Swords Club champs

shaungil

The Club championship race will be confined to Swords Riders only

There will be two races

Race 1
All swords riders in groups 3,4 and 5 ( 3 ½ laps of the Clonalvey Circuit )

Race 2

All swords riders in Group 1 and 2 ( 2 ½ laps of the Clonalvey Circuit )

This Weds same time and bat channel.

My sources tell me the raging hot favourite for this cannot race so Race 1 might be quite open.

So an open race and no handicaps Will the Beasty return from Disneyland and pull out a beauty-ful win or can Rob-fowl rob and foul his way to victory using the cunning of years of experience.

Can Raam ram his way to the front or will bmcf bloody mad come first or will the Lion of Fingal roar across the Line in fingal? Will Staro's rising star make the man to watch or will the glens of Clonalvey madden Glenamaddy
to a seasons best?

Feel free to pun on........

Raam

I wanted to do this, but I'm down to marshal!

kennyb3

Raam wrote: »

I wanted to do this, but I'm down to marshal!

Raam, I am injured and cant ride. I ve never marshalled before but assuming its okay (maybe clear it with Alan or whoever - i've sent alan my membership and was waiting to hear back before signing up for marshalling), i'd be more than happy to marshal to let you race. assuming other lads dont throw me bribes - more than welcome by the way- that is to stop you taking part

Raam

kennyb3 wrote: »

Raam, I am injured and cant ride. I ve never marshalled before but assuming its okay (maybe clear it with Alan or whoever - i've sent alan my membership and was waiting to hear back before signing up for marshalling), i'd be more than happy to marshal to let you race. assuming other lads dont throw me bribes - more than welcome by the way- that is to stop you taking part

Thank you very much. That is very kind of you. I'll email the club to get it cleared.

P

Raam

Kenny, it's all cleared with the club. Thanks a mill for that. Enjoy your marshaling

kennyb3

No worries, you're more than welcome. enjoy the race:)

RobFowl

Halpin senior would have a good chance. Strong, good climber and tactically astute.
Always watch for Shortty if he starts.
Paddy Callaly dangerous too.
Alsitair Cole agin one to watch.
Shaungil as long as he listens to the brain and not just the legs

I'll be doing the Complete freds B race although did this last year and ended up on the front for 3/4 of the first lap.
I've a sneaky feeling the "horse of a man" that is 189 form last week has a chance here.

bcmf

RobFowl wrote: »

I've a sneaky feeling the "horse of a man" that is 189 form last week has a chance here.

would be great to see it and no more then he deserves.

shaungil

Shaungil as long as he listens to the brain and not just the legs

I think we both know that's not going to happen.

07Lapierre

If any Boards.ie are not racing, we'd sure appreciate assistance tomorrow with Marshalling.

bcmf

should be able to give a dig out.

Staro

Shaungil has started to listen to his head lately so I would not discount him. My money is on Paddy C or Eoin R as the course is made for them. Then again Raam has been away at a fitness camp so he could be a dark horse.
Anyway looking forward to it should be fun.

Raam

That reminds me, Staro, you owe me money!

Staro

Maybe we can work something out, a lead out perhaps?

Only joking see you tomorrow evening.

Beasty

Staro wrote: »

Shaungil has started to listen to his head lately so I would not discount him. My money is on Paddy C or Eoin R as the course is made for them. Then again Raam has been away at a fitness camp so he could be a dark horse.
Anyway looking forward to it should be fun.

I think you are one of only 4 Swords members who have won a league race this year Staro (and one of the others was in Group 1, so won't be against you tomorrow), so I think you can be considered one of the favourites. I also think shaungil has been building up to this race - I suspect the pair of you will be in the mix for this one.

RobFowl

Beasty wrote: »

I think you are one of only 4 Swords members who have won a league race this year Staro (and one of the others was in Group 1, so won't be against you tomorrow), so I think you can be considered one of the favourites. I also think shaungil has been building up to this race - I suspect the pair of you will be in the mix for this one.

Lick Ar*e :rolleyes:

PS left field one for all of ye, Jason Kelly. Class act and if he's had the time to train will be dangerous.....

Raam

Staro, Shaungil... if either of you wins tomorrow, you have to shave your legs. Or each others legs if you wish.

RobFowl

Raam wrote: »

Staro, Shaungil... if either of you wins tomorrow, you have to shave your legs. Or each others legs if you wish.

We'll all chip in and pay to get them waxed otherwise :eek:

eoin9288

This looks like it will be a mighty hit out on a good testing circuit. I will be on the west coast unfortunately . Will be eagerly awaiting the result and reports.

Staro

Yep will shave them for sure if I win tomorrow

Dave11

Looking forward to this myself.... race 3 of my career!! First one was an eye opener and then last week the bloody chain kept dropping from big to small ring so had to stop as I nearly took out half the bunch at one point!! Shame as the group stayed away.....

Anyhow....weather not looking to good for otmorrow nite lads! Gonna make for some nice slippy roads! Might slow it down a bit and give us all a chance!!

