Another day of top class riding at the Sundrive Track with Championships being contested in both Team Sprint and Team Pursuit with the top 4 places in the sprint going to the squads from Lucan and Bray, but these two teams had been targetting this event for weeks and on the day a mere 3/10th of a second separated the top two.
A unique day in our track calendar with the emphasis firmly placed on 'team' which makes all the successes achieved on the day even more rewardingI.In the Team Pursuit, the Murphy Surveyors team followed their win in the Demonstration Event last year with a championship ride over 10 seconds faster than last year. Again Bray took silver, with Sundrive taking bronze. Special mention to the Carrick Team who made a very impressive debut placing 4th but looked so neat in achieving this that they will be fighting it out at the top next year.
Final event was a Keirin Demonstration event which ran over three rounds down to a 6 up final and ended with a race of a quality seldom seen at International Level. All six riders gave it a good go with Sean Curtis (Sundrive)taking it up early with his Teammate also looking good for the top three but everything changed over the last 100m and indeed everything changed again over the last 20 metres with National Sprint Champion Jason Howick (Bray) surging over the top as John Lynch (Murphy Surveyors) made his move below. All this happened at such intense speed that it was breathtaking to watch. A great final and one where at some point over the last two hundred metres every one of the finalists were in medal winning positions. Indeed all the Keirin racing we have been incorporating into our League has certainly paid off.
Top National Championship Team Sprint (8 Teams)
1st 49.78 Lucan Cycling Road Club/Stagg Cycles A
2nd 50.08 Bray Wheelers A
3rd 52.87 Lucan Cycling Road Club/Stagg Cycles B
4th 53.30 Bray Wheelers B
5th 55.41 Carrick Wheelers
6th 56.67 Sundrive B
7th 56.82 Lucan Cycling Road Club/Stagg Cycles B
8th DSQ Orwell (2 false starts)
National Chamopionship Team Pursuit (7 Teams)
1st 4.53.18 Murphy Surveys
2nd 5.07.36 Bray Wheelers A
3rd 5.12.17 Sundrive Track Team
4th 5.14.86 Carrick Wheelers
5th 5.27.74 Lucan Cycling Road Club/Stagg Cycles A
6th 5.45.11 Lucan Cycling Road Club/Stagg Cycles B
7th 6.47.59 Bray Wheelers B
Keirin Demonstration Event (21 Entries)
Rounds 1 - 3 x 7 Heats – top through to semi
Repercharges 2 x top 3 to Semi
Semi Final 1
1. Jason Howick (Bray)
2, John Lynch (Kilcullen)
3. Gary McNulty (Orwell)
John McCormack (Lucan)
Janos Kohler (Bray) Relegated
Fergus Whelan (Lucan) Relegated
Semi Final 2
1. Sean Curtis (Sundrive)
2. Kieran Leahy (Lucan)
3. Keith Meghan (Sundrive)
Brendan Whelan (Lucan)
John Walsh (Sundrive)
Ger Ivory (Bray)
Keirin Minor Final (Places 6-12)
7. Janos Kohler (Bray)
8. John McCormack (Lucan)
9 John Walsh (Sundrive)
10. Ger Ivory (Bray)
11. Kevin Whelan (Lucan)
12 Brendan Whelan DNS (Lucan)
Keirin Final (1-6)
1. Jason Howick (Bray)
2. John Lynch (Kilcullen)
3. Kieran Leahy (Lucan)
4. Keith Meghan (Sundrive)
5. Gary McNulty (Orwell)
6. Sean Curtis (Sundrive)