Time to get Muc’d Up on our bikes.

A few short intervals for this newsletter:

• Tessa T. will be back this Monday making a rare 2022 appearance that fits into her now busy soccer schedule.  We have not confirmed if she will be racing Launch or The Riverway Dental Hot Lap.
• Not quite as big news as Tessa but World Cup MTB, 2021 Canadian XC Champ and recently #longformatcyclocross racer Jenn Jackson will be making her COTR debut on Monday.  It will be exciting to see her out on course!
• Jack, Tycho and special guest Tessa will have their cold drink stand again since it is still summer out there!  It is reported that they have listened to their customer base and will have more FANTA.
• The best way to encourage new people to come out and try cyclocross or for you to improve your skills is to have a practice session.  If you do we want to help promote and publicise it so let us know.

1. Cross on the Rock 2022 Race #3 – Nanaimo – Bowen Park – The Muc Off Cup – Preview.

REGISTRATION CLOSES: Sunday Night at 6:00 PM.  No on site registration.
Registration link: HERE.

Time to get Muc’d up!

Muc-Off is not “just” the title sponsor of the Cross on the Rock Series but they are also back as title sponsor of the Muc Off Cup again this year! It is always great to have all their amazing products and Pete working hard washing bikes again (If needed). The Bowen park course is a classic. At the point of writing the chance of 5mm of rain that was “promised” earlier in the week seems to be gone…..which is sort of sad.  BUT the parks people will be happy as last year’s race needed some serious remediation!

The course will be similar to the last few years with a road section start, into a  single track wooded climb, quick down hill, then onto the grass for lots of twists and turns before the infamous stairs and volley-ball court/sand section.  The volley ball court has a new perimeter fence around one side so the approach and path for that section will be changed.  For the most part the course will be similar to previous years but once we get into the bowl area it is up to the crew setting up on how our adventure looks!

The Stats!!
This race has some impressive stats over the history of the event.

• Biggest race of all time!  2019
  • 5th biggest in 2018
  • 6th biggest in 2017
• Biggest category of all time masters men 40-54 in 2019 with 88 racers
• Most DNF’s EVER in 2014
  • 4th most DNFs in 2010
  • 10th most DNFs in 2011
• LEAST DNF’s ever in 2016
  • 2nd least DNFs in 2019!
• Two Time venue for the Provincial Cyclocross Championships
• MOST RAIN ever during one of our races for the 2021 Masters Men’s race.  It was INSANE!!

Check out the results from 2021 here to re-live the action!

Course Hazards

• First of all the park is open to the public.  There are people everywhere and some will NOT be aware of the race or cyclists on course.  Keep your head up!!
• Please be very cautious of the down-hill section after the pool.  This is the fastest section with some BIG trees that can break your shoulder or your head.
• There are slippery sections, roots and trees and uneven ground all over the place and it will be WET
• You MUST stay to the inside of the cones near the tennis courts. This is very important as we are sharing the road with other park users.
• The last hazard is the down-hill after the stair section. Please use caution, as it its steep and can be slippery.

Parking

• There is LOTS of parking in the AREA of the race but maybe not RIGHT beside the registration/finish area.  You have a bike….you can park a little ways away.
• The main Parking is located in the lot beside the Volley Ball courts off WALL STREET.  These spots are not marked so please don’t park like a donkey and mess it up for other people.  Organized rows!
• Overflow parking can be found across the street at the Curling Club.
• There is also some parking up by the park administration buildings by the tennis courts and then above that by the pool.
• All spots are within 1 minute of the main race area.

Registration and race central

• Will be located near the Volley Ball courts

ALWAYS: Please be courteous to other park users.

Team Tents

• One row on the grass in front of parking area.
• Then a second row against the curb in the parking lot.
• STAKE YOUR TENTS!

Please do not put any tents on the opposite side of the course. Only event tents are allowed in that area.  Thanks

Food Truck.
For a food truck this year we have Sip and Sliders. 
ALSO: Jack and Tycho will have their drink stand with MORE FANTA as well as a special guest with Tessa there for a rare 2022 appearance.  Bring a couple of bucks to support the Cold Drink Stand!

Prizes
Muc Off and Rock City Cycles are literally giving away thousands of dollars of product at this event.

PLEASE ABSOLUTELY STAY OFF THE COURSE AFTER RACE DAY!

Lastly we can almost guarantee this…..NUMBERS ON YOUR LEFT!

