|
|
|
Last Updated: Apr 3rd, 2008 - 22:41:08 |
BALBRIGGAN WEEKEND OF CYCLING
By Tommy Campbell
Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Independent
Apr 3, 2008,
|
Email this article
© Tommy Campbell
|
With the clocks going forward last weekend, Balbriggan Cycling Club have taken the initiative to promote the Harry Reynolds late on Saturday afternoon when the greatest steeple chase in the world, 'The Grand National' has been done and dusted at Aintree shortly after four o'clock. Hopefully the race organiser, Oliver McKenna will have a big smile on his face after backing the winner!
But, Oliver and his team will have more on their minds and that is the success of an event to honour a legendary individual Harry Reynolds who was a pioneer for Irish cycling, many many moons ago.
Sign-on is in the Man O'War Pub with a start at 16.30. As always for this seven lap event a generous prize goes without saying. All categories are catered for with the first ten and category prizes across the line. Scott McDonald formerly of MyHome.ie/Cycleways/BDBC is the defending champion.
The following morning, the club have no less than three promotions including the Ben McKenna Trophy which is up there with the single day promotions in the country.
Sign on for the races is at the Ring Commons Sport Centre with racing commencing at eleven o'clock. Senior One and Two have 5 laps of a 29.6km course which no doubt will test the majority. Thankfully, many of the starters will have been in action over the Easter which will have benefited the majority. It is expected that David McCann who has rejoined Giant Asia after a stint in the USA will be on the start line, but his club colleague, Paul Griffin is currently racing in Asia.
In race which is confined to Veterans and Juniors. The odds are that this event will be heavily subscribed by the 'Vets' category which has been mushrooming in latter years.
At the recent 'Ras Mumhan', the MC at the prize presentation, Ted Crowley was singing the praises of that category. This event will have three laps of the 29.6km.
The final race on the card is Jim "Jazzer" Wherity Memorial which will cater for ladies and the category C competitors.
The ladies section of the sport has certainly got a kick start with the interest and the growing number of participants.
Current leader of the Women's National League Fiona Meade of St. Finbarr's Ventilux CC in Cork has been showing a clean pair of wheels to her fellow competitors. She won the opening event in Broadford and last week was again in the winners enclosure in Bohermeen. So! who would dare say that she will not complete the hat trick of events in Balbriggan. maybe the ladies will christen her the 'B' winner. (Broadford/Bohermeen/Balbriggan). Two laps of the course will have to be negotiated and the bonus is that courtesy of the race organisation, a separate prize list for the ladies is on the menu.
Hopefully also, the third round of the national league will surpass the number of competitors who turned up last week in Co. Meath.
Whilst Bohermeen may have kick started the underage racing scene last Sunday! Cork cycling club Fermoy CC will this Sunday carry on the tradition of underage events.
In some quarters, the Silver Pail Grand Prix will take all the kudos, but cycling for the youngsters in Fermoy is very much high on the agenda.
In conversation with Michael O'Connor yesterday, "it is important that the youngsters are catered for. Their the life line of any sport. So the Fermoy Club are anxious to support underage cycling.
"After their events they can watch the other categories in action. All events have a start up time of two o'clock," said Michael.
The GP rolls out from the Community Centre in Fermoy to the start of Castlehyde. They'll have 5 laps of a 20kms circuit which will take the participants through Glantworth and Ballyhooly. The defending champion is Brian Kenneally of MyHome.ie/Cycleways/BDCB. Last year at this juncture of the season the lads from MyHome.ie were soaking up the prize lists. Their members have been contributing to the scene, but the cupboard is bare at the moment.
Twelve mont. Undeniably the stage has changed with new kids on the block doing the business. They are the Pezula Racing Team who have demonstrated their professionalism in a big way, by being very photogenic!
|
IMPORTANT: All articles,
quotes and results which appear on this page are strictly © Copyright
2008 Tommy Campbell,
IrishCycling.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
