Craig is top of the class

Craig, from Ballykeel, won a closely fought contest by just seven seconds from Steven Carruthers of Cambridge House with another Cambridge House student, Aaron Swan third overall.

Cambridge house retained the Brian Russell inter school's team trophy.

Ten riders took part with the race starting with a 3.1 miles individual time trial on the Caherty road, Aghnadore road, Rathkeel road circuit.

Crawford was fastest with 8 minutes 28 seconds from Carruthers 8.33 and Swan 9.08. (4) Adam Kerr (Academy) 9.12 (5) Declan Kelly (St Patrick's) 9.44 (6) Adam McCullough (CH) 9.46 (7) Marc Moody (CH) 10.26 (8) Chris Surgeoner (Dalriada) 11.09 (9) Stefan Wills (Carniny) 11.52 (10) Emma Gordon (Portglenone PS) 11.57.

The riders then had a one lap handicapped road race on the same circuit. The riders were set off in pairs and three minutes overall handicap applied at the start.

Aaron Swan and Adam Kerr came through from group four to finish first and second with Adam McCullough third at 3 seconds.

Next home were, Marc Moody, Declan Kelly, Craig Crawford, Steven Carruthers, Chris Surgeoner, Emma Gordon and Stefan Wills.

The final stage was a hill climb up the Caherty road from the starting point at the corner of the Aghnadore road.

Craig Crawford secured his overall victory by winning the stage with a time of 1 minute 24.20 seconds. It couldn't have been much closer though as second placed Steven Carruthers recorded 1 minute 24.24 seconds!

(3) Adam Kerr 1.33 (4) Aaron Swan 1.34 (5) Declan Kelly 1.39 (6) Adam McCullough 1.47 (7) Chris Surgeoner 2.00 (8) Marc Moody 2.05 (9) Stefan Wills 2.08 (10) Emma Gordon 2.35.

Final overall GC (1) Crawford 18 minutes 46 seconds (2) Carruthers 18.53 (3) Swan 19.26 (4) Kerr 19.29 (5) Kelly 20.14 (6) McCullough 20.20 (7) Moody 21.20 (8) Surgeoner 22.26 (9) Wills 23.28 (10) Gordon 23.55

The Brian Russell inter schools trophy winners were Cambridge House: Steven Carruthers and Aaron Swan.

Many thanks to Adrian Kerr for organising the event. Adrian brought together a big team of marshalls and other helpers for the race and he thanks all those senior club members who came along to support the event.

COMBAT CANCER CUP

BRC ladies' record holder Louise Fullerton clocked a time of 65 minutes 3 seconds to beat her previous best by nearly five minutes in last Wednesday evening's Combat Cancer cup 25 miles time trial at Woodgreen. Louise’s performance won the handicap section and with it the silverware.

Steven Workman, who has been a revelation this season, was once again the fastest and he too had a PB time of 54 minutes 36 seconds, which was 1 minute 16 seconds faster than his previous PB of 55.52 recorded on 5th May on the same course.

David McClean was second with 59.10 (3) Derek Dougan 59.15 (4) Martin Ruddy 59.58 (5) Ryan Currie 60.40 (6) Louise Fullerton 65.03 (7) Bobby Currie 65.10 (8) David Kennedy 65.31 (9) Clive Morris 66.06 (10) Sammy Kerr 66.47 (11) Tom Douds 67.20 (12) Beresford Millar 70.31 (13) Maeve Savage 72.20 (14) Steven Carruthers 73.19 (15) Joanne Kee 75.12.

Handicap result (1) Fullerton 55.08 (2) Ryan Currie 56.15 (3) McClean 58.20 (4) Morris 58.32 = (5) and (6) tie Ruddy and Derek Dougan 58.41

LADIES' LEAGUE

Ballymena also hosted round four of the Ulster Women's Association Time Trial League at Woodgreen on Wednesday and this was won by Irish High Performance Squad member, Caroline Ryan (Garda CC) who was the only female to break the hour for the 25 miles when she recording a time of 59.03.

Louise Fullerton was fifth (1.05.03) with BRC team-mates Maeve Savage eighth (1.12.20) and Joanne Kee ninth (1.15.12).

CALENDAR

Wednesday 9th June Ballymena Road Club – Scott Roof Tiles – cyclists will hold their Grand Prix of the Glens 42 miles circuit time trial for the Tommy Talbot cup. The organisers hope to start the event sharp, especially if they have a big turnout with the first rider scheduled to leave from the Ecos roundabout on the Broughshane road at 6.45pm.

The course follows a route to Broughshane, Carnlough, the coast road to Waterfoot and then up the six miles climb of Glenariff glen before the fast final leg in through Cargan, Martinstown and Rathkenny to the finish on the Fry’s road.

The Tommy Talbot cup, which will be awarded to the fastest rider,

was won last year by Ryan Connor with a time of 1 hour 36 minutes 59 seconds. Ryan also holds the event record with a time of 1 hour 35 minutes 45 seconds, which he established in 2002.

The youth section riders have a 5 miles time trial from Glenariff to Martinstown on the same night.

Thursday 10th June 10 miles time trial league event on the Toomebridge by pass at 7pm.

Saturday 12th June. Annahilt triangle and Emma McMullan road races promoted by Dromara CC at Hillsborough from 12 noon.

Sunday 13th June Noel Teggart memorial road race Banbridge 12 noon.

Monday 14th June BRC youth section 2.5 miles time trial Michelin to Ecos roundabout and back, 7pm.

PATSY'S FUND-RAISER

Ballymena Road Club’s touring committee chairman Patsy McGurk is planning an ambitious charity cycle ride which will take place from November 6-14 this year.

The fundraising 335km Nile cycle event will take place over six days in Egypt.

The fundraising campaign which is for “Buy a brick, build a home for life.” aims to build a centre which will be purpose designed and built to meet the needs and demands of adults with learning difficulties.

Patsy’s second fundraising event is a table quiz which will take place this Thursday night 10th June at 7.45pm in the Michelin athletic club on the Woodside road, this follows his first fund raiser which was a bag pack held at Tesco’s Larne road Ballymena.

Patsy says “The fundraising is for care and support for people with a learning disability, hopefully lots of cyclists will turn up and make the quiz night a success”

Patsy also plans to have a BBQ and a cycling touring event later this year.