CLUB NOTES

Post date: Jul 27, 2011 6:52:24 PM

YOUGHAL CYCLING CLUB NOTES 17^th JULY 2011

The Vee Challenge – 7^th August 2011

It’s almost that time of year again when Youghal C.C. hold their annual sportif cycle. The Vee Challenge will again take place this year on the 7^th August and will again be held in conjunction with the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind ( Youghal Branch ) with the support of Club man Seamus Kelly who is also a member IGDB. The IGDB is a national charity dedicated to helping persons who are blind or vision impaired or families of children with autism to achieve improved mobility and independence. The IGDB receive over 85% of their income through voluntary donations and fundraising through a network of volunteers across the country. The remaining 15% is provided through statutory bodied and government agencies. It will cost just over €4 million to run the organisation this year.

This year the Club has gladly secured COGNEX CORPORATION as our main sportif sponsor. This will greatly improve the experience for all the participating cyclists with better road signage, food stops and a Souvenir T-Shirt for all the riders participating in the 130km & 90km routes. Additionally in 2011, we will be holding a family / kids 10km cycle on Saturday 6^th August.

Again this year the two main events are the 130km Vee Challenge and the 90km Vee Ascent. Both routes are the same as last year as detailed below. The event is due to depart at 10.00am from Youghal GAA Sporting Complex, Magners Hill, Youghal with Car parking available at the complex and the adjoining Church car park. Changing facilities, toilets & showers will all be available at the GAA Sporting Complex from 9.00am onward. There will be Food stops en route and refreshments available post event. All Major junctions will be well marshaled and both route's signposted. Lead car and support for both routes will also be present. A HARD SHELL HELMET IS COMPULSORY FOR EVERY PARTICIPANT. THE VEE CHALLENGE IS A LEISURE CYCLE AND NOT A RACE

The Vee Challenge - 130km Route

Youghal to Tallow and Lismore covers the start of the Tour before taking in the ascent of the Vee from Lismore and descending into Clogheen before climbing the Vee again up through the woods, then heading for the food stop on the road to Cappoquin. Refueled the route will pass by the Blackwater taking in the beautiful Dromana drive before heading for the coast and the final sting in the tail around Monatray offering spectacular views of Youghal town. A route suitable for the regular cyclist with a good standard of fitness. A challenging route with several climbs offering some fantastic scenery along the way.

The Vee Ascent - 90km Route

This route covers most of the roads that the Vee Challenge incorporates with participants climbing the Vee as far as Glenaknockaun before turning back for the R669 and the welcome food stop along this gentle descent into the town of Cappoquin. This route is ideal for those looking for a moderate challenge with the scenic climb of the Vee, along with the beautiful Dromana drive part of the route. A reasonable level of fitness would be required to enjoy your day in the saddle and the fantastic scenery that the area offers.

Weekly Club Spins

Sunday training spins continue every Sunday morning along with the midweek spins on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for a lot of the club members in preparation for the upcoming Vee Challenge, The Sean Kelly Tour Of Waterford and the Rebel Tour in Cork. All upcoming events are challenging in their own right and regular training will need to continue so that these events can be truly enjoyed.

Last week the club run took a reconnaissance run around the 130km Vee Challenge route. The spin was done in glorious sunshine and even a bit of hunting up the Vee took place as one particular club man took the carrot in pursuit of the large rabbit while climbing the Vee for the second time. Great spin on the day on a perfect route for the upcoming Vee Challenge.

The 10.00am club spins are also going strong on a weekly basis as this group also continues to train for the upcoming events.

County Time Trial Championships

Big Congratulations to Club Man Jason Collins who recently won Gold in the Munster County Time Trial Championships in Cork. Jason was the sole participant from the club taking part in the event and is the first man in a Youghal Jersey to take home a County Medal in over 15 years. Jason, armed with his aero helmet and Cube speed machine, rolled off in the A4 Category and demolished the field to take the Gold medal. Well done again Jason from all at the club, me thinks you have found your forte. !!

Midweek Spins.

Midweek spins are now in full flow and take place every Tuesday and Thursday evenings with a 7.00pm SHARP depart time. These spins usually take between 1.5hrs and 2 hrs to complete and are run off at a very high tempo to bring on everyone’s top end speed and get the heart rate pumping. A second group will shortly be organized to roll off at the same time every Tuesday and Thursday, but at a much more comfortable pace, so watch this space for details.

Weekend Spins.

As you are all well aware by now, there is a weekly spin every Sunday morning at 8.00 am sharp leaving from Moby Dicks Pub by the Clock Gate and covers on average of between 100 to 130km. A second group also departs at 8.00am for a 4 - 5 hour spin, and covers a 100 to 120km distance. A third group also goes on a weekly spin every Sunday morning at 10.00am sharp leaving from Moby Dicks Pub by the Clock Gate. This spin which runs on various routes every week usually takes around 3 hours to complete and covers on average between 30 to 40km. The pace is again very comfortable. This is an ideal group for anyone interested in taking up the sport. The Ladies group has also now kicked off for the year with a weekly spin departing from Moby Dicks every Saturday at 9.00am. New members or visitors to the area are always welcome to any of the groups. If you have any questions about the club or attending one of our weekend spins, please contact our Club Secretary Jonathan at 086-8563292 for details. Until next week, safe cycling!