Michael lands Ballymena Road Club’s veterans’ best all-rounder prize

This was the first time that sixty-one year old Michael, from Caherty Road had taken part in the competition and his results were impressive.

Not only did Michael win, but he also set a new competition record time of “Plus” 1 hour 12 minutes 07 seconds for the three distances of 10, 25 and 50 miles. He is only the third rider to win this contest as, up until now, the honours have always been shared between Bobby Currie and Sammy Kerr.

The Henderson cup, for the veterans’ BAR, which was introduced for the 1999 season, is awarded to the rider with the best overall age standard performance. Bobby Currie won the competition in 2012 and on that first season, 1999, and also in 2000 and 2001 and then in 2002 Sammy Kerr won for the first time; Kerr was successful again in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008 and when Sammy won in 2009 it was with a record breaking performance of plus 71 minutes 10 seconds.

Each rider is given a universally recognised “par” or standard time for each distance depending on his or her age, and the one with the biggest overall accumulated total time is the winner.

Michael’s performances, in the Northstone sponsored series of club races, for the 2013 season were: 10 miles; 21 minutes 39 seconds registered on 10th July, in the Gardiner cup race at Woodgreen, this beat his age standard time by 8 minutes 23 seconds.

His 25 miles time was 55 minutes 26 seconds on 19th June in the Ernie Mark cup event on the Woodgreen, Dunsilly, and Ballee course. This beat his standard time by 21 minutes 11 seconds.

At 50 miles Michael clocked 1 hour 57 minutes 41 seconds at Woodgreen on 7th July, in the Ulster championship event. This was 42 minutes 33 seconds faster than his age standard and when all three times are added up his total is a record breaking plus 1 hour 12 minutes 07 seconds.

Jim Burns finished second with an overall total of “plus” 54 minutes 37 seconds while defending champion Bobby Currie was third with + 54.09. (4) Ryan Currie + 42.45 (5) David Kennedy + 41.10 (6) John Maxwell + 40.28 (7) Tommy Wilson + 36.59 (8) Nigel Kernohan + 33.45 (9) Martin Ruddy + 29.10 (10) Adrian Kerr + 21.50 (11) Beresford Millar + 15.07

Michael and the other perpetual trophy winners will receive their awards at the annual prize presentation dinner which is scheduled for Eaton Park on Friday 22nd November.

BRONZE FUN TOUR

The cyclists on Saturday’s fifth ride in this season’s Ballymena Road Club - Chain Reaction Cycles -fun tour series enjoyed the best weather conditions of the week following several very wet days.

The warm and sunny morning attracted 72 riders for the event and they headed out in two big groups.

The “A” group completed a 60 miles route at 18.8mph. Their circuit took in Slaght, Randalstown, Staffordstown, Toomebridge, Ballyronan, Loup, Moneymore, Desertmartin, Tobermore, Maghera, Clady and Portglenone before climbing (once again) Tully and on through Ahoghill and Gracehill.

The touring group rode to Dunminning, Glarryford, Dunloy and Ballymoney. They returned along Bravallen road, Mullan road and Carclinty to Cullybackey and home. This was a total of 40 miles at 15.5mph.

This fifth tour represented the first opportunity of the series, for those with full attendance, to earn their bronze medals. The successful participants on Saturday were: John and Sean Elliott, Rex Bonar, Patsy McGurk, Beresford Millar, Paddy Mooney, Clive Morris, Francis O’Kane, Trevor Thompson and Richard Wilson.

Another £65 was donated to the Chernobyl Children’s appeal on Saturday. The charity fund currently stands at £845. About 20 participants have still to make a donation and with eight weeks of the series still to come there is every chance that last year’s record total of £1015 will be surpassed. Many thanks for all the donations received so far, everyone has been very generous.

Ride six in the 13 week fun tour series will take place this Saturday morning from Rex Bonar House at 9.30 am. The “A” group will leave at the slightly earlier time of 9.15am.

RECORDS BROKEN IN 100

Twenty six riders, including Ballymena’s Steven Workman, lined up at Woodgreen last Sunday morning for the Ulster 100 miles Time Trial Championships.

John Madden of Curran Racing, who held both the senior and veteran records at this distance with a time of 3:45:05, went all out to prove that he could go even faster and he did just that by recording a time of 3:42:49 and thereby smashing his own record by over two minutes. This was a new veteran record.

However Bryan McCrystal of Cuchulainn CC went even better and set a new senior record of 3:34:52.This is over nine minutes faster than the previous record and was a remarkable achievement in far from ideal conditions. Both records are subject to ratification by Cycling Ireland.

Ballymena’s Steven Workman recorded a near 25mph time of 4 hours and 45 seconds to finish eighth fastest.