Medals galore for Ballymoney Cycling Club Race and Tri teams

The Ballymoney CC anual Road Race Championships held on the now Nationaly recognised Stroan course saw a field of over 37 riders taking part.

The Senior Elite race over 30 miles was won by Steven McAllister, the Masters 40 won by Jason Taggart, Masters 50 bt Pete MacCionaoith, Woman’s won by Claire McAvoy, The Under 14 youths was won by Shay Donley, Under 12’s by Rowan Montgomery. Thank you again for the support of other clubs, Dunloy, Ballycastle, Glens, Causeway, Ballymena, Carn, Bann Valley, Spires CC.

The Errigal International Youth Tour 2015

The weekend saw one of the biggest Youth Race events on the calendar, The Errigal International Youth Tour, four events in three days in the hills of Donegal.

The Ballymoney outfit had a squad of 13 youths in action with Cushendall sensation Kevin McCambridge taking the best placed rider 4th place overal from team mate Shay Donley riding for the Youth Academy in 5th. Other U14 schoolboy and Irish Track medal champion Arthur Taggart was in action on the roads for a change. This was in the Under 14 section. In the Under 12’s Liam McAuley from Loughgiel, Rowan Montgomery, Jake Taggart the fast improving Coleraine Irish Society schoolboy and Scott Donley gave the Under 12’s a run for their money.

In the Under-16’s the section that sees the top youth in action before going to the ranks of junior and senior racing. Robbie Doherty, Breandan Flannagan and Finn Sands Robinson take on the best.

The BCC 10mile TT Championships 2015

The BCC 10 TT championship was held on the Finvoy Road, this course has historical significance as it is the road that saw the first ever Ballymoney CC TT back in 1984.

The race was run on a blustery evening and saw the top prize go to the talented and flying Garvagh man, Mervyn Linton. Mervyn won in a time of 21:14 from Stuart Laverty and Steven McAllister, both under 22 mins for the course.

The Junior title to Chris Surgeneor the Masters 40 went to Ricky McMaster, Woman’s to Claire McAvoy. The Under16 title went to first timer, Ellie Wallace from Coleraine High, The Under 14’s goes to Kevin McCambridge, The 12’s to Liam McAuley. And the Under11’s to Clark Logan and Jack Hart.

The Glens Festival TT

Thursday evening and the Youth and seniors were off to the Glens CC promoted Festival event. The senior race was won by Stuart Laverty and the youth team were runners up to the Dunloy CC lads and lasses. Heads were turned by the very talented schoolboy Breandan Flannagan who was up amongst the seniors and is starting to find good form dispite some bad luck crashes!

The Tour of Omagh

This weekend was the Tour of Omagh 3 Day stage race for A4 racers, Ballymoney CC entered a composite team of Ryan Wallace, Aaron Dickie, Causeway CC rider Gareth Peden, Marshall Craig and riding his first ever open event, 16 year old Dalriada schoolboy Paddy Graham.

The team manager was senior club racer Steven McAllister. A full report will be in next week’s press. Wallace was 6th overall, the BCC team were 3rd overall and a great performance by all the team was noted.

This was a fantastic race with the top flight Ballymoney outfit giving the top clubs in the north a lesson in racing.

Three days with three road stages and a TT, the last day sees the race going over the famous Gortin Gap climb before diving down into Omagh. Promoted by Omagh Wheelers who often support the Ballymoney events midweek.

The Dublin 70.3

On Sunday 2500 triathletes lined up at Dun Laoghaire, south of Dublin for the 70.3 half Ironman Triathlon.. BCC Tri team athletes Sonia Knox and Graeme Morrison were in the mix and again did themselves very proud with the recently crowned woman’s European Duathlon Champion Knox getting 6th. This event was a 1.5 mile sea swim, 56 miles on the bicycle and a half marathon to run to finish it off.

In the Lisburn Triathlon, Claire McAvoy and Janine Gordon were 2nd and 7th.