Road Club cyclists look forward to dinner function

This is the highlight of the club’s social season and represents an opportunity, not only to present the perpetual trophies and honour their recipients, but also to acknowledge the support and assistance, both financial and in kind, of all the club’s generous backers.

Tickets for Friday night’s event sold out over two weeks ago, with a total of 128 expected to attend. This is the biggest turnout since the club’s golden jubilee dinner, which saw the legendary Sean Kelly as guest of honour in 2004.

ROLL OF HONOUR

This season’s club race series was sponsored by Northstone, which was the company’s thirty first season backing the Railway Street based club.

The youth section events were organised by Adrian Kerr with assistance from Hazel Gordon, Joan McCullough and a few others along the way.

Breandan McCavana was the top youth section rider and won five trophies which included the Kerr and McAuley cup for the youth road racing league. Breandan also won the Dave Millar cup for the season long youth racing league which included time trials and road races and the Clarkes tyres cup for the road race at Broughshane.

He will also collect the Samuel Mark shield for the youths’ time trial BAR with an average speed of 22.796 mph,

Breandan also won the youth mini stage race “schools championship” event at Broughshane for the Greer cup and, along with his St Louis school mate Caolan Stuart, the Brian Russell inter schools trophy.

Caolan Stuart won the Sandy Spence cup for the end of season road race at Glarryford.

George Graham won the A Bonar cup road race at Broughshane and will also collect the track shield for the event at Ballymena showgrounds.

The club’s junior champion is Connor Young who recorded times of 10 minutes 22 seconds for five miles, 21 minutes 05 seconds for 10 miles and 57.31 for 25 miles for an overall winning average speed of 27.826 mph.

Connor also won the Ballymena Borough Council cup for the three day race and the Star Trophy, Grand Prix of the Glens road race.

The club’s ladies champion is Eileen Burns and she will collect the “rose bowl” as winner of the ladies time trial BAR with a record average speed of 25.225 mph. During the season Eileen also won the Combat Cancer cup for the 25 miles time trial and won the season long time trial handicap league competition.

Michael Carroll topped the veterans section for the Henderson cup. He won this age standard contest by beating his standard times, over 10, 25 and 50 miles, by a total of 1 hour 12 minutes 07 seconds. This was a new club competition record performance. Michael also won the Stan Finlay memorial 10 miles time trial rose bowl.

Tommy Wilson who won the H & M Wilson cup road race at Slaght and the William Smyth trophy for the club’s season long road racing league series, which he won for the seventh time.

Ryan Bankhead won the Australian Pursuit mini-series, for the Tommy Smyth cup, by winning the first race at Broughshane and finishing second in the second round on the Caddy circuit. Ryan also won the Sammy Gaston cup road race at Glarryford.

Matthew Brennan won the Sammy Connor cup at Broughshane, which this year was the club’s road race championship. Matthew’s Uncle - Clifford Grant won the Will Henry cup road race at Glarryford.

Steven Workman retained the Club’s Time Trial best all-rounder champion’s title for a fourth successive season.

Steven will collect four items of silverware at the club prize presentation. The premier prize is of course the Sam McQuigg cup for the club’s senior time trial best all-rounder competition. Workman’s winning times were; 20 minutes 00 seconds for 10 miles, 55 minutes 04 seconds for 25 and 1 hour 53 minutes 51 seconds for 50 miles. This represents a winning overall average speed of 27.863 mph.

Steven also won the Grand Prix of the glens time trial for the Tommy Talbot cup, the Ernie Mark cup 25 miles time trial and the Water Margin cup for the fastest 10 miles time trial of the club season – 20 minutes 00 seconds.

Other winners of perpetual trophies in 2013 include:

Jim Burns who won the Gardiner cup 10 miles time trial, while his son Jason won the Clough Rangers shield for the road race over the Mid Antrim 150 motor cycle course.

Beresford Millar won the Sam McQuigg 50 miles time trial cup.

Colin Scullion won the Sherdan Caldwell memorial shield for the Crebilly hill climb.

The final trophy is the “Friendship cup” which is awarded each season to the club member who is deemed to have made the best non-competitive effort during the year. This “club person” of the year award won’t be announced until Friday night.

If you haven’t paid yet please get your money to club treasurer Richard Wilson urgently.

If you haven’t confirmed your booking, or paid for your ticket, please do not turn up at Eaton Park expecting a seat, there won’t be one for you. Also if you have booked and cannot attend please also let Richard know so that those on the reserve list may have the opportunity to attend.

FUN TOUR ELEVEN

Sixty five riders took part in last Saturday’s fun tour which was the eleventh in the series and the first opportunity to win gold medals.

Six riders have full attendance so far this year and earned their gold on Saturday - Francis O’Kane, Paddy Mooney, Beresford Millar, Patsy McGurk, John Elliott and Rex Bonar.

Eleven earned silver for eight or more tours: Clifford Grant, Tom Douds, John McAllister, Derek Agnew, Alan Blair, Jim Burns, Christina Clarke, Stephen Dempsey, Jackie Knowles, Alastair Petticrew and Lori Phillips.

Eight won their bronze for five tours: Geoff Allen, Eileen Burns, Hazel Hughes, William Loughridge, Paul McWilliams, Millar Montgomery, Gary Simms and Karl Taylor.

The charity fund received a boost this week when another £40 was donated the total is now £970. This will be donated to the Chernobyl Children’s Appeal NI at next month’s presentation in the town hall.