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The end of season has been a busy one, and we’ve been neglecting the usual reports, but we can’t let Orla Hendron’s magnificent double silver at the Track Cycling Masters World Champs slip by unannounced. Also MIA was Brian McNally’s super 3rd place at the Barrow Wheelers GP, and two Orwellians attempting the National Hill Climb Champs.

The Gerry Brannigan Memorial Cycle will take place on Sunday the 3rd of November starting at the Grasshopper Inn, Clonee, Co. Meath. (Please note that because of this event, there will be no organised cycle from Joe Daly’s on this date. We hope to see you all there instead.) Updated with poster

Update: We’ve had to postpone this due to lack of interest, but we’ll run it again in the spring. In the meantime, orwellwomen@gmail.com is always open if you want to register your interest or head along on a less structured spin.

About 50 members attended the 2013 AGM to mark the close of one season, and the start of looking forward to the next, and for DTC Orwell Wheelers, it’s been yet another very successful year.

For those who don’t check the forum, details are in this thread. Next Monday, October 7th in the Jesuit Conference Centre in Milltown Park. Update: also added some dates for your diary.

As the club starts preparing for the 2014 season, we put together a list of usual queries to answer some of the regular questions that new and old members have.

We’ve been remiss in our results round-up since the Rás na mBan, and it’s time to play catch-up! Along with a host of medals for Orla Hendron and Fionn and Naoise Sheridan at the track champs, the Laragh Classic saw a great result for Liam Rowsome, and Brian McNally placed in the A4 edition, and the Leinster Champs. Before that, the Hammond TT saw Gavin Dodd, Jules Cantwell and Fionn Sheridan all take home prizes!

This year’s Rás na mBan saw past and present Orwell members involved at all levels, most significantly a full team of current club riders, and Joe Daly Cycles sponsored a composite team. We also had Isabel Cogan selected for Leinster, while former members Anne Dalton and Lydia Boylan were riding for Ireland. Monica Marconi won the Fedaia Veterans competition, and Cogan’s Leinster team took home the top county prize.

All eyes were on Charleville this weekend, as Brian Doyle rode the TT of his life to move to second overall in the A4 event, and then took the win with a very strong ride in the final stage. Philippe Bourdarias used his sprinting prowess to good effect, earning two top ten placings in the A2/3 races.

Orwell secured a fine two-in-a-row when Isabel Cogan cruised to victory on Thursday night in the Leinster Hill Climb, happily keeping the title in the club. Aidan Collins also scored gold on the night in the A2 category, with bronze for Neal Hudson and Brian McArdle. And the final Corkagh Park race earlier in the week saw Rachael Kaye-Mellor clinch second place behind strongwoman Anne Dalton.

La Vuelta time and Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford time. Both share the same slot. They also share the man himself. On this occasion they also shared the day with Nicholas Roche who had an outstanding victory in Stage 2 in or around the same time as we were grinding out our own battle against the steep gradient of Mahon Falls. We are pleased to report that we too were victorious.

The club will be running a 32.5km TT on Saturday September 14th as the Hammond Memorial event this year. Details below…

With no easy options for the senior men over the weekend, it was left to the women, juniors and youths to bring home the bacon, and they didn’t disappoint! There were fine performances from the Sheridans in youth and junior national champs including a bronze for Fionn, and Rachel Glendon struck gold in the Dublin City Triathlon.

The Orwell League wrapped up last Thursday on a new circuit, as Colum Bradley soloed to a fantastic win. It was never going to be enough to dislodge Eric Downey from the overall though, and Lucy Soden fought off fierce competition to take the women’s prize.

The end of season prize night will be taking place in the Blue Light pub, Barnacuilla, tonight. There will be a barbecue, and lots of people with prize money to spend, so a good night is guaranteed! This isn’t just for the league racers, all are welcome.

Gráinne Coghlan got the results off to a flying start this week in Corkagh Park, and this continued into the weekend, with Pat O’Brien sprinting in for 8th on the final stage of the Wexford 2 Day, putting himself into 10th overall. Darragh Long featured in the Junior Champs, taking the bunch gallop and helping his NRPT squad to the team prize.

Brian Ahern proved his form is truly in the ascendancy with a emphatic win in last night’s hill climb, beating second place by nearly 30 seconds to retain his title. Rachel Glendon made a rare appearance to defend her crown, managing to hold off her only challenger by just under 20 seconds.

Celeste Marin has departed our shores and we would like to take this opportunity to thank her for all her hard work within the club.

This week was once again dominated by the Orwellian women, with Monica Marconi winning the Collins Christle Memorial race yesteray, adding to her Corkagh Park placing from Tuesday. Ciara Kinch made it two from two over two weekends, and Orla Hendron took a fine 4th place. Naoise Sheridan also took 4th in the Leinster Champs, while Philippe Bourdarias and Cormac Bracken picked up unplaced prizes in Kilmessan. Brian Ahern continued his comeback, with a decent 6th in the Beechmo

Kilkenny may have been beaten by Cork but the bruised and spirited Cats sought to extract some retribution by endeavouring to beat up a few Cork cyclists, including Orwell’s Billy Parker, on the Tour of Kilkenny.