Taggart and McKinney upgraded

2nd and 4th for BCC at Carrick.

On Saturday BCC riders, Jason Taggart, Bryan McKinney, Niall O’Hagan, Jerome McKendry, Adrian

Madden and Olly Bateson travelled to Carrickfergus to compete in the Madigan Grand Prix races.

In the A race Bryan McKinney lined up along side Ulsters top rides and with breaks going thick and fast the

Ballymoney rider was in the thick of the action from the start.

Local rider John Madden was in the field also, just back from taking runner up spot to top Irish professional

David McCann in the Glenshane 10 TT. McCann rode the 10 miles in 19 minutes and 52 seconds to John’s

20 minutes and 58 seconds.

With the field racing head long to the crazy finish, Bryan was making sure of his position in the bunch and was

well placed to take 4th place and the necessary points he needed to get upgraded to A2 status.

The race was won by Simon Williams from Team Basso.

In the A4 race, battling Jason Taggart needed one point to get upgraded to A3 and this was secured emphatically

as the big fella made sure of it and was only narrowly beaten into 2rd place by Sean McCann from Island Wheelers.

Jason now joins the ranks along with A2 riders McAllister and McKinney and Niall O’Hagan giving BCC a strong

group to compete for team prizes in up coming events, and more undoubted success for Ballymoney.

Steven McAllister wins BCC 25 mile TT Championships

On Wednesday evening Ballymoney Cycling Club held their annual 25 mile TT championships on the

Ballybogey/Coleraine line. Starting north of Revallagh Cross and circling the roundabout at Ballymoney the riders head towards Coleraine and then turn at Windy Hall before the hard run back to Ballymoney and to the finish again at Revallagh.

Steven McAllister not renowned for his time trialling was the emphatic winner with a time of 57 minutes and 56seconds, followed by last years winner Jason Taggart 59.09 and Olly Bateson in 61.08.

The Final result was. 1st Steven McAllister 57.56 2nd Jason Taggart 59.09 3rd Oliver Bateson 61.08 4th Ryan Fenton 68.42 5th Conor Higgins 74.22 8th Stuart Laverty (U16) 76.23 Visitors times were, Jason Henry 59.17 Dean McIlfatrick 61.46

Martinus Esmeyer 64.54 Aaron Swan 3rd at the Mayo Games

Local schoolboy sensation under 14 schoolboy Aaron Swan was at the Mayo Games with team mate Craig Crawford.

Craig was competing in the tough under 16 section.

Both of these lads are progressing into the field of international competition. Riders from Holland, Belgium and the USA along with UK mainland riders assemble each year in Mayo to do battle with our own young hope fulls.

This year the wee man from Clough was not going to be over shadowed and was not in any way over awed as he made the bronze medal position of 3rd overall his own and romped up the hills to get the Polka Dot jersey for King of the Hills.

Hopefully Aaron and Craig will be in action this Wednesday night at the BCC inter club race at Bravellan.

Coming Events

This Wednesday night Ballymoney CC along with East Tyrone CC are holding an Interclub Road Race in memory

of East Tyrone stalwart, Ernie Magwood. Ernie sadly lost the great fight against cancer and passed away

last year. This event is a competitor paced 30 mile road race and everyone is invited to attend. There will be a trophy awarded to the best placed club on the night. The club would ask everyone if they can turn out as we need marshals and help to stage this event.

The Bridges of Hope Community Cycle will be held by the Ballymoney Club this year again at Stranocum on Saturday 20th of August with the first group going off at 11am.

There will be 4 distances, 3.5 mile for the kids and family, a 9 mile route, a 22 mile leg stretcher and the big event the “Bridges of Hope Challenge” over 55 miles, crossing as many of the bridges over the river Bush as possible. This route will pass the source of the river at Altnahinch and coming back via the famous “Black Hedges” on route to Bushmills and the rivers gentle flow to the sea. Everyone is invited to come along as there is a distance for everyone to try. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Community Rescue Service.