CLUB NOTES
Post date: Nov 16, 2009 2:29:11 PM
Race Around Ireland.
Well done to Team Youghal who recently completed this tough event. A team of eight Youghal cyclists have made history by completing the inaugural Race Around Ireland challenge. The team finished a fantastic ninth overall from 23 entries, including individual and teams as well as being the winners of their section.
The Youghal team, including two guest cyclists from Dublin, included an electrician, a care worker and a retired school principal. They were: Ger Flanagan, Tommy Roche, Christy McCarthy, Eoin Whyte, Kieran Groeger, Jamie Field, Stephen McGovern & Michael Hines. They were supported by a nine-strong back up team travelling in camper vans supplied by KIA motors, Youghal. Their success owed much to tactics that saw them deploy two cyclists on ½ hour rota’s, in hour blocks of four. Team Youghal completed the trek in 90 hours and 6mins.
Team Youghal participated on behalf of the Emer Casey Foundation and all money raised went to the charity, as they covered their own entry and expenses.
Well done to all who took part and we look forward to their possible participation again next year.
PHOTOS FROM TEAM PASSING THROUGH YOUGHAL
The Weekly Spin – Sunday 27th September.
Good weather was again on show as the Youghal Club gathered as always by the Clock Gate, outside Moby Dick’s pub, for our weekly spin. The plan for the morning was a lesurily 65km spin around East Cork. A fine group of 18 left Youghal at 9.00am sharp and headed out of Youghal towards the bog road which took us on to Ballymacoda, Garryvoe, through Cloyne and onto the Aghada / Midleton Road. From there we rode through Saleen, around the scenic East Ferry and through Ballinacurra before stopping for the usual cup of tea at the Garage beside the Midleton roundabout. From there we cruised home along the main road through Castlemartyr and Killeagh. We arrived back in Youghal for 12.15pm. Enjoying the good weather on the bike were, Brian Sanders, John Flynn, Michael O’ Mahoney, Johnny O’ Mahoney, Anthony Kenneally, Cillian Kenneally, Tony Walsh, Ina Walsh, Elliot Murphy, Joe Dee, Martin Lynch, Tomas Roche, Gerry Geary, John Healy, Wayne Fitzgerald, Ger Flanagan, and the Tandem which was piloted by John Tracey & Seamus Kelly. Noticeable absentees from the spin were Johnny Bulman & Jonathan Tobin who rumor has it were both out the night before in the Quays training for the clubs Christmas party. They will have to get in a lot of training. No one wants to see a repeat of lasts years effort !!!!
The Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Trails
Over the last few weekends, local Club Man Anthony Kenneally has visited Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Park near Ardpatrick in County Limerick( about 75min. drive from Youghal ) to see what all the talk was about over this exciting new Mountain Bike Park. Here is what he had to say about the whole thing.
Facilities at the trail head include map boards, car parking, toilets, showers and bike wash facilities. Trail friendly accommodation, bike rental and good food are available locally. The Car park opens from 8am-9pm (Mon-Fri) and 8am - 8pm (Sat-Sun). There is a Parking fee of €5 per car but there is no entry fee to any of the Mountain Bike Trails. The showers and bike wash facilities are available at a cost of €2. More details are available at www.ballyhouramtb.com.
The second Loop taken by Anthony was the Garrane Loop ( 35km ). The Garrane Loop is a more technical and physically demanding version of the Mountrussell Loop and ventures westwards from Waypoint 3 taking in some long and fast single-track descents as well as some long and demanding climbs on forest roads, tracks and single-track trails. The single-track found on this Loop is technical in places with numerous very tight turns, steep descents and features such as small rock steps, exposed roots and elevated timber boardwalks. Trail surfaces vary a lot including loose gravel, rocks, mud and water and can be very uneven and extremely narrow with encroaching vegetation, boulders and trees. From waypoint 3 (reached by following the Green then Brown waymarkers) you pick up White waymarkers passing Waypoints 4, 5 and 6 along the way. These waypoints provide opportunities to either cut short the loop or to extend but the white waymarkers eventually bring you all the way back to Waypoint 3, from where you follow the Brown then the Green waymarkers all the way back to the car park. This loop features numerous long climbs and takes in areas of high ground that can be exposed to bad weather. A great trail for the fit and daring.
Again, Anthony felt that this was a very exciting but difficult Loop. It is not for the unfit as it involves mostly climbing through the woods on various sides of the mountain. He would advise anyone undertaking this loop to have a good level of bike control and stock up well on food and liquids, as it will take between 3 to 4 hours to complete.
Overall, Anthony could only confirm that all the talk about this exciting new Mountain Bike Park was true. In his own words he said “ the feeling of excitement and the dangerous trill felt while riding the trails, and in particular the descents, could only be matched by the excitement and trill you felt as a schoolboy doing something you knew you shouldn’t be doing “. Mmm, wonder what he got up too when he was young !!!.