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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
Grass Track Skills & Racing in Enniscorthy
By Liam Ruth, Slaney CC
20 Aug 2010,
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Slaney CC, held a very successful grass track racing and skills session last weekend. Youth and underage cyclists from Slaney and other clubs in Wexford attended the event which was the brain child of Pat Whitney.
Pat secured the use of the local GAA club training area and laid out a 200m track with a skills area in the infield. The riders from were put through their paces by Pat and Frank O’Leary who have both recently completed the 3 day Cycling Ireland Level 1 coaching course.
The safe, off road environment allowed children as young as 6 years of age to show off their skills. The older children were able to take part in a mixture of sprints, pursuits and mass start races and after getting used to the grass conditions were soon flying. The event proved enjoyable for the children and adults present and more similar events are planned.
There has been a tremendous growth in both numbers and quality of adult riders in the South East over the last few years and great co operation between the clubs which culminated in a Wexford Rás team in 2010. This success is now feeding down to underage level with Wexford cyclists representing their own clubs or Leinster in the Junior Tour, the Mayo Youth Tour (with Slaney CC’s Adam Thatcher winning the U12 event) and in the upcoming Leinster and National Championships.
South East Road Club have held a very successful Monday evening underage league during the summer while Slaney CC have included youth racing as part of their Novice league season as have Wexford Wheelers and Slipsteam CC in their summer leagues. What each of the clubs have in common are members who give up their own time to look after the underage sections. Hopefully the results of these endeavours will be seen in the senior ranks in the years to come.
Pictures from the event courtesy of Liam Ruth
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