The title of Orwell rider of the weekend is in no doubt, with rising star Naoise Sheridan searing her way to sun-drenched defence of two of her National U16 track titles. The senior men and women picked up a few placings, while our triathlon squad were also in action, with Rachel Glendon taking the overall in the Beast of the East.
The National Youth Track Championships took place on Saturday at Sundrive Road, and sun was the order of the day. Naoise Sheridan was defending her three U16 titles - the 500m TT, Sprint and Scratch. Though she didn't beat her previous year's time, she was still fastest around the track for the 500TT, and top woman in the Sprint. She was unfortunately relegated in the Scratch race, but two national titles in one day definitely deserves a chapeau!
The Junior track champions
Also in action on the track was Conor Murnane (U16), who completed his first ever stage race last weekend. Along with his brother, Sean Murnane (U14), the pair battled through the SERC Youth 2 Day. Sean netted 8th in the opening TT and 10th overall, while Conor managed a decent 19th overall at the end of the race. The two lads earned great experience throughout the two days, and we look forward to their inevitable future results.
For the senior riders, the week began in Corkagh Park on Tuesday night with the weekly women's racing. The Orwell women were out in force again last, taking four of the six prizes! With 22 riders competing, the seven-strong B group worked hard together to stay away and take an intermediate sprint. Six A2s and nine A1s were chasing, with the A2s making the catch after 12mins, and the A1s getting on terms three minutes later.
After 30mins and three laps of racing, Clare Glanville and Gráinne Coghlan took excellent second and third spots respectively, while Orla Hendron showed her constant class by finishing third in the A race. That race was won by ex-Orwell Anne Dalton for DID Electrical, who's been in flying form of late. Thanks to organisers Bray Wheelers for another fantastic night.
We had only one Orwell prize-winner on Saturday in the Tommy Brady Memorial, as Patrick O'Brien came home top unplaced A2. O'Brien is hitting a purple patch at the moment, as he repeated his performance in Dunboyne on Sunday in the fast-paced inaugural Seamus Kennedy Memorial, again taking an unplaced A2 prize. John Lanigan muscled his way to a mighty second in the A4 race, showing a return to form in the bunch sprint.
Lanigan accepts his prize on Sunday
In the women's race, Ciara Kinch did the same, fending off all competition bar Eve McCrystal (Garda CC) to finish an excellent second place. Behind her, Monica Marconi continued her string of placings with a fine fourth. This includes a fifth place in Saturday's Joe Daly Cycles' National League TT, promoted by Sorrento CC. Just ahead of her in a strong 4th was Charlotte MacDonald (losing out on bronze by only 4"), while Lucy Soden took a decent 6th place. Anne Dalton (DID Electrical) again had a strong showing in second place, though Caroline Ryan (Garda CC) dominated the event.
Last, and definitely least, several Orwell members shamed the club by taking part in the Beast of the East triathlon yesterday. Avoiding facing actual competition from the A1s in Dunboyne, Eric Downey at least restricted himself to the cycling leg, and his team took home first prize for the relay category. Brian Ahern has not been enjoying the best of form, after losing his Club Champ title to a Junior who doesn't even ride for Orwell full-time, but we have been reliably informed that he "bossed T2". No, we don't know what that is either.
Redeeming the club's good name to some degree was National Hill Climb Champ Rachel Glendon. A regular triathlete, Glendon recorded one of the best times in the opening Swim leg, and continued the race in a similar style to finish the race as the overall women's winner! The Beastess of the East!
SERC Youth 2 Day
Results available from www.southeastroadclub.com.
