Open Racing Round-up

Orwell Wheelers
Nov 28, 2013
4 min read

As we hit the final month of the year, and all thoughts start to turn to next season – training and preparation, let’s take a quick few moments to have a review of the year’s results.

What’s listed below are pure results, garnered from various reports to the best of our ability. It’s an impressive list, but behind every win or minor placing is a further story of courage and determination. To single out any would do the others an injustice, but Eric Downey‘s win at the Mick Lally got the season off to a fantastic start. David Halpin‘s win at Dunsany took nearly everyone by surprise, while Isabel Cogan‘s victory at the Boyne GP was expected by anyone who’d seen her in action. Ronan Grimes‘ solo win in Donore as the season closed meant the results just kept coming for Orwell all year round

We saw a few notable riders move on – Sean McKenna went to UCD, and jumped to A2 with a fine victory in the Lucan GP, while Darragh Long and Anne Dalton were strong workhorses in their respective teams of Standard Life NRPT and DID Electrical.

Updated: As can be a danger with these lists, we missed one set of results – those of the Collins Christle Memorial in Kilmessan. That day was particularly notable for a heavy presence of Orwell in the women’s placings, with Monica Marconi atop the podium. Apologies for the oversight!

But there’s not enough space to detail every rider’s achievements – we’ll let the list below speak for itself!

February

Ned Flanagan Memorial (A1-4), Monasterevin, 17/2/2013 Eric Downey – 3rd unplaced A2

March

Mick Lally Memorial (A1/2), Dunboyne, 2/3/2013 Eric Downey – 1st Diarmuid Collins – 1st unplaced A2

Ian Gallahar Memorial (A3) Brian McArdle – 2nd

Dublin Wheelers GP (A4) John Twomey – 2nd

Cycleways Cup (A3), Navan, 3/3/2013 Darragh Long (NRPT) – 3rd unplaced Junior Eddie Lynch – 2nd unplaced Vet

A4 Race Jamie Busher – 5th

Rás Naomh Finian (A1/2), Clonard, 9/3/2013 Eric Downey – 2nd unplaced A2

A3 Race Anne Dalton – 1st unplaced woman

A4 Race John Twomey – 5th

Newbridge GP (A1/2), Newbridge, 10/3/2013 Eric Downey – 4th unplaced A2

Morgan Sparrow Memorial (A3) Seán McKenna (UCD) – 6th Brian McArdle – 8th

A4 Race Jamie Busher – 7th

St Patrick’s Day Festival of Youth Racing (U16 Girls), Corkagh Park, 17/3/2013 Naoise Sheridan – 2nd

Lucan GP (A3), Batterstown, 23/3/2013 Seán McKenna (UCD) – 1st Darragh Long (NRPT) – 3rd Michelle Geoghegan – 1st unplaced woman

A4 Race Ronan Foley – 2nd Paul Brosnan – 4th Lucy Soden – 1st unplaced woman

April

EYO Selection Race, Corkagh Park, 1/4/2013 Naoise Sheridan – 5th

Harry Reynolds Memorial (A1-4), Balbriggan, 6/4/2013 Aidan Collins – 1st unplaced A2

Ben McKenna Memorial (A1/2), Balbriggan, 7/4/2013 Odhran Connors – 4th unplaced A2

A3 Race Philippe Bourdarias – 5th Darragh Long (NRPT) – 6th

Pat and Monie Nolan Memorial (A1-4), Balscadden, 13/4/2013 Eric Downey – 7th Brian McArdle – 1st unplaced A3 Darragh Long (NRPT) – 2nd unplaced Junior

Stamullen GP (A1/2), Stamullen, 14/4/2013 Odhran Connors – 3rd unplaced A2 Diarmuid Collins – 7th unplaced A2 Patrick O’Brien – 9th unplaced A2 Aidan Collins – 10th unplaced A2 Tom Blennerhassett – 11th unplaced A2 Eric Downey – 12th unplaced A2

A3 Race Darragh Long (NRPT) – 2nd unplaced Junior Ciara Kinch – 2nd unplaced woman

