Typical Annual Program
Eastern Cycling Club organise and run cycling road races throughout the year. Racing is generally on a Saturday afternoon and is divided into two seasons:
- Summer Season (October to April) – Criterium (45-60 minute duration around a 1-2k circuit; METEC (Kilsyth), The Teardrop (Kew Boulevard), Rocco Drive (Scoresby), Casey Fields (Cranbourne) Bazalgette (Dandenong South) & Dunlop Rd (Mulgrave)
- Winter Season (May to September) – Road (40-65k races on open road circuits; Jindivick, Yarra Glen, Gruyere, Seymour)
The club also runs year round races at The Loop, Kew Boulevard, Wednesday mornings; racing commences at 10:15am with registrations taken from 10:00, and a Summer Crit series at METEC Tuesday evenings through summer, racing commences at 6:00pm .
The majority of races are graded scratch races (GSR) (A to F grades) where riders race against similarly graded riders, this enables the club to offer competitive racing to all levels of cyclists. The club also runs a few handicap races through the year (lower grade riders getting a head-start over the higher grade riders, everybody sprinting for the win), two time trials – also handicapped to ensure all riders have a chance of winning the race, and three age based Club Championships (Crit, TT & Road, see section below Current Calendar).
Note:
Tail lights are required for all club races on public roads regardless of venue or time of year, these lights should be powerful enough to be seen from 200m in daylight.
The club recommends wearing light coloured clothing at road race venues.
In the event that a code RED is declared for the race day then all races are cancelled in Victoria. This is a requirement of Vic Roads, Police, State Events Unit, CFA, Ambulance Victoria and Emergency Services. Code RED takes precedence over any Fire Ban warnings. Races may also be cancelled where high humidity is predicted by BOM.
Race Calendar
Please refer to ECC Event Calendar for racing program.
Club Championships
The club holds three age-based championships during the year;
- Club Criterium Championships, held in April
- Club Time Trial Championships, held in conjunction with the Rob Graham memorial time trial.
- Club Road Championships, held in October
Championship races are raced in five year age groups; 30-34 women, 35-39 women and men, 40-44, 45-49 etc.
Championship races are only open to Eastern Cycling Club members who qualify to compete. Qualification entails participation in at least three club races in the season that the championship is for, ie.;
- for the Criterium Championship this means three races with the club from 1st November to the date of the championship,
- for the Road Championship three races from May 1st to the date of the championship and
- for the Time Trial three races from January 1st to the date of the Rob Graham memorial time trial
Qualifying races include all races run by the Eastern Cycling Club, these include Saturday afternoon races, Wednesday morning races at the loop and Tuesday evening races at METEC during summer. Duty does not count as a qualifying race.
All participants are eligible for championship status in their age group regardless of the number of competitors in their age group. This means that if there is only one starter in an age group that rider will be awarded the title of Club Champion provided they complete the course.
Championship races will consist of a minimum of three competitors. If there are fewer than three riders in an age group that age group will race with the next lowest age group. That is, for example, if there are two starters in the 60-64yo age group they will start, and race, with the 55-59yo group. The exception to this is the youngest age group where there is no younger group to combine them with.
Where age groups have been combined into one race the competitors within that race will be racing for championship status in their respective five-year age group. That is to say, if two 60-64yo competitors are combined with four 55-59yo riders into the one race, there will be two Club Championships decided. The first 55-59yo to cross the line will be the 55-59 champion, the first 60-64yo to cross the line will be the 60-64 champion.
There are no race entry fees for the Criterium and Road Championships, there are no prize money for these races, there will be medals for the top three in each age group.
The Time Trial Championship differs from the Criterium and Road Championships in that it is run in conjunction with a regular club race – the Rob Graham memorial time trial. The Rob Graham is open to any AusCycling licensed rider, the standard race entry fee applies to all competitors, prize money will be awarded for place getters in the Rob Graham memorial time trial. All ECC members will be competing for the Club Championship in their age group. Medals will be awarded to the top three placegetters in each age group.
