We've been remiss in our racing coverage, with the women in particular scoring a number of fine results - Sandra Telford with a Corkagh Park win, and Ciara Kinch 4th in the Meath GP.
We'll start with the Vets, though there wasn't much success to report last week - a Curragh race on 1st June. The A race had two up the road (Dylan Rafter and Paddy Deegan) and the bunch was down to about 25 when a touch of wheels took down half of it, including the last three Orwells. Thankfully there were no serious injuries to bodies, only material damage to bikes. In the B race Malcolm Garland got 10th in the bunch sprint, and William Parnell was 7th in the C race. That report thanks to Eddie Lynch.
A couple of days later, the opening round of Corkagh Park Ladies Racing took place, with Emma Convey taking a fantastic 3rd for the club in the B group. It was a wet and cold evening, one for the hard women! With the B group getting a ¾ lap headstart on the As, Convey broke away early for a solo move, before being joined by ex-Orwell Caroline Martinez (DID Electrical) and Jessica Lamb of St Tiernan's. The three stayed away to contest the top B spots, with Convey paying the price for her long effort, but her placing an encouraging sign for the weeks ahead. You can read all the details at womenscycling.ie.
Convey in action in Corkagh Park (photo thanks to Siobhán McNamara)
The summer series is organised by our own Siobhán O'Connor, with different clubs running the event each week. Responsibility for the first round was Orwell's, and Ann Horan, Aideen Keenan and Peter Gerrard were on hand to assist and marshal, so thanks and well done to all four of them!
For round two, it was Sandra Telford's turn to triumph over all comers, putting her savage sprint to great use to take the top spot in the A race. Telford has been dipping her toe in the murky waters of triathlon, so it's a comfort to see her return to the racing circuit, and indeed a pleasure to see her kick hasn't lost its edge. Again, further coverage available at womenscycling.ie.
Telford taking the win (photo thanks to Siobhán McNamara)
Orwell's own league hit the Brittas circuit last Thursday, with Scratch once again overcoming a generous handicap to sweep up all the groups ahead of them and steal every point going. The top group got on terms with Semi-scratch with one lap to go, and swallowed up the 50" lead Limit still had at that point. The handicap was fair (according to unbiased bystander Liam Rowsome), but Scratch are currently showing exceptional form and working well together in the chase.
On the final ramp, Eric Downey tried to get the jump on the bunch, but was reeled in by Diarmuid Collins' attack. As Downey died, Pat O'Brien came around Collins to grab the win. David Swift, who had closed down several moves throughout the night, accelerated in for 3rd. Aidan Collins overtook Gavin Dodd in the final five metre flat to nab 4th, while Brian McNally took the last of the points in 6th.
Video of the finish (thanks to Liam Rowsome)
In open action, the Duane Delaney on Saturday featured the welcome sight of many Orwell Wheelers on the Sundrive track. Fionn Sheridan was the sole representative in the A category, scooping enough points to land him in joint 3rd, though the youngster was ranked 4th in the final standings. He did consistently well across all events, with 2nd in the Kilo being the highlight.
Orwell women took two of three spots on that group's podium, with Juniors Rachael Kaye-Mellor and Naoise Sheridan taking home silver and bronze respectively. Kaye-Mellor scored wins in the Kilo and Scratch race, and 2nd in the Standing 500. She was only beaten in the overall by Bray Wheelers' Sarah Gunn, who won the Flying 200 and Standing 500.
Sheridan also topped the Kilo, and took 2nd in the Flying 200. Points from 4ths in the Scratch and Standing 500 were enough to put her on an equal footing with Kaye-Mellor, with the latter's wins giving her the edge. Across all categories, the two women were joint 6th by points. The day also saw performances from Theresa Heffernan, Jack Rice, Daniel McElroy and Dave Walsh - and it's great to see increasing numbers from the club out on the tarmacadam boards. Thanks to Jen Sheridan for the track-side report!
Images from the track (thanks to Adamstown CT)
The women accepting their prizes from Anto Moran (thanks to Paddy Benson)
Our final result comes from the recent Meath GP, where again Orwell helped animate the race. Ciara Kinch was aggressive throughout, eventually getting into the winning move of four, along with ex-Orwell Anne Dalton (DID Electrical). While she is consistently strong, Kinch could not match the sprinting prowess of the likes of National Champion Melanie Späth, but nonetheless took a fine 4th at the close. That result didn't quite match the 2nd she got on the same circuit in the Cycleways Cup in March, but it's a great indication of her continuing strength as the season progresses.
Kinch on the hunt in the Ladies Racing series (photo thanks to Siobhán McNamara)
This weekend, all eyes are on Roundwood for the double bill of Bray Wheelers' Christy McManus Memorial and Roundwood GP on Saturday, followed by our own Hammond Memorial TT on Sunday. If you haven't volunteered to marshal yet, you're probably signed up to do so at the Roche GP by now!
Vets League - R11: Curragh DMS (1/6/2014)
B Race
1 Erik Robson
2 Billy Riggs
3 Gavin Kelly
4 Hugh Davis
5 Brian Kilbride
6 Dermot Moyne
7 Quentin Jansen
8 Willie McGonagle
9 Jimmy Stagg
10 Malcolm Garland
C Race
1 Colm Cassidy
2 Damien Lyle Stirling
3 Sean Darragh
4 Eamon Newton
5 Colm Conway
6 JJ Boylan
7 William Parnell
8 Keith Lambourne
9 Peter Schweppe
10 Fred Harte
Corkagh Park Ladies' Racing - R1: CP (3/6/2014)
A group
1 Lisa Darley-Ronan (Tower CC)
2 Niamh Stephens (UCD CC)
3 Anne Dalton (DID Ladies Racing team)
B group
1 Jessica Lamb (St. Tiernan's CC)
2 Caroline Martinez (DID Ladies Racing team)
3 Emma Convey (Orwell Wheelers)
Orwell League R10: Brittas Road Race (5/6/2014)
1 Pat O'Brien (S)
2 Diarmuid Collins (S)
3 David Swift (S)
4 Aidan Collins (S)
5 Gavin Dodd (S)
6 Brian McNally (S)
Duane Delaney, Sundrive Road (7/6/2014)
Women
1 Sarah Gunn (Sundrive Track Team) 29pts
2 Rachel Kaye Mellor (Orwell Wheelers) 25pts
3 Naoise Sheridan (Orwell Wheelers) 25pts
Full results available at trackcycling.ie.
Sean Nolan Memorial Meath Grand Prix, Navan (8/6/2014)
Women’s Race
1 Melanie Späth (Wyndy Milla)
2 Anne Dalton (DID Electrical)
3 Niamh Stpehens (UCD CC)
4 Ciara Kinch (Orwell Wheelers)
5 Hannah Ormesher (DID Electrical)
6 Lisa Marie Ronan (Towers CC)
Corkagh Park Ladies' Racing - R2: DMS (10/6/2014)
B race
1 Sarah Dennedy (DID Dunboyne)
2 Aine McBride (Sundrive Track Club)
3 Silvia Gallagher (BeSpoke)
Primes
1 Sarah Dennedy (DID Dunboyne)
2 Helen Kerrane (St. Tiernan’s CC)
A race
1 Sandra Telford (Orwell Wheelers)
2 Hannah Ormesher (DID Ladies Racing)
3 Valerie Considine (Usher IRC)
Primes
1 Hannah Ormesher (DID Ladies Racing)
2 Lisa Darley-Ronan (Towers CC)