Peter Bidwill Memorial (A1-4), Donore, 20/4/2013 Eric Downey – 4th Patrick O’Brien – 1st unplaced A2

Visit Nenagh Classic (A3 Race), Nenagh, 21/4/2013 Darragh Long (NRPT) – 14th

Waller Cup (A4), Bohermeen, 28/4/2013 David Halpin – 5th

Mondello (A1-4), Mondello, 30/4/2013 Neil Whelan – 1st unplaced A4

May

Frank O’Rourke Memorial (A1/2), Camross, 5/5/2013 Eric Downey – 4th

A4 Race Jamie Busher – 2nd

U16 Race Naoise Sheridan – 10th

U12 Race Uisneach Sheridan – 5th

Dunsany GP (A3), Dunsany, 12/5/2013 Brian McArdle – 5th

A4 Race David Halpin – 1st

Shay Elliot Memorial (A1/2), Bray, 12/5/2013 Odhran Connors – 2nd unplaced A2 Patrick O’Brien – 7th unplaced A2

Emyvale GP (A3 Race), Emyvale, 19/5/2013 Philippe Bourdarias – 3rd

Dungarvan GP (A4 Race), Dungarvan, 19/5/2013 Neil Whelan – 3rd

June

Boyne GP (Women), Slane, 2/6/2013 Isabel Cogan – 1st Lucy Soden – 3rd Orla Hendron – 5th Rachael Kaye-Mellor – 6th

A1/2 Race Diarmuid Collins – 2nd unplaced A2

A4 Race Paul Brosnan – 7th John Twomey – 8th

Sean Nolan Memorial/Meath GP (U16), Navan, 9/6/2013 Naoise Sheridan – 6th

U12 Race Uisneach Sheridan – 7th

Manzer Thackaberry Cup (A3), Newbridge, 16/6/2013 David Halpin – 5th Darragh Long (NRPT) – 6th

Ned Flanagan Cup (A4) John Twomey – 3rd Paul Kane – 5th Neil Whelan – 9th

Donamon Dynamos GP (A4), Roscommon, 16/6/2013 Ronan Grimes – 4th

Stephen Roche GP, Dundrum, 26/6/2013 Patrick O’Brien – 1st unplaced A2 David Halpin – 2nd unplaced A3 Darragh Long (NRPT) – 2nd unplaced Junior Patrick O’Brien – 1st Orwell

Mullingar GP (A3), Mullingar, 30/6/2013 Philippe Bourdarias – 6th David Halpin – 7th John Twomey – 8th

A4 Race Oisín Boland – 4th

Women’s Race Anne Dalton (DID) – 2nd

July

Noel Redmond Memorial (A3), Bunclody, 7/7/2013 Neal Hudson – 8th

A4 Race Oisín Boland – 3rd

Tommy Brady Memorial (A1-4), Robinstown, 20/7/2013 Patrick O’Brien – 1st unplaced A2

Séamus Kennedy Memorial (A1/2), Dunboyne, 21/7/2013 Patrick O’Brien – 5th unplaced A2

DID GP (A4 Race) John Lannigan – 2nd

Women’s Race Ciara Kinch – 2nd Monica Marconi – 4th

Brendan Campbell Memorial (A1/2), Donore, 28/7/2013 Diarmuid Collins – 1st unplaced A2

A4 race Ronan Grimes – 1st John Lannigan – 5th

August

Collins Christle Memorial (A1-3), Kilmessan, 11/8/2013 Philippe Bourdarias – 4th unplaced A2 Cormac Behan – 5th unplaced A3

Women’s Race Monica Marconi – 1st Ciara Kinch – 3rd Orla Hendron – 4th

September

Kieran Hammond Memorial TT (A3), Roundwood, 14/9/2013 Gavin Dodd – 3rd

A4 TT Jules Cantwell – 2nd Fionn Sheridan – 3rd

Laragh Classic, Laragh, 15/9/2013 Liam Rowsome – 4th

A4 Race Brian McNally – 8th

Barrow Wheelers GP (A4), New Ross, 29/9/2013 Brian McNally – 3rd