Cross on the Rock 2026.  Season #20

Newsletter #7 – Hot Crossed Bunnies – Series Final – Double Points!!

It is fitting that the second to last newsletter is going out today!  On November 12 in 2006 we hosted our FIRST ever Cross on the Rock finals at Fletcher’s Farm in Errington.  Jungle Cross (results here)   Check out the results as there are a few people that are still racing today! We had 92 racers the day AFTER we hosted the first ever Canadian Championships held on Vancouver Island for ANY cycling event at Beban Park.  Here we are in 2026 about to host our 20th Series Final this weekend at the park it all started.  Thanks to everyone that has made this series and cyclocross so special on Vancouver Island for the last 23 years!!

Warm Ups:

• Check your POINTS!!!  Make sure you have credit for all the races that you have done this season.  IF you have done all 6 races so far you can see where you are at for your category after dropping your lowest points race HERE.  We are also working on splitting out the MEN’s MEGA MASTERS for the series as well.
• SOCKS.  Have you picked yours up yet?  A LOT of people have NOT picked up yet.  We have only 7 Medium, 17 Large and 6 XL left for sale.  You can purchase through the registration page.
• Bring some CASH this Sunday.
• Bring a rake Sunday.
• The Single Speed Championships of the UNIVERSE will be held on Sunday after LAUNCH!  This will either be ONE big lap or possibly TWO shorter Laps.  Patrick is racing…..so no “official” timing but we will be there recording the action!!  Who will be the Champion?

NAKED Frameset Draw THIS SUNDAY!
9 Frame sets have been donated since 2013 from Sam Whittingham.  This Sunday will be #10!!
Check our social media posts up until race day to get inspired!

• Every time you raced (Adult category) your name was entered.
• MUST be there on Sunday to win
• Even Roland can win (did you know we have never comped an entry in 20 years….everyone pays)
• IF you are one of the 9 people that have won before…..you can not win.  SORRY!
• Technically Sam could win…..not sure what happens in that case?
• IF Norm wins…..he might get the TALL bike like the one we had at the Muc Off Cup…..maybe!

1. MIVA – Hot Crossed Bunnies – Race Preview.

REGISTER for THIS SUNDAY HERE

Short Points:

1. Bring some CASH.  The Firefighters will have a donation-bike wash and concession stand.  It will be worth it!
2. Race the COTR Single Speed Championships of the Universe!  This will be right after Launch and before the Riverway Dental Hot Lap.  You have a Cassette?  Disable your shifting.  Zap Strap it.  Do what it takes to have 1 functioning gear and you will be good to go (“I promise not to shift” will not be enough)
3. Bring some body wipes, warm clothes and extra snacks for the awards.
4. Don’t forget a rake to help us out after the Open race and before awards!

PACK A RAKE PLEASE.  The VIEX folk have requested we rake out their property after the race.  This normally includes the mulch and sand riding rings but this year they would also like any other super muddy/grooved sections to be raked.  As we know MANY COTR racers make light work.  Please pack a rake and give us a hand as soon as the OPEN racers are done so we can get it done fast as the course gets torn down.  It is one of the BEST warm down exercises out there…..so it helps your recovery!

Parking:  (Consult Map) Beban park is HUGE.  But on any given weekend there is a LOT going on.  The best place to park for the race is south of the race course in the gravel lot next to the Steve Smith Jump park.  This is accessed off the main road through the park by the golf course.  This is the BEST parking spot for our event. PLEASE DO NOT PARK at the soccer club house parking which is the closest to the start.  There is always soccer going on the weekends and they love their close parking lot.  The paved parking by the Pool and arena is also a good option.  Parking on the roadways or grass is strictly forbidden and will get you towed and we will not like you.  There is limited parking as well south of the course by the golf course.  You will find a spot without parking like a…..you know…..starts with an “a”.

Team Tents:  Will be in the same spot as the last couple of years by the sand riding ring, close to reg. food trucks and the pits.  The Weather forecast calls for rain and wind so make sure your tent is staked and secured. It is drop and go (NO PARKING AT TEAM TENTS AREA) until we close and lock the gates around 9:30am.  After that point you will have to carry your gear in.  On the flip side the gate will be LOCKED until after the OPEN races so it will be carry out until that point.  There will be no team vehicles inside the gate or we will run out of space for the team tents.  This will be a GREAT spot to watch and central to all the action!

Registration: As it has been all season pre-registration only.  This will close like normal at 6:00pm the night before the race. The call up sheets are literally done by 6:10pm the night before the race. So if you FORGET or put it off you are unlikely to get your earned call up spot.
For racers that have not raced this year race day number pick up and race central will be located in the Agriplex.  Consult the map.

