…enough said.

The aim of our ride was to have fun, chat, and see if we could overtake a few boys. Tick, tick, BOOM. We thought we would set ourselves a challenge of doing a roll-through for as much of the course as we could manage, changing the drive train with the wind direction. Happy to report that it worked really well for us; everyone contributed, we could still talk enough that according to one source he could hear us before he could see us, Lennie managed to be on the front whenever we went past Johnny with his camera and cow bell. SPR has some incredibly strong women riders and it was a great to have them all working together. New to our little gang was Anke, who has steadily been moving her way up through the SPR group rides. She made the cyclo look easy, and following an exciting lead out train, she brought us home with a fantastic sprint across the line.

Other highlights included: everyone in matching kit, Lennie putting her mountain bike skills in practice after nearly missing a corner, Ben, Pete and Johnny on the course cheering us on, the other SPR groups waiting at the finish line to say congrats (minus the ones who had already headed off for lunch), the random boy that passed us/joined us/passed us/joined us, and I got to borrow a pair of Carlos’ wheels – damn they are good!

Meghan Thomas

 

SPR 6 – ‘The Jets’

My second time round as team leader for the Swan Valley Cyclo and this year I was determined to stay up right.  We had a great team of Leigh, Jeremy, Owen, Mat, Justin, Greg, Travis and Lee.

We set off for the start line and joined in with SPR 9 for a nice stroll to the start.  We had a quick 15 minutes to sort ourselves out, toilet break, remove the winter warmers before we set off at 9:18.  We took off and got into an early rhythm and roll throughs, we were setting a pretty good pace and at the start of the last lap we were sitting on 36.5km average.  Everyone was feeling good and was happy for a final push.  On the back straight we were starting to single up due to some slow riders and after a great 3 and half laps flashbacks of last year flashed before my eyes.  Leigh crashed heavily after hitting a slow rider, at the time we were doing about 40km/h.  Matt also went down at the back and took a nasty chunk out of his elbow.  We all stopped and organised the Ambulance, El prez came to our assistance and looked after Leigh, Jeremy and Matt until the Ambulance arrived.  Leigh was determined to finish but as she found out later there was no way she would be able to ride with a severe concussion or broken ribs. (The new bike is ok)

We finished the ride with 6 of us in a time of 2:05.

I would also like to thank all the SPR riders that slowed after the crash to ensure we were all ok.

Jason Gordon

 

SPR 8

On the Fine Sunday Morning of 30th June, SPR 8 rode from Coode St onwards to Midvale SpeedDome to join the BWA Cyclosportif.  It was the first cyclosportif in WA for all of us, and we departed in high spirits at a chilly 6:45am.

Even along the way, the festivities had already begun! Amanda Nabi, departing late (opting for a slight rouleur outfit amendment), TT’ed on to our tail, showing the minimal effort required to catch up to us slowpokes. Fellow riders shouted to us from within the warmth of their cars, while we sneered at them for taking the lazy option to the event. We were definitely living up our team leader’s motto – Laurensia “Never enough K’s” Rosana.

Adorned with our Green and White, we arrived at the SpeedDome to find a large contingent of SPR compatriots beneath our club tent. Senorita Capitano immediately jumped to her team captain duty and represented our team at the immediate briefings. On the other hand, I joined the rest of the team – Jay “The Dude” Richardson and Justin “Injuries are for Sissies” Tan for an organic breakfast (banana).

Soon enough, we departed the SpeedDome, with our final member joining us at the start line – Tommy “I got a new bike for this” Segoro.

Waiting at the start line – we immediately started sizing up the competition, sorting out the teams with granny gears, mudguards and front baskets from the Carbon Tubulars, Sidi Shoes and one piece speedsuits (you know who you are). Feeling confident all around, Senorita Capitano exclaimed our common thoughts – “lets head up in front and start early!”

In our attempt to leave before our assigned time, we were quickly spotted by El Presidente, who brilliantly demonstrated that pecking order is still important among Rouleurs.

Our El Presidente overruled Senorita Capitano decision. Chins down and moved back into our rightful places, it was not long before our own starts.

And boy did we start! Determined to make the day as interesting as possible, Justin “Injuries are for Sissies” Tan decided that he needed to give the rest of us a head-start, and with a “Let’s go!” turned left against the incoming traffic while all of us turned right onto the circuit.

Despite the initial fanfare, we quickly settled onto a stable rhythm, with all of us playing attempting to play domestique for our GC contender – Senorita Capitano.

Surely and Steadily, we left the groups on the hybrid bikes and mudguards in our wake. Then, it was the weekend warriors with their beer bellies. Building confidence, adrenaline surged through our veins, and we picked up the pace. We decided we would be chasing a hypothetical podium finish. We would be taking our GC contender to the finish line in glory!

With our thigh motors in full rev, we heard a shout from the back. “Ease Up!”, it was Senorita Capitano, and being incompetent domestiques, we almost left our GC behind. We shook our heads in shame. However, upon looking up, we see Senorita Capitano off the saddle, sprinting off in a burst of speed that left us all in her wake. Justin and I looked at each other – how dare we lose concentration at this critical moment!

With our focus aligned, we returned to our smooth and stable rolling turns and lightning quick turns around the bends. The weather could not get any better, and we were determined to make full use of this fine day. The turns flew by and we were soon staring down the final sprint to the finish.

“We’re almost there!” – someone exclaimed.

“We’re doing more laps!” – came the reply.

And so we did one more lap to show off our Spartan qualities. Freeloading (yes, we admit) and did one more lap while the roads were still managed.

Overall, it was a great event, it was well managed, and we could not ask for more with the food and simultaneous timing with the Track Cycling Grand Prix at Midvale SpeedDome.

Definitely a cyclosportif to remember. Watch out for us at future events!

Hubert “The Domestique” Fong

 

SPR 9

The Sunday morning provided a cool chilly start that saw a lot of the extra clothing removed before we got going around the course. Bright smiling faces for the photo shoot and a short ride out to the start point allowed for a brief warm up. SPR 9 managed to account for themselves well. The pace was well suited to the participants and allowed for all to practice their skills  that they had been using on the Saturday morning Transitional group ride.

Rolling off from the front like the TDF TTT was different but everyone adapted well. It was a good safe ride at an average speed of 27kph with no spills, mechanicals or flats.

I wonder about Jenny who to her credit was the big improver on the day, I think she could smell the Maharva coffee out there.

Shane White

Commute to Cyclo Sportif

For SPR folk that are taking part in the BWA Swan Valley Cyclo tomorrow there are two groups (i.e. Northies and Southies) commuting there.

Ryan Fynn (a.k.a Grandpa/Cowboy/Great White) is leading out the Northies group, leaving from the corner of Karrinyup and North Beach Rd at 6:15am. Julian Johnson (a.k.a. Dr. J) is leading the Southie group from the Coode St carpark departing at 6:40am.

See you all tomorrow!