Corkagh Park Ladies Racing - R7
A Race
1 Anne Dalton (DID Ladies Racing Team)
2 Caroline Conway (DID Ladies Racing Team)
3 Orla Hendron (DTC Orwell Wheelers)
B Race
1 Kayleigh Gibbons (Adamstown Cycling Team)
2 Clare Glanville (DTC Orwell Wheelers)
3 Gráinne Coghlan (DTC Orwell Wheelers)
Sorrento 10TT
Joe Daly Cycles' Women's Nat. League R5
1 Caroline Ryan (Garda CC) 22:20
2 Anne Dalton (DID Electrical) 24:28
3 Niamh Stephens (UCD CC) 26:06
4 Charlotte MacDonald (DTC Orwell Wheelers) 26:10
5 Monica Marconi (DTC Orwell Wheelers) 26:20
6 Lucy Soden (DTC Orwell Wheelers) 26:35
Tommy Brady Memorial
1 Tim O’Regan (DID Dunboyne)
2 Bryan McCrystal (Cuchulainn CC)
3 Colin Robinson (Stamullen MD RC)
4 Mark Dowling (Poly Sweet Nice)
5 Elijus Civilis (Top Team)
6 Aidan Crowley (DID Dunboyne)
Unplaced A2s
1 Patrick O’Brien (DTC Orwell Wheelers)
2 Diarmuid Farrell (?)
3 John Goss (South Dublin CC)
Unplaced A3s
1 Philip Prenderville (McNally Swords CC)
2 Raymond Dunlop (Lakeland CC)
3 Jacob Baldwin (Clonard CC)
Unplaced A4s
1 Declan McKenna (Emyvale CC)
2 Gareth O’Callaghan (CSCC)
3 Emmett Reilly (TC Racing)
Unplaced Junior
Cian Farrell (Dublin Wheelers)
Seamus Kennedy Memorial - A1/A2
1 Stephen Halpin (PSN)
2 Joe Fenlon (Aqua Blue)
3 Conor Murphy (Eurocycles)
4 Sean Downey (An Post Chain Reaction)
5 Ciaran O’Concluain (UCD)
6 Sean Lacey (Aqua Blue)
7 Brian McCrystal (Cuchalainn)
8 Tim O’Regan (DID Dunboyne CC)
Unplaced A2s
1 Ciaran McKenna (Emerald)
2 Alan Loftus (PTR)
3 Declan Byrne (Navan RC)
4 Damian O’Farrell (Garda CC)
5 Patrick O Brien (DTC Orwell Wheelers)
Women's Race
1 Eve McCristal (Garda CC)
2 Ciara Kinch (DTC Orwell Wheelers)
3 Geraldine Gill (Bohermeen CC)
4 Monica Marconi (DTC Orwell Wheelers)
5 Niamh Stephens (UCD)
6 Maria Mulvaney (Lucan CC)
Unplaced DID Dunboyne
Sarah Dennehy
A3 DID Grand Prix
1 Fintan Ryan (NRPT)
2 Adam Swirydowicz (Swords CC)
3 John Caffrey (Lucan CC)
4 Joseph Breffeny (UCD)
5 David Farrell (Longford CC)
6 Brian Reynolds (Lucan CC)
A4 DID Grand Prix
1 Andrew McGuinness Navan RC)
2 John Lannigan (DTC Orwell Wheelers)
3 Gerry Harte Navan RC)
4 Alan Dunne DID Dunboyne CC)
5 Cormac O Shaughnessy (Murphy Surveys Kilcullen)
6 Brian Morrissey (Swords CC)
Beast of the East
| POSITION | NAME | TIME | CATEGORY POS | GENDER POS | SWIM | T1 | CYCLE | T2 | RUN |
| 23 | Eric Downey | 02:14:10 | 1 | 23 | 00:26:44 | 00:01:20 | 01:05:31 | 00:00:26 | 00:40:10 |
| 44 | Rachel Glendon | 02:16:59 | 1 | 1 | 00:23:30 | 00:00:43 | 01:13:47 | 00:00:42 | 00:38:19 |
| 50 | Brian Ahern | 02:18:15 | 11 | 49 | 00:27:18 | 00:01:13 | 01:07:53 | 00:00:33 | 00:41:21 |
Full results available at chipit.ie.
