Mayor’s support for Road Club Fun Tour cyclists

Mayor of Ballymena, Councillor Audrey Wales MBE was in attendance at the start of Saturday’s weekly Ballymena Road Club - Chain Reaction Cycles Fun Tour
Ballymena Mayor  Councillor Audrey Wales, MBE, with a group of Ballymena Road Club Cyclists who took part in Saturday morning's Fun Tour. INBT 44-950HBallymena Mayor  Councillor Audrey Wales, MBE, with a group of Ballymena Road Club Cyclists who took part in Saturday morning's Fun Tour. INBT 44-950H
Ballymena Mayor Councillor Audrey Wales, MBE, with a group of Ballymena Road Club Cyclists who took part in Saturday morning's Fun Tour. INBT 44-950H

Mrs Wales was introduced to, amongst others, the club’s vice presidents Rex Bonar, John Maxwell and Gordon Caldwell and also to the touring section’s chairman Patsy McGurk.

She praised the road club for their continued work in the community and for their charitable fund raising efforts.

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Richard Wilson, one of the organisers of the series, thanked the Mayor for the council’s continued support of the series and stated that those taking part had already raised over £900 for the Chernobyl Children’s appeal NI this year.

Saturday was the eighth tour and nine riders, who had completed eight tours, earned their silver awards.

Richard said he was looking forward to the Mayor’s reception in the town hall in December when all the awards would be presented and the money handed over to the CCA.

Fifty two riders assembled for Saturday’s rides.

The A group, which now leaves sharp at 9.15am, completed a lengthy ride which took in Magheralane road to Randalstown, Staffordstown, Toomebridge, Ballyronan, Coagh, Loup, Magherafelt, Curran, Gulladuff, Culnady and Portglenone a total of 67 miles at 18.2mph

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John Maxwell led a group of nine riders on a similar 60 miles ride to Randalstown, Toome, Ballyronan, Moneymore, Tobermore, Maghera, Portglenone and Ahoghill. This was completed at 17mph.

The touring group went in the opposite direction and completed a 46 miles ride which took them out the Doury road and on to Ballyveely and Stranocum.

Then it was on to Ballymoney and home along the Garryduff road through Dunloy. The silver medallists on Saturday were John Elliott, Patsy McGurk, Rex Bonar, Beresford Millar, Paddy Mooney, Clive Morris, Francis O’Kane, Trevor Thompson and Richard Wilson.

EILEEN’S AWARD

Meanwhile, Eileen Burns has won the Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles – ladies’ time trial best all-rounder competition for the 2013 season.

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Eileen had a great season in the Northstone sponsored series of club races, during which she showed steady improvement and finished the year with a haul of three trophies, in what was only her third season with the club.

These trophies included the “Rose bowl” for the BAR; the Combat Cancer 25 miles time trial cup and the season long time trial handicap league trophy.

Eileen’s best all-rounder record came from two impressive late season performances. Eileen clocked 11 minutes 43 seconds, in the 5 miles time trial at Woodgreen on 17th July. One week earlier, on 10th July, Eileen had recorded 24 minutes 09 seconds in a 10 miles TT at Woodgreen and, when the two times were combined, she had established a new record average speed of 25.225mph. The existing record had been held since 2009 by Louise Fullerton (Eileen’s sister in law) with an average of 25.124mph. Incidentally Louise’s times from 2009 were 11 minutes 50 seconds for the five and 24.06 for the 10 miles.

Claire Gillespie finished second in the time trial BAR with times of 12 minutes 29 seconds for 5 miles and 25 minutes 51 seconds for 10 miles. This is an average speed of 23.621mph.

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Last year’s winner, Emma Smyth, recorded 13 minutes 20 seconds for 5 miles and 24.59 for the 10 miles distance for an overall average of 23.258mph. This represented an overall improvement from her 23.170mph winning average last year, when her times were 12.47 (5 miles) and 26.14 (10 miles)

Eileen’s first points in the time trial handicap league competition were secured on 1st May in the Combat Cancer cup 25 miles time trial at Woodgreen. Her performance of 69 minutes 19 seconds took her to the top of the handicap result with a net time of 56.44 to pip her father in law, Jim Burns, for the trophy. Jim was second on handicap with 57.15.

Eileen improved her 25 miles time again in the Ernie Mark cup event on 19th June when she recorded 68.24. This earned her one point for her sixth place, on handicap, on the night.

However it was the final two time trials on the 2013 club calendar which were to again prove important and secure the league. Eileen’s best 10 miles performance up until that night on 10th July had been 29 minutes 02 seconds, from 2012, and when she clocked 24 minutes 09 seconds this gave her a net handicap time of 19 minutes 07 seconds and second place – ironically to her father in law, Jim Burns.

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Jim’s time of 24.35 was a huge improvement on his 30.24 from earlier in the year and this won him the Gardiner cup.

The final race of the time trial series was a 5 miles time trial from Woodgreen to Ballee and back on 17th July. This saw Eileen improve her 5 miles time from 12.42 to 11.43 and not only gave her the win on handicap on the night but, when the 6 points were added to her total, she had won the league too.

The final league positions are; (1) Eileen Burns 18 points. (2) John Maxwell 16 points. (3) Claire Gillespie 13 points (4) Michael Carroll 12 points. Equal (5) and (6) Jim Burns and Jason Burns 11 points each.

The ladies racing league which is across all the events – road races, time trials and the hill-climb saw Claire Gillespie on top spot with 90 points. Emma Smyth finished second with 74 and Eileen Burns third on 42 points.

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Well done to all the ladies for their achievements during the 2013 season. They and the other prize winners will receive their awards at the club’s annual prize presentation dinner and dance at Eaton Park on Friday 22nd November.

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