Remember….registration CLOSES at 6:00 PM on Sunday.  LINK HERE.

2.  Cross Club – Victoria
Reports from Victoria are that the Cross Club has been going strong.  Two practices to go in their schedule if you want to check it out.

Cross Club 2022 Schedule
Ride #1 – September 14th
Ride #2 – September 21th
Ride #3 – September 28nd
Ride #4 – October 5th
(Please note: No ride on Oct 12th due to Cross on the Rock race on Monday, Oct 10th of that week)
Ride #5 – October 19th
Ride #6 – October 26th

3.  Cross on the Rock Season 2022 Schedule DONE – September 11th. COTR #1. Qualicum Beach. Cross on the Commons.DUSTED – September 18th COTR #2. Cumberland. Coal Cross.October 10th. COTR #3. Nanaimo. Muc Off Cup.October 23rd. COTR #4. Langford.  Broad Street Cycles GPOctober 30th. COTR #5. Cowichan Valley. Chris Cross.November 13th. COTR #6. Nanaimo. Hot Crossed Bunnies.

• 6 races again.  Same as 2021
• So far we have 5 returning venues with 1 new venue
• At least 2 very different courses from previously raced at those returning venues.
• 1 totally new course at Chris Cross in the Cowichan Valley.

Time to get FIRED up for this Monday’s MUC-OFF Cup!! 
Remembering back to 2021! The greatest conditions of all time for COTR!!

Cumberland delivered.  The Muc Off Cup is coming.

The short notes:

• Thanks to the two new race directors for Coal Cross.  Brett Whitehead and Tom Skinner.  A great day of racing with a great crew in Cumberland!
• Patrick’s photos from Cumberland are posted.
• In case you did not know….Nutcase is a returning sponsor for the Little Nutty Races!!  So pumped to have them on board again!
• We may be saying good bye to Matthew Mahoney for the race season after he achieved his goal to beat Normon Thibault on the 2nd race of the season!
• We saw some NEW and some repeat winners and podium finishers at the second race of the season…..exciting racing in every category!
• In case you did not know the races have live updated timing right after each race and each event.  The times and placing can be found on webscorer.com and then they are uploaded to www.crossontherock.com after the event when all the stats and series points are updated.
• It was amazing to see so many COTR racers past and present last weekend in Cumberland (again) racing at the Mind over Mountain adventure race!
• A reminder that during OTHER people’s races you are NOT allowed to be on the course.  Please wait until ALL the racers have finished their race before jumping on.  There is enough time between the races to get a lap or two in.  NEVER EVER pass a racer that is still racing while you are pre-riding.  EVER!
• IF you have a bike number with the clear plastic it is NOT performing well for us (the supplier ran out of all other plastics making our number tags).  Please re-enforce your number tag with tape or modify with extra attachment points to make sure it stays on your bike. 
• In relation to the previous point Carla Hudsdon we have your bike number tag!!

1. Cross on the Rock 2022 Race #2 – Cumberland – Coal Cross – Review –

Tycho and Jack could like to thank all the supporters of their drink stand.  We will update you before the Muc Off cup of that they have planned for that race.  Rumour has it their old business partner, Tessa, may be back in the mix!

 Huge thanks for the Cumberland Community for helping support COTR once again, with Brett Whitehead doing an amazing job of coordinating volunteers, helping with logistics, and helping out with course setup.  

Big thanks to Scott McGregor, Mike Tunnah, Scott Manktelow, Dan Leyton, Erica Spizawka, Chuck Ashton, and especially Tim Roberts for all of their help with course ‘construction’, setup and teardown, and packing up the trailer post-race.

Thanks to Phil, Sonja, Nico and Sam Schum, as well as the crew who helped set up the course on Saturday night.  Big thanks to Trail Bicycles, the Riding Fool Hostel, and Blue Toque Sports for all of the awesome prizes and continued support.  

I was impressed at how quickly the course came down after the race, and it came down so fast I didn’t even see who helped clean up. Big thanks to those who helped; you made me so happy knowing I could go and crush pizza after my race instead of walk a lap of the course collecting tape and stakes.  

To all of our timers, course marshals, and volunteers, thanks so much for volunteering your time to help out. Danielle, Erika, Jon, Paul, Sonja, Therese, Belinda, Sina; you were all amazing helpers.  

