Welcome to the forum

*****ANNOUNCING THE CCA 2021 TIME TRIAL SEASON - Email 1 of 2*****

edited July 2021 in Time Trial
Hi Folks,

I've got TWO email announcements for you. This one deals with the admin, the second one the dates and courses. Please read both.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
  • Weekly 10-mile TTs from 28th April to 25th August 2021 inclusive EXCEPT 9th and 23rd June, when Nomads will be running a 25 on the F14/25, with a limited number of places available for CCA.
  • Open to All, including non-CCA member/Guest riders.
  • Alternating rides on F14/10 “Footdown” and F14/"Wrestlingworth – Wimpole RAB – Wrestlingworth".
  • Cycling Time Trials (CTT) Regulation 14(i) requires Compulsory Use of a working Red Rear Light (flashing or steady). NO LIGHT, NO RIDE. See CTT Guidance Note No. 24.
  • Season-long competitions (First Claim CCA only) for fastest Male, Female, Junior/Youth and Vets on standard (fastest average time for both courses); and The Northfield Handicap – qualification for all comps requires compulsory “helps” and, for the “fastest” titles, rides on each of the two 10 courses.
  • 25TT Champs will be Interclub 25 on the F14/25 (the Guilden Morden course) on Sunday 18th July.
  • The Hill Climb Champs will be on the familiar Chalk Hills/Hatch Lane course on Sunday 3rd October.
APPLICATION OF UK GOVERNMENT ADVICE ON “ROADMAP” OUT OF COVID-19 LOCKDOWN

As we all know, the UK Government has set out a four step “roadmap” out of lockdown due to COVID-19, which overlaps with the schedule for our 2021 season.

According to this - and the CTT's own - guidance and updated Risk Assessment (HERE), signing-on inside the Guilden Morden Village Hall (VH) will not be possible until at least the race scheduled for 19th May (see also below). Instead, signing-on will be done from the back of a car at the VH, as was done for the few races we held in August 2020. This means there will also be no access to toileting facilities at the VH for the first few races of the season – PLEASE PLAN AHEAD. INITIALLY, THERE WILL ALSO BE NO ACCESS AT ALL TO THE KITCHEN. The “Rule of 6” applies for outdoor gatherings.

If the current “step 3” timetable is confirmed, from 19th May to at least 21st June the “Rule of 6” inside the VH will apply, so we *should* be able to conduct signing-on in the entrance lobby of the VH and toileting will be available. We plan to have access to the kitchen via the side door with riders able to enjoy their drink and a spot of socialising outside (if confirmed, up to 30 may gather outside) or inside, providing that the “Rule of 6” inside the kitchen space is respected.

The UK Government will be publishing guidance on Step 4 from 21st June, so we wait to learn what changes this will bring: fingers crossed, it will be a return to normality, as far as is possible.

SENSIBLE COVID-SAFE PRECAUTIONS TO BE MAINTAINED
  • Please pay race entry fees in advance on-line (see below).
  • Please bring your own safety pins to pin on your race number.
  • Please maintain a safe distance between riders while waiting to start.
  • There will be no pushing off, so please self-start.
  • No congregating at the finish: please return to HQ etc.
NEW RULES FOR F14/"WRESTLINGWORTH – WIMPOLE RAB – WRESTLINGWORTH" COURSE

This course was run twice in August 2020. Following a review of the Risk Assessment (RA), the CCA Committee has agreed the following changes:
  • The final turn at the Wrestlingworth cross-roads before the finish is potentially dangerous with competitors winding up for a big finish only a short distance away. As such, there is a temptation for competitors to take the corner “full-gas”, crossing the white line on the entry to and/or exit from the corner. The RA has been updated so that a Marshal will be positioned at this corner and any competitor crossing the white line will be DQd. You have been warned!
  • The August 2020 distance has been shortened very slightly so that the finish will be at the crest of the false-flat after the crossroads turn. This allows timekeepers a “line of sight” to the crossroads, making identification and finish timing of competitors easier. It is anticipated that this small change will make the course length just short of 10 miles, TBC.
ENTRY FEES, COMPETITION RULES & GENERAL GUIDANCE

ENTRY FEES (to cover Cycle Time Trials Levy and venue hire, incidentals etc.): £5 non-members (including 2nd claim CCA); £4 for 1st claim CCA members and non-member Juniors/Youth; £3 CCA member Juniors/Youth. Please pay to account holder: Cycle Club Ashwell, Account no: 20382167, Sort code: 20-41-12. Sign on will be at the VH from about 6.15 p.m. First rider off will be at 7.01 p.m. unless otherwise advised.


