Coota Haycarters - 8 & 9th May

[Vanessa]

Anyone coming to Coota - it's the weekend after the Canberra Tour & the weekend before the NSW masters road champs. I can see Slugo & Al are entered...others?

I think I will do both - can't do the CT (hubbie has a half marathon on the same weekend) so am looking for alternates.

[anla]

ill probably be going. will need to make sure i have any assignment due on the monday after, but hopefully the schedule will be clear

[Etienne1989]

what is coota haycarters? i have never heard of it.

[SueP]

Cootamundra Haycarters 70km Handicap Race
http://www.nsw.cycling.org.au/cy_nsw/races/?f=2010/10110/10110.htm

Also - check out the NSW calender to see what else is coming up.
http://www.nsw.cycling.org.au/cy_nsw/calendars/?f=2010/summer.htm

[Etienne1989]

i might do this, but like anla it depends on how much work i have from uni

[Simonsky]

I'm planning on going. Provided I'm virus free. (My standard caveat)

If any of you are thinking of going, country handicaps, such as the Coota Haycarters have traditionally been the backbone of open racing. They're usually a hoot (though getting the back of my bike carved up in a 50 bike pile up last year was a low point).

If anyone is thinking of going who is new to this sort of thing we can organise a posse so that we can look after one another.

[Simonsky]

I'm planning on going. Provided I'm virus free. (My standard caveat)

If any of you are thinking of going, country handicaps, such as the Coota Haycarters have traditionally been the backbone of open racing. They're usually a hoot (though getting the back of my bike carved up in a 50 bike pile up last year was a low point).

If anyone is thinking of going who is new to this sort of thing we can organise a posse so that we can look after one another.

[Etienne1989]

If anyone is thinking of going who is new to this sort of thing we can organise a posse so that we can look after one another.

Ive never done any of these country handicaps, but i really want to start doing these races

[Vanessa]

I got out to one or two of these last year & had a blast. As a female I got to start with scratch & it was a good ride. Definitely keen to do a few more this year.

[Nos131]

Yep I'm going. My first time doing any sort of road racing.

[SSSimon]

V meant she started on Limit - they get the MOST head start. Scratch is for the hottest hot shots, few, but not many, from Canberra make the scratch bunch. As far as parlance goes, limit starts first, followed by 2nd limit, and the speedy end, it comes down to 2nd block at about 6 minutes, chopping-block (aka block) at about 3 minutes, then scratch off last. To catch limit, scratch has to average in the high 40's.

The later scratch catch you, the better. Generally if scratch catch you before the last hill you're cactus. If your group works really well you can hold off scratch and finish in the first bunch - that's when you have to sprint it out for the win or major places.

I'll be heading down as it's usually a great w/e, first race being on Saturday PM, then the 'recovery' race being on Sunday AM.

[Vanessa]

Thanks Simon I always get confused about the terminology :0 Also never understood why they call the race on sunday 'recovery' how is a 70km race the day after another race recovery? But anyway, all good fun!

[SSSimon]

'Recovery' race is pretty rich considering everyone is spent from Saturday's race. I think they should only allow entrants into the Recovery race who entered/completed the Sat race - and then the Recovery race is to test your powers of recovery.

[j_young_80]

There is a picture circulating of you hiding under a brolly at last year's recovery somewhere Prez i'm sure....

[SSSimon]

There is also a picture of my desk the next day shrouded off from the other workers as I was classified a bio-hazard! You could say I failed to recover enough for the recovery-race, or work for the next week really...

[Sluggo]

Vanessa, I think you meant you started with 'Limit', you would have noticed it if you had started with 'scratch' it would not have been a good ride as you described.

If anyone is interested the reason it's called the 'Haycarters' in the early 80's the Coota Club used to actually go out and 'cart' hay to raise money for this race and the 'Coota Annual' race.

[Etienne1989]

where do u go to enter in this race?

[Vanessa]

Cycling NSW website - one of my favourites :)

http://www.nsw.cycling.org.au/

has all open NSW races listed & online entries.

[Etienne1989]

i've entered for both days, who else is doing both? what are other people doing for accomodation?

[Startrek]

Its Mothers Day sunday ,so i have to stay in bed and get my once a year breakfast in bed .I think some people will just drive up for the day its not that far.

[Etienne1989]

thx, that gets rid of that worry

[Vanessa]

There's a MACT contigent heading down for w'end & they always stay as grp at hotel - will check name & post later. As it's mother's day I am now out too :(

[Etienne1989]

ok, thanks, because im not sure how i will get there at the moment, i might have a car but probably will not, and then what to do about staying overnight or not

[abontjer]

Hi Etienne and other Vikings,

The MACT team usually sends a big contingent down for both races, but this year a bunch have decided to ride only the Saturday race.

I've booked three twin rooms at the Cootamundra Gardens Motel, close to the centre of town for the Saturday night. So, if you would like to organise a bed in one of these rooms get back to me.

We shall also get a car pool going closer to the date

Allan
allan.bontjer@gmail.com

[Etienne1989]

ok, cool. I just sent you an email.

[Simonsky]

Looks like I have to give the Haycarters a miss this year. Might have work commitments that weekend.

Have fun Etienne and crew.

A word of advice: keep something in the tank to make it over the hill about halfway through the course (while still taking your turns, of course). Once you're over that you're home and hosed!