A big thanks to Curtis, Lisa, and Dave Novak for sharing their experience with organizing this race in the past. The encouragement was great too.  

And lastly a big thank you to Norm for helping bring COTR to Cumberland. It was great hosting the cross community at Village Park once again, and Norm plays a big part in bringing this community together.  

To the racers….  we’re so glad that you enjoyed the course and we loved your amazing attitudes. See you at all of the remaining races!  Tom

2.  The Muc Off Cup is coming!!

Returning to it’s “traditional” date of Thanksgiving Monday for 2022 we are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to Bowen Park in Nanaimo.  We will have a FULL PREVIEW in the week leading up to the race.  For now you can scroll back through the past results and check out the legendary status of this race on the stats page.

Registration is OPEN HERE.

3.  Cross on the Rock Season 2022 Schedule DONE – September 11th. COTR #1. Qualicum Beach. Cross on the Commons.DUSTED – September 18th COTR #2. Cumberland. Coal Cross.October 10th. COTR #3. Nanaimo. Muc Off Cup.October 23rd. COTR #4. Langford.  Broad Street Cycles GPOctober 30th. COTR #5. Cowichan Valley. Chris Cross.November 13th. COTR #6. Nanaimo. Hot Crossed Bunnies. (This venue is still to be confirmed)

• 6 races again.  Same as 2021
• So far we have 5 returning venues with 1 new venue
• At least 2 very different courses from previously raced at those returning venues.
• 1 totally new course at Chris Cross in the Cowichan Valley.

Warm Down Shot – We all know that Cumberland ROCKS!!

We wait 9 months of the year for this weekend!!

Newsletter #2

Cross is here!
Yes. It seems like the summer break just ended….because it did just end.  We have been getting messages all week about people doing their first intervals, taking their gravel tires off their bikes, getting new fast racing shoes for the cx season,  doing their first start practices, dusting off their cross bikes, re-gluing tubulars and…..even….shaving legs!  Most people are NOT ready to go full gas this weekend.  We are with you.  BUT at the very same time we CAN NOT wait to go full gas this weekend.  It will HURT but it will be AWESOME!!  Easing into the season.  Start to feel your groove sometime in October when things ramp up and the weather gets more “cross like”.

We can’t wait!!

• Please read through the adjusted COVID Protocols for this year.  Quite a bit different than 2021 but still encouraging care and consideration for others and a priority for staying healthy.  Link is here.

1. Cross on the Commons.  Qualicum Beach.  Cross on the Rock 2022 Race #1. Preview!!

Arrowsmith Cycling Club, the Town of Qualicum Beach and many supporting businesses of Oceanside are pleased to hold and sponsor the 5th Cross on the Commons!

Registration CLOSES for Race #1 at 6:00 PM on Saturday night before the race.  CLOSES.  There is NO DAY OF RACE registration.

Link to registration page is here.

Course Description

 The course will be fast and run in a counter clockwise direction that starts at the same location (lower, most northerly playing field) as last year. It begins with a slight uphill section toward and past the kids playground into The Olde Forest section which is a mix of single(ish) track, gravel, your favourite ditch and a slight (slight!) bit of grass before exiting on to The Strait-Not-That- Away section that’s a bit uphill that keeps the skate board park on the left and includes Logstacles (come and find out what those are). From there The Off-Camber Goat Path section that goes above and over (but not through) the sand pits and hugs the northern woods before exiting near the woods hugging the most south-western field. Skirting the field and on to a two-way section before entering The Ride Like a Kid BMX Track section where, you’ll exit near the start and enter a path that leads to The A-Maze-ing? section that will test your speed versus cornering (may be wet!) on grass before back to the two-way section where we keep to the left like good Brits. Here you’ll find The Fast-in-Grass section with a few twisty turns that goes down 2 levels in the park down to the tent area and exits back of the washrooms and enters The A Wee Bit of Single Track Forest section before exiting near the start where will do repeats until Norm says to stop!

NOTE #1:  Please, Absolutely NO riding on the playing fields or the sand pits!  Thanks!

NOTE #2:  The course area is a public recreation site, be courteous and respectful of other users.  This is especially true along the paved path where the Team Tents will be located.

NOTE #3:  There will be two food and beverage vendors on site: Dude’s Dogs (smokies, hotdogs and drinks/pop) and The French Press for coffee. Cash only.

