November Handicap podium.
Black Friday Handicap - Discounted gaps with the same laps
With retailers everywhere promising us Black Friday discounts on everything we don't need, today was about inflating and then discounting gaps to get back to the usual. Here is how the grid looked:
0:00 Ken E, Ian T, Allan and Richard W - Limitless discount opportunities
2:00 Paul K, Eddie, Dave P, Harry, Tony and Rob S - Blockbuster deals all round
2:40 Chris, Jason, Frank, Jeff and Dave J - Scratch those items off your wish list
The Scratch group had 3 riders on the road back from illness. It was very unlikely an under strength Scratch group would make the catch.
Block was packed with star riders and were heavily backed by the punters to storm to victory.
Meanwhile Limit was not to be completely discounted from the calculations. A strong team and plenty of desire to clean sweep the podium was all they needed.
Limit started hard and worked well together for the first three laps before Ian lost touch. When the Block group caught them Allan and Ken were able to join them with Richard getting back on as well. Unfortunately the pace the Block riders were putting out was too much for our Limit riders as well as Dave P and Harry.
The remaining 4 riders in Block: Paul K, Rob S, Tony and Eddie pushed hard to ensure they stayed away until the end. With just over one lap to go the Scratch group made the catch.
Chris attacked on the second last hill and rode clear with Jeff and Jason close behind. Tony, Rob S and Eddie caught up to them making a Super Group of six riders, fighting for the win. Frank and Paul K were dropped and Dave J was hanging on about 200m behind the Super Group.
After the Super Group came to a complete stop in preparation for the final hill sprint, Dave J caught them and went to the front to set a steady pace before the charge for victory.
Jason went first at the bottom of the hill and sprinted toward the line. However Chris was able to come around Jason and storm home for the win. Rob S was not far behind in third ahead of Eddie, Tony, Jeff and Dave J.
In the end the podium was made up of the usual riders, in a slightly different order and after an unusual 5.5 laps.
After the training exercise riders enjoyed a coffee / milk based beverage whilst analysing their own performance and that of all other riders.
Handicap Classic History
In 2017 a new activity was born. The monthly handicap classic. Riders are divided into groups according to perceived ability and set off from a standing start with a time gap in between each group with the goal of seeing who is first across the line. The top 3 in each activity so far are:
2017
Aug – PDC / Tom / Marcel
Sep – Jason / Chris / Dave J
Oct – Dave J / Jason / Rod
Nov – Dave J / Harry / Jason
Dec – Harry / Josh / Rene
2018
Jan – Mark / PDC / Colin
Feb – Tom / Chris / Josh
Mar - Jeff / Glenn / Colin
Apr - Dave J / Jeff / Rod
May - Jason / Rod / Andy
Jun - Harry / Chris / PDC
Jul - Harry / Jason / PDC
Aug - Chris / Dave J / Dave P
Sep - Andy / Jeff / Tom
Oct - Andy / Chris / Jason
Nov - Dave J / Jason / Chris
Dec - Rob S / Jason / Andy
2019
Jan – Andy / Harry / Dave P
Feb - Chris / Jason / Rob V
Mar - Eddie / Frank / Rob S
Apr - Harry / Chris / Jeff
May - Rob S / Tom / Colin
Jun - Rob S / Jason / Chris
Jul - Tom / Jason / Jeff
Aug- Rob S / Harry / Andy
Sep - Dave J / PDC / Chris
Oct - Ken E / Daniel / PDC
Nov - Richard W / Ken E / Rob S
Dec - Dave J / Chris / PDC
2020
Jan – Rob S / Jason / Darren
Feb - Rene / Andy / Eddie
May - Colin / Eddie / Frank
Jun - Andy / Jason / Rod
July - Jeff / Seb / Rod
Aug - Rob V / Jason / Seb
Sep - Chris / Dave J / Glenn
Oct - Andy / Eddie / Frank
Nov - Tony / Eddie / Frank
Dec - Seb / Paul K / Jason
2021
Jan – Ken E / Glenn / Rene
Feb - Dave J / Harry / Paul K
Mar - Jason / Dave J / Eddie
Apr - Seb / Adam / Rod
May - Tom / Rob H / Seb
Jun - Chris / Jeff / Seb
Oct - Rob S / Rob H / Paul K
Dec 2 - Tony / Ken E / Richard W
Dec 21 - Richard F / Seb / Eddie
2022
Jan – Paul K / Rob S / Chris
Aug - Seb / RobS / Jason
Oct 4 - Dave J / Jason / Tom
Oct 27 - Chris / Jason / Dave J
Nov - Rob S / Chris / Jason
Dec - Jason / Dave J / Eddie
2023
Feb 2 (delayed Australia Day) - Chris / Jason / Harry
Feb - Harry / Jason / Rod
Mar - Jason / Seb / Rob H
Apr - Jason / Jeff / Chris
May - Rob S / Paul K / Tony
Jun - Rob H / Jeff / Dave J
Jul - Tom / Jeff / Dave J
Aug - Rob S / Paul K / Rob H
Sep - Seb / Rob S / Paul K
Oct - Chris / Dave J / Eddie
Nov - Dave J / Chris / Paul K
Dec - Paul K / Tom / Rob S
2024
Feb 8 (delayed Australia Day) - Rob S / Seb / Rob H
Feb - Rob S / Tony / Glenn
Apr - Rob H / Tony / Jason
May - Frank / Glenn / Jeff
Jul - Tony / Rob S / Glenn
Aug - Jason / Seb / Frank
Sep - Jason / Rob H / Chris
Oct - Jason / Chris / Jeff
Nov - Chris / Jason / Rob S