Arrigan's impressive debut
Batterstown, Co. Meath, 13 December 2009
Last Sunday's Inter-Club League Christmas race proved that Orwell riders are currently more focused on training than racing but, while the club was absent from the top results there were one or two notable performances, not least from 14-year-old Craig Arrigan.
Riding his first senior league race as he prepares to enter the under 16 ranks next season, multiple national champion Craig showed that he will not be out of his depth in older company as he sprinted to eighth in the bunch gallop, ninth overall behind solo winner Neil Delahaye.
That performance would be impressive enough on its own but given that Craig was sprinting on the under 14 restricted top gear of 42 X 15, then the achievement is all more noteworthy.
Entirely un-intimidated by the bigger bunch and greater speed over two laps of the Mullagh circuit, Craig was prominent throughout and demonstrated at the finish that his lungs have another gear even if his bike doesn't.
"The first lap was grand and it was only when the Scratch group caught us that it started to get a little tougher to go through," said Craig who is to be commended for continuing to try.
Craig will have another chance to demonstrate his blur-inducing leg speed in the second half of the annual Christmas Road Race double bill in Brittas on Sunday morning. The Orwell event is open to all members of the club and is always a light hearted, whimsical affair – at least until the start.
Sign on is at the Blue Gardenia is at 10.30am and there will be tea, sandwiches and ribald banter at the prize giving in the pub afterwards.
