This Ship Will Burn

Greetings All,

Do you like 'cross racing?

Photo courtesy Faith Hunter/Treadlie Magazine

• Did you have fun on Sunday?
• Do you like what Dirty Deeds has been doing with our races?
• Would you like to keep cross racing alive in Melbourne?

Answering 'YES!' to any of the above would mean you should continue reading... as we have a small favour to ask...
Basically, some local residents don't feel that 'bicycle racing' is an appropriate use of the space and we would like to prove that we aren't big scary monsters that don't care about our race locations. One thing that many people might not know is that a lot of councils/park owners just aren't even interested in having a conversation about alternate uses for park space. Losing access to any our venues would be a blow to not only our series, but also the development of cross racing as the venue management often act as references as we approach other locations. 
To that end we are asking any of our wider cross-loving family to come out this Sunday to a working party at the Parklands to help rehabilitate the Parklands.

DETAILS:
*Darebin Parklands Community Park Care Day*
*Sunday 22 July, 1-3pm*
Join the DPA and Ranger Rohen Davis for some rewarding weeding, clean up and other maintenance work in our revegetation areas.
Meet at the Clifton Bridge on the Ivanhoe side of the creek.
Afternoon tea and all equipment provided. All welcome

Directions to the site:
- From Ivanhoe (three minute walk from entrance). Enter via Rockbeare Grove entrance and walk straight down the path to the creek. Turn right at the bottom and meet near the footbridge.
- From Alphington (five minute walk from entrance). Enter via main entrance at the end of Separation Street. Walk across the grass toward the bluestone picnic shelter. Take the gravel path to the right of the shelter. Follow it
around to the bluestone stairs and descend. Walk toward the creek and across the bridge to the meeting site.

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For those that show up and help out we will give you FREE ENTRY to the next Round of DDCX (HSV - 26/8). Between that, a free afternoon tea and some time with the dulcet tones of Hamish and the infinite wisdom of  Blakey you can't have somewhere better to be!

BREAKING: Treadlie magazine have offered a subscription for one lucky volunteer, and there will also be some Emma & Tom's life bars to keep energy levels up. PLUS there will be a limited number of cupcakes from Bake Pretty Couture. Still got excuses?

I Left My Wallet In El Segundo

First things first, the full results are coming. This we promise!

But some administration is required

• If you raced A Grade (Mens or Womens) or B Grade Mens, and were given a fabric number and took this number home, we still have your race licence. This might be important for some of you, especially if you plan to race elsewhere before the next DDCX. We will be publishing names and sorting out TWO pickup points in the coming days. But for now, best if you check that muddy pile of 'stuff' that is your unwashed kit from the weekend for numbers. I repeat, this applies to A GRADE MEN & WOMEN & B GRADE MEN.
• If you placed 4th or 5th, you won some money but thanks to a combination of factors we weren't able to hand you your envelope during presentations. Again, we will publish your names so you can have the small slice of fame you earned and will have it waiting for you at registration for the next round.

PICKUP POINT #1 is DISC velodrome, 281 Darebin Rd, Thornbury, from 7pm to 9pm TONIGHT (Tuesday 17th July). Ask for Blakey, he'll probably be at the rego or results table for Brunswick Tuesday Track racing.

While you wait to see if you beat that guy/girl in that sweet jersey that you battled all race check out DDCX photography stalwarts Brian Mangano and Fame and Spear's photos of the day. 

We do want to thank everyone who showed up, pinned up or yelled out during the day... your support helps keep cross racing growing here.

Monday Monday, can't trust that day.

The legs are heavy, the eyes darkly circled, and the mud is only just beginning to dry.

While DDCX HQ writes up race reports, cross checks the results and flicks through the hundreds of photos from the day, here's the most recent instagram photos with a #ddcx hashtag on them. Can't see yours? Go back and whack a tag on them!



And here's every instagram photo with a #DDCX tag.

