Road Club cyclists pedal to the medal!

Matthew recorded a winning time of 58 minutes 28 seconds which was just 11 seconds slower than his personal best which he set in May this year.

Louise Fullerton clocked 66 minutes 05 seconds to take the silver medal in the ladies championship which was won by Heather Wilson of Maryland wheelers in 59 minutes 30 seconds. Tullygarley's Elle Forrest (Bann Valley) was third with 67.48.

Conor McAllister missed a medal in the senior title race by just 25 seconds, when his time of 54.31 earned him fifth position behind gold medalist John Heverin (Clann Eireann) who had a super fast time of 53 minutes 00 seconds.

Steven Workman, who was riding his first championship, recorded an excellent time of 55 minutes 04 seconds for seventh place.

Ballymena's third team member was Chris Beattie whose 58.24 took him to 23rd place. This BRC team just missed out on the team championship medals; their total time was 2 hours 47 minutes 59 seconds. The winners were East Antrim whose total was 2 hours 47 minutes 32 seconds.

Other BRC performances were: (44) Adrian Kerr 1.02.37, (55) Clive Morris 1.07.20, Darrell Erwin Ulster Hand cycling 1.34.55

ERNIE MARK CUP

Ballymena Road Club held their Ernie Mark cup 25 miles time trial in conjunction with Sunday's Ulster championship event. This race had been on the club calendar for August 18 but was postponed because of the resurfacing works.

Conor McAllister won the trophy for recording the fastest club performance with 54.31 (2) Workman 55.04 (3) Beattie 58.24 (4) Brennan 58.28 (5) Kerr 62.37 (6) Fullerton 66.05 (7) Morris 67.20

The handicap result reads: (1) Matthew Brennan 60.11 (2) Steven Workman 60.28 (3) Louise Fullerton 61.02 (4) Clive Morris 61.14 (5) Adrian Kerr 61.46 (6) Chris Beattie 61.54

Steven Workman held on to his lead in the time trial handicap league and has now won that competition with a total of 33 points. Matthew Brennan finished second with 31 and Clive Morris third on 28.

(4) Derek Dougan 13.5 points (5) Louise Fullerton 13 (6) Beresford Millar 10 points. Altogether 22 riders registered at least one point in the league this season.

FUN TOURS

BRC cyclists held their second fun tour of the 2010 series last Saturday morning.

A total of 60 cyclists turned up for Saturday's tours and after the entry fee donations were collected the charity fund had reached 535 (when combined with what was also collected at the nine glens challenge.)

The donation for the fun tour series is a one off contribution of 5. This applies to everyone who attends on Saturdays, whether the rider goes with the touring section group or the "A" group. If you haven't paid yet then please do so this week.

Saturday was European Heritage "open day" and buildings and places of interest all over Northern Ireland were open for public viewing. The touring section rounded off their 35 miles tour with a visit to Arthur cottage at the Dreen.

Their tour took in Galgorm, Gracehill, Straid, Ballymontenagh, Ballybollen, The Grange, Moneyglass, Gloverstown and Toombridge. Then it was on to the Loughbeg road to Newferry corner across the Largy line and on up the Carnearney road to Ahoghill and across the Cardonaghy road to Cullybackey and Arthur Cottage, the ancestral home of Chester Alan Arthur, who was the 21st President of the United States of America, and first citizen of the country from 1881 until 1885.

The cyclists were treated to fine examples of home baking from the griddle, which was heated by an open turf fire, and everyone was keen to sample soda bread and pancakes following their earlier efforts on the bike.

Many thanks to the ladies who provided the catering.

On Saturday the 18 riders in the “A” group completed a 56 miles ride to Glarryford, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Agivey, Kilrea and back up “the moss” to Cullybackey and Ballymena with a 20 mph average.

The fun tours continue this Saturday morning from Rex Bonar house at 9.30am. Please try to be at the club by 9.25 so that registration can be completed in good time.

HARBOURS TOUR

The touring section completed their 2010 programme of “away for the day” tours when they took part in “The last resort” tour of the harbours on Sunday.

A group of 14 riders did a 60 miles ride in the opposite direction to the usual route when the tour started in Ballymoney and took in Dervock, Mosside, Ballycastle and then returned around the coast taking in all the small harbours at Ballintoy, Port Braddan, Dunseverick, Port Ballintrae, Portrush and Portstewart.

Then it was inland to Coleraine, Mountsandel, Loughan, Seacon and Ballymoney. Everyone started and finished at the duck pond in Ballymoney’s riverside park – except Hall Booth, who rode from his home in Ahoghill to the start and then home again afterwards for a massive 95 miles in total. Hall assures me that he wasn’t tempted to ride on to achieve the magical 100 miles mark!

SIMON CLIMBS TO SUCCESS

BRC’s Simon Taggart recorded two hill climb victories last week when he had success at Ballymoney and Bann Valley.

At the Ballymoney CC event on the Mill Brae course near Rasharkin Simon recorded 3 minutes 18 seconds to beat club mate Chris Beattie by 2 seconds.

Jason Henry (unattached) was third with kk3 minutes 21 seconds. Jason held the Team Route record for the climb with 3 minutes 20.7 seconds since 1992, so he is still going well! BRC’s Stephen McNeilly was fourth with 3.32 and Craig Crawford fifth 3.41 which was a new under 14 record.

Simon Taggart’s other win came in last Tuesday’s Bann Valley hill climb on the Tully road at Portglenone. Details of his success are in the Bann Valley section of the cycling notes.

CLUB BARBECUE

Ballymena Road Club cyclists are holding a fund raising BBQ at Rex Bonar house this Saturday evening 18th September from 7pm. Proceeds will go to assist the racing section of the club and also to Conor McAllister to help with the expense of his remedial dental work.

Sunday 19th September Ulster 10 miles time trial championship at Woodgreen from 9am. This is a “pre entry” event; details are on the Cycling Ulster website.