Washrooms:  There will be porta johns located at the end of the opening straight away or somewhere in the general area.  There are LOTS of other (Flush) washrooms located in Beban park.  You can also locate washrooms in almost all buildings in the park.  Both arenas.  Down by the artificial turf field.  In the Pool.   NO DIRTY BIKE SHOES OR DIRTY PEOPLE INSIDE THE BUILDINGS OR WASHROOMS.  Clean yourself up BEFORE going into a public area.  We want to be able to use this venue again. MORE IMPORTANTLY if you are going IN a building LOCK YOUR BIKE (Bikes have been stolen at this event when left unattended.  Don’t lose your bike)!!!

Awards: Awards location will be in the Agriplex.  We would LOVE to start the awards as SOON as possible after the OPEN races so the MORE PEOPLE HELPING clean up the course, rake out the sand/mulch, bag course tape and pack the trailer the better.  We can’t do it after the awards as it will be DARK!  Many hands make it a LOT easier for everyone!

Race Course: .We’ll still have the classic elements that make this course great. MUD, SAND, WOOD CHIPS, PAVEMENT, GRAVEL.  It will be be awesome.

Bike Wash: The Nanaimo Professional  Firefighters Charitable Society will be doing a bike wash by donation, so bring some cash to support a great cause.

One last reminder…..Post race:  Please help us both tear down as well as RAKE out the course to smooth out the major ruts so that we can continue to be welcomed back. Last year we did a great job, so let’s do it again this year. Please bring a rake and work gloves, or grab one from the trailer and have a go, many hands make light work and get the work done FAST.  We will make an announcement when we are starting the awards….and…..well…..there will be no one left on course so you will notice that the awards have started!  Ideally we would like to start as close to 4:00 as possible.

NOTE SLIGHT CHANGE to Race Day Schedule

The COTR Single Speed Championships of the UNIVERSE will be right after the LAUNCH finish BEFORE the Riverway Dental Hot Lap

Registration Open	9:15 am
Beginner Clinic-Pre Ride	9:50 am
Launch Men(Including Youth U13 and U15)	10:35 am
Launch Women ((Including Youth U13 and U15)	10:36 am
Riverway Dental Hot Lap for Bigger Kids. Full lap or almost a full lap	11:40
Intermediate Men (Including U17)	12:10 pm
Intermediate Women (Including U17 and Masters Women)	12:11 pm
Lil Nutcase Kids Race	12:15 pm
Masters Men (40-54)	1:15 pm
Super Master Men (55+)	1:16 pm
Open Men	2:30 pm
Open Women	2:31 pm

RACE and SERIES AWARDS will be as soon as we are finished tearing down the course and packing the trailer.  More hands make it all go quick and lets us get to the race awards FAST!  These will be located in the big Agriplex Building!

2. OBB – Blue Bridge Racing Cross – Review

Ross Greenwood caught some great photos last Sunday.  Check them out. 

Norm’s Notes:

• One of the more hectic COTR weekends of all time with being off-island the day before and the uncertainty with the ferries.  VERY stressful.
• Also the first time I have driven to Victoria on the morning of a COTR race in 20 years.  We don’t like to be too far from the venue as it adds an extra layer.  The early drive down on Sunday morning I just kept repeating to myself not to hydroplane the Frontrunners van AND the trailer in all the standing water.
• Without Tycho at this race (the first one he has not been at since he was 2 years old) we needed someone to lead the Riverway Dental Hot lappers…..Roland took the saddle for this….but when he lined up he was just in front of the kids or about 5 meters.  Obviously not in tuned with how HARD and fast these kids start!!
• So busy I did not even make it to Rhinos…..sad.
• When you arrive at the venue and the first thing you have to do is tip a porta john back up from falling down……you never know how the day is going to go after that and well…..it went GREAT so maybe that is a GOOD omen!
• That venue is still one of the BEST for vibe with everyone in that top section and then compacted in different parts of the course.  So awesome!

4. 11s Coffee Last Not Lapped – FOUR left to be picked up!

Normally the magic beans from 11 Speed Coffee mysteriously appear on our awards table at each race.  So we were confused at Whiskey CX when they were not there.  Lucky the Slug thugs had some bags of candy as a quick substitute!

We checked in with Kyle and found out he was smashed with the flu Saturday night after planning on making the trip to Port Alberni.

SO we will have the Last Not Lapped blend ready for pick up for the following 4 people at registration on Sunday.  Last Chance for Last not Lapped!

• Peter Martin
• Scarlett Mcfarlen
• Jeremy Robson
• Amanda McArthur

Remaining Series Races:
November
LAST RACE FOR THE YEAR!!!!

Race #7  Hot Crossed Bunnies on November 15 to finish off our 20th season.  We will be having a get together after to give out the race and series awards at Beban park and finishing the year off with a NAKED Bikes Bike Frame!!  Hand made by Sam Whittingham.

MUC OFF                                        Coastal Community Credit Union             Naked Bike
Frontrunners – Nanaimo                  Riverway Dental                  Eleven Speed Coffee for the coveted Last Not Lapped!
Rock City Cycles                             Re/MAX Camosun (Single Speed Beer)   Cycles West