Team Tents

Team tents will now be located on the south side of and parallel to the paved path that separates the lower and mid-level playing fields.   (Do not spike tent supports within 1 metre of the paved path due to buried irrigation)  No vehicles allowed to this location so the best and shortest point of access is from Park Rd just off of First Ave.  Unload then park in the BMX parking lot which is really close.

Parking

The large Civic Centre parking lot is available. 

Other good locations include along Jones St. and the BMX lot on Park Rd (this is your prime location for Team Tent drop off and parking) and Ravensong Swimming pool.


Washrooms (same as last year)

They are situated in a standalone building adjacent to the paved path.  QB calls it the field house and it is very close to the Park Rd entrance to the path where the Team Tents will be located.

 Course Location

At the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre (more or less).  Good access from all highways:

1. From Hwy 19, take the only off-ramp into Qualicum Beach, follow the traffic circle around to Rupert Rd, drive 1 block and turn right onto Jones St.
2. Coming from north Island on Hwy 19A, turn right onto Laburnum Rd and continue until a left turn on Jones St.
3. If coming from down Island on Hwy 19A, turn left at Bennett Rd (also goes to airport), it will change to Rupert Rd, go around the traffic circle then one more block to a right turn on Jones St.
4. From the west (Port Alberni, Hwy 4) drive towards town and follow the traffic circle around to Rupert Rd, drive 1 block and turn right onto Jones St.

Course Map

Race day Schedule

2. Cross Club Information.

If you have never heard of “Cross Club” it is because you should not hear about “Cross Club”?  Is that how it goes??  Cross Club was the original cross series on Vancouver Island and where many of the Council of Cross did their first ever cross races.  They used to be “underground” but went “legit” a few years back.  One of the very BEST ways to train for Cross on the Rock and other events.  Great group.  Great workout!

2022 Cross Club registration is now live!

Registration link can be found @ www.crossclubvictoria.com.

Details on locations will be emailed to the registered riders list on the Monday of each week. Make sure you register by Monday morning on the 12th of September so that you can receive the info for Ride # 1 on September 14th.

If anybody you know is not on the email blast list from last year, just send them to www.crossclubvictoria.com to register for this year.

Please bring your UCI License or Cycling BC License to the Kickoff on September 14th. 

Cross Club 2022 Schedule
Ride #1 – September 14th
Ride #2 – September 21th
Ride #3 – September 28nd
Ride #4 – October 5th
(Please note: No ride on Oct 12th due to Cross on the Rock race on Monday, Oct 10th of that week)
Ride #5 – October 19th
Ride #6 – October 26th

3.  Cross on the Rock Season 2022 Schedule September 11th. COTR #1. Qualicum Beach. Cross on the Commons.September 18th COTR #2. Cumberland. Coal Cross.October 10th. COTR #3. Nanaimo. Muc Off Cup.October 23rd. COTR #4. Langford.  Broad Street Cycles GPOctober 30th. COTR #5. Cowichan Valley. Chris Cross.November 13th. COTR #6. Nanaimo. Hot Crossed Bunnies. (This venue is still to be confirmed)

• 6 races again.  Same as 2021
• So far we have 5 returning venues with 1 new venue
• At least 2 very different courses from previously raced at those returning venues.
• 1 totally new course at Chris Cross in the Cowichan Valley.

Registration Cross on the Commons will open at 6:00pm September 1st and CLOSE at 6:00pm on September 10th.

LINK TO RACE #1 Registration here.
 There are a few other fun events happening on the island this fall that you may want to also consider:
September 10th. Steam Donkey Racing Dodge X Off road TriathlonSeptember 24th Mind Over Mountain Adventure RaceSeptember 24th Burnt Bridge Classic Gravel FondoOctober 2nd Island Cup Enduro series final (need to get this moved out of cross season for 2023!!)October 9th Royal Victoria Marathon 8km and Half.October 16th. Tripleshot CrossFondoNovember 5th or 6th. BC Provincial Champs at Hard Knox CX in Kelowna (not on the island)November. 25-27. National Cyclocross Champs in VICTORIA!! (Rumour has it NOT at Bear Mountain)
As well there are a few other cyclocross events not on Vancouver Island: 
Check those out here:  https://cyclingbc.net/events/?tribe_disciplines%5B%5D=2468&tribe_disciplines%5B%5D=500

Parting Shot

Looking forward to butchering names as we call each racer randomly to the start line on Sunday in Qualicum Beach!