We were back in town for second round of the 2021 Focus Crossfire Cup, in Park 24/Tampawardli/Ellis Park aka "Not the Circus"in the Adelaide CBD. Not the Circus has been the scene of biblical (Mud! Hail! Flood! Fire! eg epic 'Cross) weather over the last 10 years but once more this winter were we treated to quite a sunny morning with a light sprinkle of rain that only really fell during the women's race, as customary.
The first round of the 2021 'winter' season returned to Port Adelaide to race adjacent the Port Canal. In previous years at 'Goonbag park' we've been treated to a slick and slippery course, but with an absence of rain we were treated to a Sunday dusty sand bowl - and three-corner jacks that hadn't softened up yet. The off camber sections were tricky nevertheless as tyres cracked through the hard crust to uncover soft sand and even more three-corner jacks!
What a fantastic way to spend Easter Saturday! Cross Hot Cross was a fantastic family friendly event with over 70 riders from 5 - 62 years old competing in unusually hot conditions.
You've been waiting, and asking, and the dates have been set!
Day one of the split-round SA State CX Champs was held on the 16th August in 'Not the Circus' in the western Adelaide Park Lands. With state gongs for J19, U23, Elite and all Masters Categories on offer (including the 'baby masters' age category, 'Expert') the field was stacked across many age groups creating some big fields in wave-starts, despite a number of juniors away racing their State ITT champs up at Mypolonga.
With over 150 racers enjoying some unseasonably warm winter sun the heat was certainly on across many grades with close finishes in many categories.
Port Adelaide CC held its second cyclo-cross race for Winter 2020 and with the Covid-19 restrictions easing, the small but enthusiastic crowd, heckles, and the Trott Park BBQ were back and in force at the Adelaide Superdrome and Forester's Forest Grounds.
Port Adelaide CC held the second cyclo-cross race in the southern hemisphere post Covid-19 shutdown under modified conditions (the first was Cyclo-Cross Hawke's Bay in New Zealand a week earlier). The venue was what's now known as 'Goon Bag Reserve' in Port Adelaide.
We are aiming to return to more 'normal' club activities in the week starting 1st June 2020, as permitted by law. While this means we can start to recommence some of our activities, we are still limited in what we can offer. Our interpretation of the Emergency Declaration is we generally offer a non-contact sport (where any contact between participants that does occur, is accidental) and we can make changes to our activities to try to keep riders, coaches, officials and volunteers Covid-safe.
Due to the growing COVID-19 crisis worldwide, and acting upon advice from State and Federal Governments, and our State and National Sporting Organisations Cycling SA, Cycling Australia and Mountain Bike Australia, the Port Adelaide Cycling Club is cancelling all upcoming races and coached training sessions for the immediate future, pending further advice.