Beasty

RobFowl wrote: »

Lick Ar*e :rolleyes:

... and for the B race can you really look beyond that bloke Conor McGrane? Apparently he was quite a sprinter in his youth. That may have been many decades ago, but he was Club League Champion less than 3 years ago. How he managed to sandbag his way into Group 2 I'll never know ....

Raam

Beasty wrote: »

he was Club League Champion less than 3 years ago.

It's a pretty elite club. Great rider, that McGrane fella.

Beasty

Raam wrote: »

It's a pretty elite club. Great rider, that McGrane fella.

I guess Club Champions from years gone by are under particular pressure in these races. When there are no visitors to take the spoils, the pressure must be really on them to deliver the goods ....

RobFowl

Raam wrote: »

It's a pretty elite club. Great rider, that McGrane fella.

I beat "Smelly" D'arcy and Paddy Moriarty to win my first even club race in 1989. Paddy went on to become an Irish international (the fact that he was 15 and on restricted gears while I was 19 and had a 52/13 was irrelevant :rolleyes:).
Smelly D'arcy had a fag afterwards as I recall.

mc2000

07Lapierre wrote: »

If any Boards.ie are not racing, we'd sure appreciate assistance tomorrow with Marshalling.

I should be able to give a dig-out tonight --- the car is in getting its innards moved around and should be ready by 5-6 this evening, so will head over then to help with de marshmallowing.

And lo, as ye gather en masse in the grounds of its venerable car park, I will pray to holy God in high in Oldtown church also, for all your sinners' souls, and that the Almighty may deliver a worthy winner from ye all, especially in the B race which would be the den of my usual adversaries [go on RobFowl ya legend - have you started training yet for the Tain 3 day?] - and may ye all be saved from the eternal damnation of the river Styx.

Amen.

shaungil

OOOuuuccchhhhh so much pain. This started fast and stayed that way. Sliuppy roads strongish breeze lots of techical corners on 4 &1/2 laps.

The break went on the first half lap I was on it and close to it but totally overcooked a sharp corner and had to come out of my pedals and lost them. Totally pissed off hammered through rest of group off front and tried to bridge to group of 6 but couldn't get to less than 10 secs for half a lap. Group behind me had blown up when they caughr me but had Staro and Glenamaddy we all worked but as we all died in different places it wasn't consistent enough and the gap grew to about 90 secs.

The 6 away worked hard and had 3 v strong experienced riders who took 1,2 and 3. I worked hard got a great workout so that's it down to experience. Lots of pain. Did outsprint Staro at finish even though he said he cramped and it didn'yt matter. He lies he hates losing a sprint esp with everyone watching.,.....;)

RobFowl

shaungil wrote: »

Did outsprint Staro at finish even though he said he cramped and it didn'yt matter. He lies he hates losing a sprint esp with everyone watching.,.....;)

He did cross the line free wheeling and chatting to Mick Rock so may not have been taking the sprint for 6th quite as seriously :rolleyes:

1st Paul Kennedy
2nd Paddy Callaly
3rd Mike Brookfield
4th Eddie McMahon
5th Jason Kelly
6th Shaungil
7th Mick Rock
8th Staro

GlennaMaddy

You forgot to mention that we dropped the clubs most famous sandbagger

(not you anymore Staro:D)

.

Had I done my usual start I'd have been in the break from the beginning but was too late arriving at the start for a warm up and decided against it. Felt good most of the time so I'm happy that the form seems to be coming back at last.

Beasty

So I managed to get back from Paris in time - just had time to put the bike in the car and was straight out for the race.

Got there to find both races had been increased by a lap - this meant the B race would be 3 and a half laps - if I'd known this I would probably have stayed in Disneyland - it would certainly have been more fun

The back was still playing up a bit, and I suspect the painkillers I was on didn't help me too much in terms of the racing itself.

I was hoping for something more tactical, but this wasn't to be, and everyone (probably getting on for 25 of us) blasted off at the start. As previoulsy on this course the hills were very testing - I hadn't taken on any hills in anger since my previous attempt at this course 4 weeks ago.

I was trying to avoid pushing too hard, and was somewhere in the middle of the bunch. However a few gaps appeared which we managed to close down. After just over a lap I found myself in the back section when a larger split occurred. I couldn't breach this gap and was therefore dropped with a number of others.

I joined up with RobFowl with just under two laps to go, and we shared the work for the rest of the way - I was really struggling up the hills, so thanks for waiting for me Rob. I suspect I would not have managed to keep up my record of completing all the races I have started without your company.

With around a lap to go one of the marshals said we were 25s or so behind, but it may as well have been 25 minutes. We stopped for a while when Rob gave his spare tube to someone who had punctured. We then went on our merry way, crossing the line together.

