2018 ADX Depot Tour of Goolwa wrap
With the 2018 ADX Depot Tour Of Goolwa done and dusted for another year we thought it might be prudent to do some thank you’s and point out some highlights. In no particular order or even relevance.
The racing
Mercedes Blackchrome in Div 3B – who in a moment of madness shortcutted the stage 1 time trial and were given last place plus a time penalty but managed to claw their way back and win the division. I should mention that this equal opportunity team contained an even split of genders, you’ve just been chick’d. Go girls! (and Simon and Greg).
The 70s Plus Club – The name gives it away but apparently most of the members of this team have an IQ above 70. Incredible! Not only that, they are all aged above 70 years of age. They competed like young gladiators this year and came away with 3rd place in a pretty feisty Div 5 competition.
Crows Nest Record Time – The previous record of 9:’50 has been held for a couple years by Michael Teniswood and seemed like a pretty good mark for a bunch of old farts. Well Craig Ingram didn’t just beat that time this year, he demolished it. At 9:18 it might be a few more years before we get to see that time bettered. I should also mention that Dave Dobson actually held the record for 4 minutes with a time of 9:46 before Craig came through. That makes Dobbo currently 11 minutes short on his allotted 15 minutes of fame. Maybe next time?
The riders of Division 3A – Who all stopped when riders went down and made sure that their companions were safe and waited for help to arrive before commencing racing. That’s the spirit we should be racing in (but ideally without the crashing). Nice one guys.
The 110% effort riders – You saw them in your race surely, the riders who don’t know how to quit? Maybe they did a huge ‘Zbierski’ on Flagstaff Hill or ‘Vearsed up’ on Crows Nest. They might have tried to get off the front on stage 2 thrashing away only to be brought back. Or maybe they were successful flogging themsleves for 2 hours out in the wind to gain a 10 second advantage on the bunch at the finish line. Perhaps their win was to just hang on to the bunch when they considered they were outclassed or even to just not quit when they got dropped and keep pushing until the finish. We like those riders.
Now for the people who made it happen
Race Director – Sarah Rawlinson was on the ground to oversee the smooth running of the event and handle the many dramas that crop up ranging from the mundane to not-so mundane and managed to stay cheerful, sane and at no point resorted to violence.
Timing – Phil Davill and John Goddard. These guys are mythical creatures to most of us because they arrive before you do, leave long after you have gone home and then crunch numbers during the night. Each year the level of accuracy and complexity required to generate, team, grade and individual results goes up and these guys handle it with aplomb. The Belgian timing software company were shocked to discover how far our boffins are pushing the limits of the software.
Referees – Bob ‘Soft’ Cotton and his team who herded woolly goats all weekend, told us to pull our heads in when required and generally tried to stop us from killing ourselves. Thanks to each of the referees who travelled down in to hang around in so-so weather for the day or the weekend
First Aid – Who unfortunately had some work to do this year but were so amazing that Don Clifton felt emboldened to throw caution to the wind during his warm up and experiment with the limits of traction and the combination of railway lines and rain.
Volunteers – They signed us on, sorted prizes and check our timing chips. They stood on lonely corners in gosh-forsaken parts of the world to stop traffic and keep us safe. They handed us drinks at the top of Crows Nest and made sure we returned our numbers and helmet covers. They ensured the toilets were where they should be and functional and never complained once. Sure it all sounds glamorous……
Signs and Safety – Dave Degenhardt was up early every morning jumping in and out of his car man-handling signs and cones and laying out the course. Then at the end of the day he then had to pack it all up again. Then there is the pre-race paper work for the council and the police that needs to be completed. If you are wondering what the Tour Of Goolwa response to an act of terrorism might be, ask Dave.
Sponsorship and Booklet – Thanks to Paul McGregor who chased down sponsorship throughout the year and has more front than Myers when approaching potential sponsors, Brilliant. Graham King once again took on the task of creating the Tour booklet for us and did his usual awesome job.
The sponsors
You might think this bit is boring but you can’t run an event like the Tour Of Goolwa without either charging huge entry fees or finding sponsors to make it happen. So if the need arises please make sure you consider the services of the businesses below. These guys are supporting your racing. Who else is doing that?
Our stage sponsors:
ADX Depot – It was fantastic to have them come on board as a major sponsor this year a big thanks to them and our man on the inside Keith Felix –https://adxdepot.com.au
Pedal Action – Need watts? Get in touch with Phil or Michelle. –https://pedalaction.com.au
Finniss General Store -Great food and coffee, make sure you drop in next time you are in the neighbourhood. – http://www.finnissgeneralstore.com.au
Eades Transport – If you are looking for transport logistics these guys are ace. – http://www.eadestransport.com.au
Goolwa Camping and Tourist Park – A great spot to stay when you are racing Tour Of Goolwa – http://www.goolwatouristpark.com.au
D & A Kelly Concreting – For concrete as hard as Dan Kelly contact Dan Kelly. – ph 0404 075 808
Other sponsors:
Zero Friction Cycling – https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/
Bicycle Fix Woodside – https://bicyclefix.com.au/
Port Elliot Family Hotel – https://www.royalfamilyhotel.com.au/
Design MC Building Design – http://www.designmc.com.au/
Global Office Products – http://globalofficeproducts.com.au/
Ngeringa Winery – https://www.ngeringa.com/
Cycle Closet – https://www.cyclecloset.com/
Knead Me Massage – http://kneadme.co/
A1 Hire Victor Harbor – https://www.a1hirevictor.com.au/
Thanks for racing with us at the ADX Depot Tour Of Goolwa in 2018 and see you next year!