To qualify for the season-long "fastest" competitions, 1st claim CCA riders need to ride a minimum of 6 (six) rides, three (3) each on the older foot-down course (F14/10) and three (3) on the newer F14/Wrestlingworth etc.; and we will also need you each to help out twice please. This means that we’re asking you to commit to one half of the sixteen (16) competition rides. NB: Should the total number of competition rides be reduced because of roadworks etc., we may reduce the compulsory qualification rides from 6 to 4 etc., TBC.

The Northfield Handicap is a points-based competition over the 16 competition rides based against a rider’s time vs. their personal best on that course. The winning rider on the night receives 21 points, the second 16, then 13, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and the minimum any rider will score for turning out is one (1) point. Entry requires two compulsory "helps" across the season, for which you'll receive your season points average for each "help", but:
  • To maintain interest, I'll be pegging your PB on the footdown 10 course to your best ride over the last three years. That way, an "old" PB shouldn't continue to be a "millstone" making you less competitive in the Handicap comp. [As the new course has been shortened slightly, we start this year with no PBs for the new course but I'll apply a Handicap based on past performance to get the ball rolling on the new course. But, I'll be fair :-)]; and
  • Riders with children will typically take a two-week holiday at some point during the racing season. To enable riders with children to remain competitive, riders will score with their best two efforts only during August, even if they ride three of four times during August.
For Youth/Junior riders (under 18), we will need a signed Parent/Guardian consent form to compete - one form covers the whole season. This can be found HERE. However, NO FORM, NO RIDE. But we only need one form on file to cover the whole season, not one form per ride. So, once the completed form is with us, you're sorted! :-)

Vets on standard (using VTTA standard times for 10 miles (see HERE)) - anyone born in 1980 or earlier is eligible.

*****************************************

OK, enough with all the rules. Let’s get racing! Best of luck to everyone!

Questions? Please respond to this post or privately message (PM) me.

Helper? Please make yourself known on the following week's TT announcement that will be posted about a week before the ride. Thanks!

Comments

  • What are the bank details for payment? Can we paid multiple events in advance?
  • Hi David, Will get back to you over the weekend...
  • Hi David, I just sent you a private message...
  • Hi Folks, Apologies for the delay in posting the promised second of the two e-mails of the TT Season announcement, but you will see that posting now.

    A couple of bits of housekeeping on this first email.

    1. Too many rules, right? But having also received comments from stakeholders (you know who you are! Thank you :-), I've had a rethink about the proposed new Northfield H'Cap rule, which attempts to even-up the scoring system for riders with children who may be away on holiday during the school Summer holiday. You can see what I'm trying to do here - I want to widen the pool of riders who can compete for the prize!

    My initial rule to balance-up was to remove the best and worst scores across the season, but - on reflection - this isn't specifically targetted enough and may end up penalising those I'm trying to "balance".

    OK, so what we will do instead is - of the four races in August - riders will score with their best two efforts only during August, even if they ride three of four times during August. Make sense? This may make it a bit tricky to provide an immediate "on the night" announcement of the Season winner on 26th August 2021 (the last ride of the season), but let's give it a go for 2021, eh? I've updated the relevant "rule" in the orginal announcement above accordingly.

    2. If you don't already have the CCA bank details, please private message me via the Forum and I will send them across.

    Thanks!
  • Please can I have CCA bank details rob
  • Do you want the paper parental consent form or can we forward it to an email address completed and scanned?

    Robert
  • Hi Robert,

    Glad to hear that Thomas will be back this year! :-) And delighted to receive a scnned copy of the parental consent form. Please send to TT@ccashwell.com. Thanks!
  • Bank details for online payment in advance of signing on have been added to the post above under 'entry fees'.
  • Emma/Andy. We have effectively a £30 credit in the CCA coffers. We paid for a loan Grasstrack bike for Logan and then he bought his own.
    Can we say that covers Thomas for 10 TT’s or do we need to request a refund and pay again?
  • Hi Robert, Let me have a chat with our Treasurer, but from what you say I can’t see any reason why we can’t allow your arrangement. I’ll confirm ASAP.
  • Hi Robert, I’m happy to confirm your proposal is good for us, thanks.
  • Went over to Ashwell Grasstrack tonight and on the way Wrestlingworth crossroads has 4 way lights on it tonight. No sign to say how long they’ll be there but work doesn’t look too big so hopefully they’ll be gone for Wednesday
  • Thanks for the headsup, Robert. I've shifted comment onto the 28th April raceday thread.
  • Paid for me and Ellie, I have the parental consent form to bring with me. May be missing it...what time is sign on??
Sign In or Register to comment.