Good start to season for West Down Wheelers

Tonight (Tuesday) on the Castlewellan Road, the Wheelers have a few more riders back who couldn’t make it last week.

However, riders are advised to take part in all of the races as every race will improve fitness, which will be a benefit when the Road Races and Aussie/Pursuits start.

New recruits are urged to go along for the Road Races on a Thursday night at the Quarry which will be club training nights.

This season has started better than club organisers could have expected. In February they had their very successful Sportive with just over 300 riders and from then they have added eight new members.

The club have had by far the best turnout for their first club race, who knows what it will be like next month?

In the first TT it was Paul (Wilkie) who won with a 22 minute ride, which is just sheer class and sets him up nicely for the season.

In second with a 24 was Dave Frizzel, he too is in fine form and looks like he will get into the 23s on the Castlewellan Road this week.

In third was new kid on the block, Brandon Douglas, with a 24. What a superb signing he’s proving to be,

Two other new riders, Ian Weir and Sammy Watts have had very good starts to the season. It’s certainly looking good at the moment, but it will definitely get better in the coming weeks.

Powerhouse Sport will be opening another window for ordering club clothing, so plan now what you need and what you might need later on. Go online to see what they offer.

Club organisers hope to have a photo taken tonight on the Castlewellan Road of the Bike Shak, who are sponsoring the fast approaching West Down Wheelers GP, so please go along tonight.

Some of the A4s are planning to ride a Stage Race up in Omagh later on the year and wanted to put a team in. As a club the Wheelers are all for it and the club will supply what they need.

The Eric Maxwell Memorial which will be held in June, will this year be a bit different to what riders have been accustomed to.

First it will be held on a Tuesday night and will also be a club TT as well for the Poppy McKeown Memorial.

This is to give the guys in Dromara a chance to ride it and the Wheelers’ own club riders.

Last weekend four riders from West Down Wheelers headed to Clady to compete in the big open race, with all doing well in the A4s.

Ian and Andy were riding well but have no points yet, Allister was to go but he felt unwell.

In the A3s only Brandon rode and he rode a superb race. He’s in very good form and it’s good to see.

Matt is still injured and Dave didn’t make it. But the big talking point was Paul (Wilkie), 6th placing in the big A1 Race, he got into a break at the start and rode a superb race, so a massive well done to him.