Orwell Youths Christmas Invitational

Orwell Youths staged their first Christmas Invitational in many years at Corkagh Park last Sunday. Cyclists from local clubs Bray Wheelers, Sorrento, Willow Wheelers, Inspiration Cycling Club and St. Tiernans joined our own youths for a 3 stage event.

Orwell Youth Christmas Invitational

On a very windy day, DaveMc’s legendary organisational skills, aided and abetted by Jen Sheridan, Dave Murnane, Stephen O’Shea, Ivan O’Brien, Lila Andersons, Stephen Ryan and Martyn Holmes made sure that everyone kept warm and moving. Conor Murnane, Luke Keating and Naoise Sheridan lent a hand, up to and including babysitting, and many of the visiting parents helped form the circles when the wind was too much for the cones. Fionn Sheridan was the man in the blue Commissaires jacket.

The format was a one lap TT, a few practise rounds followed by a competitive round of Sumo and then a scratch race. Points were awarded in each category with a win scoring 1 – and the winner being the person with the lowest score after all the rounds. Handicaps were available in the scratch race for fancy dress.

First up were the Under 10’s and Novices.

Leo Andersons was somewhat hampered by the lack of pedals on his bike and was pulled by his trainers just before the off.

The remaining contestants had a very close competition with the lead changing hands as the events progressed.

After the scratch race was run and the calculations made the table looked like this

1st Killian O’Brien (Orwell) 6 points Joint 2nd Luca Holmes (Orwell) and Lorcan Cattle (Orwell) 7 pts 4th – Rebecca Doherty (St. Tiernans) 14 pts

A large field of 10 cyclists took to the start line in the U12’s

Here a dominant display by Andrew Ryan (Orwell) winning in all 3 categories, rounded off a successful 1st year of racing for the young man.

1st – Andrew Ryan (Orwell) 3 pts 2nd – William Doherty (St.Tiernans) 7 pts 3rd – Ronan O’Connor (Orwell) 9 pts

Dylan Baker and Ruairi Byrne (both Orwell) Killian McKenna (Willow), Jake Walsh (Unatt) and Ciara McGinn, Faye Howlin and Keela McHale (all Inspiration) gave it their all.

After the TT, the 10’s and 12’s decamped to the bottom quarter of the park for Sumo while the 14’s and 16’s lined up (photo with thanks to Tony McCluskey).

The 14’s had 10 cyclists with all clubs well represented . In addition to the podium below Cormac McGinn, Davog Burke, Jake Murphy and Patrick McLoughlin (Inspiration), Liam Dunne & Ciaran Drohan (Willow) and Uisneach Sheridan (Orwell) were sent off by the starters.

The winner Conal Regan (Willow) had a fine first and 2 second places to put on his palmares.

1st – Conal Regan (Willow) 5 Pts 2nd – Hugo O’Malley (Willow) 9 Pts 3rd – Tadhg Fitzsimons (Orwell) 10 pts

Hugo had the distinction of being the fastest of any age group in the TT (1 lap with the loop). Indeed 3 of the top 4 times were by U14’s .

1st –Hugo O’Malley 2’13’’ 2nd – Sean Murnane (Orwell) 2’17’’ 3rd Regan 2’21’’ 4th Fitzsimons 2’23’’ 5th Ryan – 2’28’’ 6th Fergal McCluskey (Willow) – 2 ‘29’’

In the 16’s, there was a battle of the giants with all the placings going to a Willow connection . Former Willow boys Murnane and Ronan Fanning (Orwell) were keen to show their schoolmates what they had learned under DaveMc’s tuition but McCluskey wasn’t going to let them have it all their own way. The high points scored here showed just how tough the competition was. Harry Murphy (Orwell) battled through some man flu to keep everyone on their toes and was rewarded with 2nd in Sumo.

The 14’s and 16’s raced alongside each other in the scratch race over 5 laps with the 14’s getting half a lap handicap . Tadgh Fitzsimons threw himself into it, opened up a lead by the first corner and for 4 laps stayed out in front on his own. A very impressive feat on any day but more so given the windy conditions. Behind him the 14s group worked well together, using their energy efficiently until on the last lap, Conal Regan broke from the pack, overhauled Fitzsimons and took the chequered flag. A tired but strong Fitzsimons held on for a fine 2nd.

In the end the club league and open racing experience of Sean Murnane came to the fore.

1st- Sean Murnane – 7 pts Jt 2nd Fergal McCluskey and Ronan Fanning 13 pts

At least one cyclist completed an additional lap to the scheduled 5 eagerly urged on by his father who will surely be getting coal in his stocking this year.

In the women’s competition, Inspiration CC had a clean sweep of the placings. As is the norm in underage racing they competed in the same races as the boys but scored in their own completion as well.

1st Keela McHale 16 pts [TT Time 3’01’’] 2nd Faye Howlin 22 pts [3’15’’] 3rd Ciara McGinn 23 pts [3’39’’]

And finally, the overall championship went to Andrew Ryan whose 3 points was top on the day

1st – Andrew Ryan 3 pts 2nd- Conal Regan 5pts 3rd Killian O’Brien 6 pts

All photos courtesy of Tony McCluskey