Donley takes silver in National youth TT

Last Saturday say 193 youth riders start the Irish National Youth Cycling Championships in Dunloy and ride the 4.86 miles to the JDLC in the opening TT.

This round saw Ballymoney U13 rider miss a bronze medal by a few seconds.

The afternoon stage and it was into the Kirkhills where 12 races were held and the Under 15 Road race saw Dalriada schoolboy Robbie Doherty get pipped again for bronze in the sprint finish up to Bush Valley primary school.

Schoolgirl Lauren Laverty secured a silver in the TT and a bronze in the Road race bringing the first day to a very good end for the local riders.

All 11 BCC Biesty’s Centra Youth Team lined up against the best in Ireland for the Criterium stage around Ballymoney: Lauren Laverty, Andrew Harris, Rowan Montgomery, Callum Wallace, Jordan Campbell, Cameron Wallace, Shay Donley, Arthur Taggart, Oliver Watt, Scott Donley, Liam McAuley and Robbie Doherty.

A great success for the Ballymoney riders with Shay Donley getting a National Silver medal and Rowan winning Bronze in the U13 and U11s.

This was on the town centre course that has proved a massive success with the young riders. The prizes were presented by John Madden, Marcus Christie and Ballymoney’s deputy Mayor Harry Connolly.

BALLYMONEY TOWN

CENTRE CRITERIUM

John Fall from Sports Development in Ballymoney along with the local cycling clubs, Ballymoney and Dunloy CC held a 3 series race round thestreets of the town on Friday evening.

This was kept open to all our local clubs and invites sent to teams outside the area, like Phoenix, Belfast, Madigan, Carrick and Foyle CC in Derry. Local clubs included Dunloy, Ballymoney, Ballycastle, Glens CC, Carn Wheelers, Bann Wheelers, Spires CC, Bann Valley Duffin Transport and other local racers.

The Novice race was won by super schoolboys Cameron Wallace from his brother Callum and Rowan Montgomery got 3rd.

The “ClubMans” race with over 50 riders saw Bann Valley , based in Portglenone scoop the top three with Liam Nelson, Noel Bradley and Dean McIlfatrick pip local lads Jordan McCaw and Jason Taggart for the honours.

The Open race with a top field of competitors saw a gap of 5 riders open from the start, including Irish national road race champion Harvey Barnes and silver medalist Marc Heaney along with the winner Gerard McNally Bann Valley Road Club and our own Steven McAllister and Nathan Weir from Cookstown.

This group stayed away all evening and the victory going to McNally who jumped clear in the final laps from Marc Heaney and Steven McAllister.

THE SUMMER TRIATHLON

BCC Biesty’s Centra Tri team held another very successful event on Sunday at the JDLC with around 100 competitors entering and around 90 lining up on the day.

Johnny Graham, David McAvoy, Ricky McMaster and Philip Magill rallied all the BCC club mates together and made this a fun and enjoyable event in blistering sunshine.

The winner was Rhodri Jones from th triangle Tri team. These are very popular events and the BCC bunch are looking at doing some out of season Duathlons for racers to break up the winter.