Youth Reports

There was a lot of ??Orwell green on show on the ??Leinster Youths TT and Road Race champs podiums last weekend, hosted by Cuchulainn CC in Co Louth! Congratulations to all our youth title holders and medal winners!! ????

A race report from a very successful two days of youth racing down in Kanturk, by Issy Huele.

Finishing 3rd overall in the Ras na nOg was a huge confidence booster for me after crashing and breaking my collarbone last winter. Seeing the trophies was a delight on the final day and made me look forward to the presentation. As I stood on the podium on the final day, I felt so proud as it was my first time and I was so delighted to come home with my trophies and so many amazing memories.

14 Orwell Wheelers youths were in Bellewstown for Rás na nÓg, the start of the youth racing season. Super racing, great fun and some strong results for our super boys and girls. Here’s Aideen’s full race report.

2022 has been a hugely successful year for our youth section. Orwell Wheelers currently have 86 youth members (26 girls and 60 boys), and the massive growth in family cycling during the Covid pandemic is clear in the large number of U8 and U10 in this mix.

We were back to a full set of National Championships after two COVID-impacted years. There were two days of racing, over three different disciplines, in Hamiltonsbawn, Co Armagh, hosted by Orchard CC. Orwell Wheelers had 17 riders taking part, and had someone in almost every single race. I got to drive neutral service in the road races, so got to see a good bit of the action, and nearly every race was tough, fast and fair.

A big weekend of racing for kids from Ireland and abroad took place this weekend in Derry and Donegal. The biggest fields of the year so far (over 50 Under 16 boys, most other fields 20 or more) in Ireland, with a good smattering of riders from The Isle of Man and Britain, was a real festival of youth racing, and our Orwell Youths were a major part of it all.

David Harrington, Luca Holmes, Killian O’Brien and Patrick O’Sullivan were selected to ride for Orwell Wheelers at the London 2 Day on 2-3 June. Ivan O’Brien (as team manager) and Dmitri Griffin (mechanic) travelled with them for an amazing weekend of racing.

Saturday 14 May 2022 saw the return of the Orwell One Day Youth Stage Race in the enclosed circuit at Corkagh Park The event was open to all U10, U12, U14 and U16 boys and girls, with everyone taking part in three stages: Time trial: one lap of the Corkagh Park track Scratch race: because of numbers, girls joined the boys at each age level, but were marked separately U10: 4 laps U12: 15 minutes plus 1 lap U14: 25 minutes plus 1 lap U16: 35 minutes plus 3 laps Elimination ra

A magnificent weekend of racing in Bellewstown with what must be a record number of Orwell Wheelers riding: 9 riding in club colours and 7 racing for the Leinster provincial teams. For a couple of families it was their first experience of children’s open racing and, as always, Drogheda Wheelers put on a fantastic show. I’ll just pick out a few highlights, because otherwise this report could run to PAGES! Read on …

Orwell Wheelers entered a team for the Youth Tour of Scotland, one of the most exciting youth racing events going, this year. While our boys were disappointed not to get an entry, we did send a strong team of four girls over to Perth: Áine Reilly, Rhiannon Dolan, Mya Doocey and Hannah Hayes. Here’s what happened … thanks to Áine for such a detailed and interesting report: plenty to learn about riding as part of a team, rather than just for yourself, in this one!

For 17 weeks over the summer, Monday Nights @ Corkagh has been a fixture on the calendar. Started by Dave Mc 4 years ago, it has become a stepping stone for many into cycling and into racing. For others it has been a key part of their training programme. For others is just a good laugh and a bit of exercise on a warm summers evening. Read on for a round up of the 2019 series….

2019 saw Scott-Orwell Wheelers return to Strathallan with two teams in the Youth Tour of Scotland, a tough 3 day – 4 stage race. As always they pulled together as a team both on and off the bike and once again they have come together to give us a flavour of their weekend away. Chapeau guys!

Winter 2018 was a very busy and successful season for our young Cyclocross racers. Every weekend results came flooding in – medals, cups and photos of big beaming smiles! Luca, Áine and Katie were convinced to write a round up of the season for us – it’s full of ups & downs, mud, sweat but no tears………

The Errigal International Youth Tour is one of the biggest events on the youth calendar. It’s a tough 3 days with 4 stages, including a TT, two road races and criterium with some very testing climbs! Scott Orwell Wheelers was well represented at the race and huge thanks to the Under 11/12 Boys team for putting together a race report for us….

Ras na nÓg is one of the premier stage races for youths in the country. Over the last number of years it has served as a rite of passage for many of our younger riders, with Darragh Long, Rachael Kaye Mellor, Naoise & Fionn Sheridan and Sean Murnane among the many who have used it as a springboard to subsequent junior and senior success. Read on to see how the 2018 team got on..

2018 saw Scott-Orwell Wheelers enter two teams in the Youth Tour of Scotland, a tough 3 day – 4 stage race. Reports came back about their great team work over the weekend and in that spirit they have pooled together to write a race report for us. Chapeau guys!

The days are getting longer and Easter is just around the corner. Since last September our youths have been working on their cycling skills from their winter base at Corkagh Park. As Spring turns to Summer we preview what they will be getting up to this season.

When last we checked in with the Youths they had just hosted the One Day event at Corkagh Park and were looking forward to a summer of cycling. Read on to see what they got up to over the summer.

Lara Gillespie won a Silver medal in the European Youth Olympic Festival. Photo courtesy of Eoin Noonan, Sportsfile.