I'll put the stats up on the training log, but the headlines are:

Average speed 30.5kph (down from 33.5kph last time)
Power - average 247w (249w), pedalling 267w (287w), normalised 285w (296w)

Winner of the B race was Thomas Duffy (who definitely lurks on here, but has yet to make a post - congratulations Thomas). He cannot be far off promotion to Group 3, as he has scored points in another couple of races this season (and is probably the only one in our group to do so)

shaungil

Glenamaddy 9th. Staro called the sprint and then cramped so sat up . That lad will sprint for anyting Rob don't defend him!

Well done Thomas a much stronger cyclist than group 2 from my knowledge of you.

Dave11

Well Lads,

That was great crack!!!

Did things slightly differntly last nite and it paid off! The biggest difference I think was that I rode over from Ashbourne which meant a nice 25min warm up so going from 0-40k wasn't the usual shock to my legs! The pace wasn't to bad on the first lap and I sat in the middle of the bunch. On lap two I moved up the front as I felt good and took my turns up there with Thomas and a few other lads. The group seemed to split a few times behind us but a good group of us stayed together. The drags on that course are good tests but I seemed to be getting over them easy enough. Coming around on the last lap I felt good and was smiling away to myself as you have to bare in mind this was only my third ever race so to be up the front and ion with a chance was a great buzz.....

As we came up over the last drag I turned to see about five/six lads sitting behind me and thought for sure now they will all go straight pass me on the final straight but was not to be! As we came around the final bend thomas and another fella got the jump on me and I just couldn't get back on them! I fully expected to see wheels appearing right and left of me but none appeared so I came in third which I'm delighted with....

Onwards and upwards!!!

Does anyone know if the finish line was recorded???

English Bob

Great race. Congrats to Thomas for a strong display from start to finish.
Roads were very slippery at the start of last nights race and I personally was riding very cautiously for the first lap as the circuit is quite technical (for me anyway!).
Felt good going into 3rd lap and managed to stay with main bunch to finish 7th which I was delighted with as I nearly abandoned after the 1st lap when my nerves were frayed!! Overall a great night. Thanks again to all involved with organisation and who marshalled.

kennyb3

Beasty wrote: »

Got there to find both races had been increased by a lap - this meant the B race would be 3 and a half laps

Kind of glad that you confirmed that myself and Mc2000 can actually count afterall. nobody mentioned the lap increase but thankfully we stuck around 'just in case' as we werent sure whether the race was finished or not.

was a good race to watch and both looked fast from the start.

Raam

kennyb3 wrote: »

Kind of glad that you confirmed that myself and Mc2000 can actually count afterall. nobody mentioned the lap increase but thankfully we stuck around 'just in case' as we werent sure whether the race was finished or not.

was a good race to watch and both looked fast from the start.

I guess that was you boys I was talking to when I thought I was at the white cottages. I ended up marshaling.

kennyb3

Raam wrote: »

I guess that was you boys I was talking to when I thought I was at the white cottages. I ended up marshaling.

It was indeed, nice to meet you.

07Lapierre

I was at turn at the 3 gates Garden centre. On the first lap when everyone went thru, we were approached by a very irate driver (toyota avensis). Seemingly she was coming from Clonalvy to Naul and "there were bikes all over the f**king road"?

What happened?

Raam

07Lapierre wrote: »

What happened?

She got out of the wrong side of the bed?

07Lapierre

Raam wrote: »

She got out of the wrong side of the bed?

+1 Possibly, but I'm guessing a large group of cyclists came around the bend on the wrong side of the road.

kennyb3

07Lapierre wrote: »

I was at turn at the 3 gates Garden centre. On the first lap when everyone went thru, we were approached by a very irate driver (toyota avensis). Seemingly she was coming from Clonalvy to Naul and "there were bikes all over the f**king road"?

What happened?

Sounds like she was a wagon, all the drivers we encountered were very patient and all of the riders who fell of the back of the main groups stayed left at the corner we were on so dont think anyone was acting the monkey

Beasty

07Lapierre wrote: »

I was at turn at the 3 gates Garden centre. On the first lap when everyone went thru, we were approached by a very irate driver (toyota avensis). Seemingly she was coming from Clonalvy to Naul and "there were bikes all over the f**king road"?

What happened?

That road was a nightmare - you have to go down the middle/RHS just to avoid the potholes. Thomas actually ended up going straight on to avoid her rather than turning left. The real problem, however, was that on the first circuit there was no marshal at the junction at the bottom of that hill - someone called out to the marshals at the next bend, and someone was despatched to cover it next time round.

GlennaMaddy

07Lapierre wrote: »

+1 Possibly, but I'm guessing a large group of cyclists came around the bend on the wrong side of the road.

Wouldn't be unusual, but I noticed the Lion of Fingal covered one of those blind corners that is normally not marshalled and frequently cut by lads in desparation to hang on. Glad to see somebody there to alert us of any danger.

The road surface on the circuit is pretty good except for one or two clearly visible potholes and it's generally free of traffic, pity its so twisty and demands so many marshals, otherwise it'd be perfect.

I drove home from the start point using part of the old Ballyboughill circuit that takes you through Damastown to the top of the Nags head, feckin car nearly fell apart when I hit some huge potholes along that route.