Breandan will collect five trophies at Road Club’s prize night

Fifteen year old Breandan, from Randalstown, a student at St Louis grammar school in Ballymena, topped the club’s youth road racing league for the McAuley and Kerr cup and also won the time trial best all-rounder contest for the Samuel Mark shield.

Just for good measure he also earned the Dave Millar cup for the overall youth league, where he scored points in all disciplines – road race, time trial and hill climb.

He was also successful in the Ballymena schools cycling championship where he won the Greer cup as individual champion and also the Brian Russell schools team trophy which he and Caolan Stuart, won for St Louis.

In the youths’ time trial best all-rounder contest Breandan recorded times of 6 minutes 55 seconds for the 2.5 miles TT, on 13th May and 12 minutes 33 seconds for the 4.8 miles TT on the Broughshane to Ecos course on 6th May. Just to underline his consistency Breandan also produced an identical 12.33 on the same course on 3rd June. This gave Breandan an overall average speed of 22.796 mph.

Hayden Ritchie finished second with times of 8 minutes 14 seconds for 2.5 miles and 14.22 for 4.8 miles, average 19.550.

The first silverware of the season for the youths was the Clarkes tyres cup. This is awarded to the winner of the 5 miles road race on the Lisnamurrican circuit at Broughshane. Breandan got his season off to a great start when he was first home in this race. Hayden Ritchie was second at 5 seconds and Stefan Wills third at 29 seconds.

The next silverware was for the Ballymena schools mini stage race championship on 12th August. Each of the three stages had a different winner with Breandan McCavana (St Louis) fastest in the 3.1 miles time trial, which took place over the Caherty road Aghnadore road and Rathkeel road circuit. Breandan recorded 8 minutes 35 seconds to beat second placed, visiting rider, Shea McTaggart (Loreto) by 1 second. Caolan Stuart (St Louis) was third with 8 minutes 52 seconds.

The one lap 3.1 miles road race, held over the same course, saw the riders set out with five different starting handicaps. Brian McAuley (St Pauls Kilrea) led until half way round the lap before being caught by the scratch group.

Seven riders were together for the sprint finish with Shea McTaggart winning the gallop by a clear two seconds gap, in a time of 8 minutes 26 seconds. Shay Donley (Cambridge House) took second with Caolan Stuart third. (4) Breandan McCavana (5) Eoin Mellon (6) Shaun Byrne (7) Fergus Byrne all at 2 seconds (8) Isaac McAuley (9) Caleb Dempsey both at 21 seconds (10) Hayden Ritchie at 33 seconds (11) Brian McAuley at 1 minute 51 seconds.

The final stage was a hill climb from Aghnadore road up the Caherty road hill. This time it was the turn of Caolan Stuart to win the stage. He recorded 1 minute 27 seconds with Shea McTaggart second with 1 minute 28 seconds and Ballymena Academy’s Caleb Dempsey third on 1 minute 30 seconds.

McTaggart was fastest on aggregate time with 18 minutes 30 seconds but it was second placed Breandan McCavana on 18.36 who has the honour of winning the Greer trophy for his school – St Louis Ballymena. Caolan Stuart (St Louis) was third overall with 18.47. McCavana and Stuart won the Brian Russell inter schools trophy for St Louis with a combined time of 37 minutes 23 seconds.

Two nights later, on 14th August, Caolan Stuart finally got some silverware of his own when he won the Sandy Spence cup for the road race at Glarryford.

The track shield for the fastest lap of the season at the showgrounds was won by George Graham. All in the youth section thank Adrian Kerr for organizing the events during the season and to Hazel Gordon and Joan McCullough for their timekeeping. Also many thanks to all those who helped with marshaling and judging during the season.

Results.

The youths and the other perpetual trophy winners will receive their awards at the Road Club’s annual prize presentation dinner which is scheduled to be held min Eaton Park on Friday 22nd November at 7.30pm. Tickets are currently available from Richard Wilson.

FUN TOURS

The cyclists on Saturday’s seventh ride in this season’s Ballymena Road Club - Chain Reaction Cycles -fun tour series again enjoyed the best weather conditions of the week.

The heavy rain on Friday continued through the night and right up until half an hour before the tours were to start. Then, miraculously, it dried up and everyone was amazed at how lucky the cyclists were again for their weekly outing.

The threat of continuing rain must have discouraged a few riders but there was still a big turnout of 63 for the event and they headed out in three groups.

Another £40 was donated to the Chernobyl Children’s appeal which makes the total now £900.

Another 14 riders - Derek Agnew, Alan Blair, Hall Booth, Matthew Brennan, Liz Carey, Christina Clarke, Stephen Dempsey, Derek Dougan, Siobhan Fisher, Jackie Knowles, Shaunna McAllister, Danny O’Loan, Lori Phillips and Ryan Shaw - completed their fifth tour to earn their bronze medals.

CLUB AGM

Ballymena Road Club will hold their AGM at Rex Bonar house next Monday, October 28, at 7.15pm.