I Still Believe

As promised in the post below here is more information on this Sunday's race.
Look here for race location, prize and amenities details (PDF)!
Or  here (googledoc)!

And for those who have asked the field limits for this weekend:
A Grade - reg closed as of midnight 8/7/12
B Grade - 80, mixed (20 reserved slots for women)
Open - 80, mixed (split as above)
Kids - 40, mixed

WE NEED TO ELEVATE TO MAXIMUM STAGEDIVE POTENTIAL!!!

Quiet Earth

Very quickly this weekend approaches and with it comes a rise in nerves and questions from the Cross-Sick masses!
There will be a fuller document available soon with information on the course, amenities, prizes and the like but for now hot off the email from our course check/organising meeting/delicious cookie eating meeting yesterday comes the Schedule Of Events for this Sunday.

Registration	10:30 - 12:00
Course open	10:45 - 11:45
Kids mixed race	12:00 (10min + 1 lap race)
Open mixed race	12:20 (30min  + 1 lap race)
B Grade CX mixed race	13:10 (30 min  + 1 lap race)
A Grade Women CX race	14:00 (45min  + 1 lap race)
A Grade Men CX race	15:15 (45min  + 1 lap race)
Presentations	16:30 - 17:15

DDCX regulars will note the earlier times for registration and course open. These are both very important times. Very important!
If you have any questions, let us know!

National Series Round - Just the facts ma'am

In two weeks the first Australian National Cyclcross kicks off with two races in Melbourne! Here's a primer on what's what. If you have questions, leave a comment or email us.

I'm sure you're aware that you were able to enter the entire series here. But are you aware that individual races in all states are now open? At last check, 49 men and 9 women had already signed up for the entire series and there are an additional 11 riders signed up for race #1 (Cross Melburn) and 14 for race #2 (Dirty Deeds). There is a field limit of 100, but, here's the rub, entry for A grade closes on the Sunday prior to the race (8th July). So, if you plan to race A-Grade men's or women's at CM or DDCX in two weeks, you need to sign up here in the next 7 days.

Race #1, on Saturday, is the first round of the 2012 Specialized Cross Melburn series, if you don't plan to race A grade, you can register here for B grade / kids / open classes.

Race #2, on Sunday is the first round of Dirty Deeds 2012. We don't have online preregistration for B/Open/Kids, but if you're coming from a) interstate or b) ~3 hour drive from Melbourne, then email us with your name, location, CA/MTBA licence number and desired category and we'll make sure the trip wasn't in vain. I know traffic can be tough, but St. Kilda isn't 3 hours away, sorry.

On licencing: To race in any national series (A-Grade) rounds, you need a full CA/MTBA licence. Three ride permits / Season passes / Day permits are not valid. At other DDCX rounds the permits are fine for A-Grade, but not on July 15th. You can upgrade a DDCX Season Pass to a CA 'Gold' licence (minus the cost of the permit), or you can race B/Open. Kids aren't eligible for the national series either, unless they're J19.

If you don't have a Season Pass yet, we will have some for sale on the day, they will cost you $50. There are no day licences and no 3-ride permits.

On registration: It will open at 10:30am, A-Graders will be able to collect their number upon receipt of a valid licence. All other racers will need a CA/MTBA/BMXA/temporary licence and entry money. As in previous rounds, the fields will fill up, so don't think you can show up at 15:15and get a ride.

On accommodation: A while back we posted about billeting and bad coffee. Now that the races are fast approaching you might be thinking about where you're going to stay, or how that spare bed/couch is looking unloved. So, if you need somewhere to stay or have somewhere for someone to stay, email us and give us the details and we'll see what we can do.

DDCXHQ OUT!

We've Come So Far (To Be Here Today)

SKCC members and fellow CX tragics Paddy & Diane took advantage of a weekend in Sydney that coincided with a Manly Warringah cyclocross race to pack their bikes and fly the Melbourne flag in NSW and possibly sneak in a recon before the national series round.


Words by Paddy, grab a cuppa and settle in.