Club league R6 - Brittas RR

Roll up, roll up! The first road race of the Orwell league takes place next Thursday in Brittas.

Riders
Sign-on closes at 18.50. Sign-on is the usual spot - the lay-by opposite the Blue Gardenia pub on the N81: goo.gl/maps/oNvis Please don't park in the pub car park, and their toilets are for patrons' use only.

For those who haven't raced on open roads before, the rules of the road still apply. Anyone seen repeatedly riding on the wrong side of the line will be penalised. Check for overtaking car traffic if moving out of the bunch. Be very cautious on corners - the marshals will do their best to stop traffic back from the junction, but it's not always possible, and drivers are not always co-operative. Obey any orders from marshals, such as to slow down - they're trying to keep you safe.

Basically, use some common sense. It's not worth endangering yourself and others to gain a few places in the bunch. Stupid/reckless riding will be not be tolerated.

Race format will be decided on the night, but probably some form of CP - the same as the last couple of Corkagh Park rounds. The handicaps will be decided on the night depending on numbers signed on in each cat.

Points will be awarded to the first six overall in each race - 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 points. This means it's in the best interests of the riders in each group to work together to stay away from those chasing, or to catch those ahead, and get to the line first. i.e. if Limit can work together well, and stay out in front without being caught, all the points will go to Limit riders, rather than having to sprint against Scratch riders.

At the finish, if you didn't get a place, please keep riding through and home. This allows us to clear the area and let traffic flow. Please return to the finish line if you think you placed, because we might not have Dave Mc's encyclopaedic knowledge of faces and names to put to the prizes. It's good practice to make sure your name was noted.

Course
www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/203675666
Starting from Brittas, riders will turn left off the N81 through Manor Kilbride, then right onto the loop. After 5km, turn left to cross the northernmost bridge on the lakes, and left again on the far shore to go over the finish line. After crossing the line, the race drops down the hill and over a small bridge, just before the speed ramps we turn sharp left for the second lap.

This is a very sharp turn, be extremely cautious! goo.gl/maps/ea2sQ

If you want to see the course in action, the women are racing it tomorrow night, come and marshal, and you can ride the course afterwards.

Marshals
We need as many options for lead cars as possible - if you have a car to drive up, please do! The other thing we need to ask is that marshals turn up early - around 6.30pm. This gives the organiser time to brief everyone and assign positions, and for you to get to your position before the race passes through. Remember to sign-on to get your points.

Have a look at www.orwellwheelers.org/orwell-league/marshalling for info on what's expected of you. Remember, be polite and courteous at all times - you have no legal power to stop traffic, only to ask people to please stop.

If you have a replacement, make sure the organiser knows!

Rostered are:

Niall McGuinness
Rodger McMorrow
Brian McNally
Chris Mollaghan
Barry Mooney
Julian Moore
Frank Moriarty
Mark Mulcahy
Brianne Mulvihill
David Murnane
Des O'Brien
Patrick O'Brien
Paul O'Brien
James O'Callaghan
Aishling O'Connor
Donal O'Connor
Ronan O'Connor
Siobhán O'Connor
Barry O'Donnell
Greg O'Donnell
Owen O'Flaherty
Ian O'Keefe
Paul Perry
Gavin Moutray

And one upgrade for a strong David Bradley from L to SL.

Long wrote:

Remember that you can only ask them to stop and advise the motorist of what is happening.

Further to this, while marshalling at Brittas tonight, I signalled to one driver to slow down. He asked if I had a permit, and before waiting for a full reply, blew past me and onto the course against the flow of the race. The bunch was strung out at the time, so no danger, but always beware that you can and will meet oncoming traffic, and that cars might not stop at junctions.

There's some great reading under the 'League' section at the top of the page. Relevant here is www.orwellwheelers.org/orwell-league/road-races Familiarise yourself with it, or refresh your memory before Thursday's race.

Feedback from the organisers:

• upgrade all 6 Limit riders who placed as the gap to Semi-limit actually grew
• SS placers are on notice - next strong result and they're up to Scratch
• Two no-shows on the marshal list - the committee will be in contact
• We had one rider drop a lap, and then compete in the sprint and place 3rd. Damien Long has been DQed from last night's results, and is to appear before next League Committee meeting to explain his conduct in last night’s race

Spreadsheet updated at right.