CX

If a chain snaps in Tollymore Woods, and your team isn’t around to hear it, does it make a sound? Skip to “Speaking of steps” for the context of this headline.

Luke GJ Potter gives a brief recap. 3 Provinces, 2 Weeks and a MonoSpaced Font in a Pear Tree. Image courtesy of Sean Rowe.

Mike Hanley’s ramblings about race preparation and not much actual racing continue in this latest chapter, after the second round of Navan Road Club’s CycloCross series.

Michael Hanley’s inner monologue sheds light on this dark CX race.

It was a couple of weeks for erecting tents, a Beer Tent in the IFSC and Sign-On Tents in Public Parks. It could only mean one thing, the Northern Hemisphere had entered its final season… CycloCross season. Grab a cup of Hot Cocoa with Marshmallows as Luke GJ takes us through the initial fortnight.

Luke GJ Potter sends us this update on the coming cyclocross season..

The Irish National Cyclocross Championships of 2016 were held in Tollymore Forest Park, Co Down. Seven members of the Orwell took part in the events organised by Dromara Cycling Club with three in the Senior Men, three in the Women’s and one in the Masters 40. Breda Horan was top Orwell in the Women’s Race and tells her story while new comer Eoin Ahern recounts the Senior Men’s race.

The inaugural Club Cyclocross Championships were proposed by Stephen O’Shea at the Club AGM in October. What followed was a dedicated presence at the cyclocross races of the Orwell CX Crew. All the racing culminated in the Club Championships which took place on January 2nd in Corkagh Park with a field of 15 Orwell Wheelers.

With both the DCCX and Fixx series of Cyclocross races decided, the sport transitions into championship season. The Leinster title has been awarded to Robin Seymour. The Irish National Cyclocross Championships are taking place in Rostrevor on January the 10th. Nestled neatly between these championships is the Orwell Wheelers Cyclocross Championships.

The cyclocross buzz continues with another perspective on cross this season and the Kilternan race coming from Orwell’s John Blennerhassett

With the inaugural Orwell Club Championships fast approaching on January 2nd, a gang of Orwell Wheelers engaged in an epic battle at the Fixx Supercup cross in Kilternan to fine tune their form.

A gang of eight Orwell Wheelers took part in the Leinster Cyclocross Championships on Swords on Sunday.

Breda Horan gives us an account of the second round of the Dublin City Cyclocross Race in Kilruddery, Bray. Once again a women’s only race was held and Orwell was represented by Naoise and Breda.

The second round of the Dublin City Cyclocross series took the riders to Kilruddery Estate in Bray, Co. Wicklow. The Orwell contingent was once again represented very well in all three races. This weeks report details the mano a mano battle between Luke GJ Potter and Barry Mooney.

A contingent of ten Orwell Wheelers competed in the third round of the Fixx Cyclocross Series on Sunday. Valdis Andersons talks us through his second cyclocross race since getting the bug, and Mike Hanley returns with his regular CX feature!

While many of the club were nursing a hangover in Nenagh, Emma Convey, Valdis Andersons and Michelle Geoghegan were squelching around Bangor in the latest round of the Ulster CX League.

In a sign that CX is really taking off within the club, we have not one, not two, but three individual reports from the three races that took place last Sunday on Glencullen’s greens. Breda Horan, Michael Hanley and Eric Downey all take us through their days: two of them scored 9th, and one a DNF – find out which below!

It seems like there’s no off-season in Irish cycling, only the ‘cross season! New club kit rep Michael Hanley takes us through his DCCX Punchestown experience below!

A slightly delayed posting after a lovely Sunday spent between the Gerry Brannigan Memorial and the couch, this one comes in from Luke GJ Potter. He reports on the Orwell performances in the CX races across August and September, and we hope to see more as the season progresses!