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All Roads lead to SNEEM in the 'Kingdom'
(courtesy of Declan Quigley)
No doubting but there is a buzz in the 'kingdom' these last few days with teams and officials arriving in Kerry ahead of Sunday�s first stage of An Post R�s na mBan, the flagship women�s stage race on the Cycling Ireland calendar.
A 40% increase in entries representing a significant number of new overseas teams, an exciting new �Queen� stage and an increase in the prize fund means there is plenty for riders and spectators to get excited about over the five days and 400km of racing.
This year�s event benefits for a second year from title sponsorship by An Post as well as continued backing from long-time supporter Sneem Hotel which backs the expanded County Rider Classification for locally based riders.
Renewed backing from the Irish Veteran�s Cycling Association sees the long time race supporters take over as title sponsors of the Queen of the Mountains Classification, a jersey that will be hard won on the testing roads on the Ring of Kerry.
The development of the event to its current status as the longest and most challenging women�s stage race in these islands has been made possible by the continuing vital support of Cycling Ireland and the Women�s Commission headed by Orla McEvoy.
Last year�s move from three days to five was well received and the event retains the same structure with the novel change to a Sunday start and Thursday finish.
The 66km stage one road race is followed by the stage two three kilometre WomensCycling.ie time trial on Sunday afternoon, a new challenge for the riders.
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Canada Life Into the West Cycle Challenge
This is the 18th year of the popular "Canada Life Into the West Cycle Challenge", a charity cycle in aid of the National Breast Cancer Research Institute (NBCRI). The challenge is to cycle from Mullingar to Galway Saturday 8th (150k) and do the return trip (150k) on Sunday 9th of September and the event caters for all standards of riders. The number of participants is limited to 200 riders each year and the event attracts cyclists from the four corners of Ireland. Over the years the funds raised for this very worthy cause has topped the one million euro mark.
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Entrants receive an attractive cycling jersey and participants are provided with full back on the road plus evening dinner /B&B in the Carlton Hotel, Galway. The 400 bedroom hotel has a wonderful leisure centre which is a great way to relax following the long cycle. After the celebration dinner there is music and craic in the hotel while some even head for the lively city center.
There are five distinct groups on the road with backup vehicles and motor bikes in addition to Civil Defence and Garda support .The strength and experience of riders graduates from group 1 through to group 5 and riders all stay in their groups, except for the last 10k. The first group leaves at 9am with the last group leaving at 10:40. There is one stop on the way at Ballinasloe for a well earned break for about half an hour. All of the groups come together within about 15 minutes in Oranmore about 7 miles from Galway before the whole troop are led into Eyre Square by the Gardai. The return journey on Sunday is a mirror of the first day with a stop in Ballinasloe and a regrouping outside of Mullingar before making our way to the Mullingar Park Hotel where the leisure centre is a welcome retreat.
This event has shown that there is no barrier to what cyclists can do with some participants in their 60's and 70's. Special athlete David Corroon has taken part for the last five years on a tandem with his dad Peter and loves the event. David competed for Ireland in the last two Special Olympics Games and looks forward to the Into the West cycle as a high point of his year. This is a great weekend cycling event and a wonderful social occasion to round off the season. Contact persons is joe@nbcri.ie .
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All roads lead to Bray on Sunday
Cyclists of all levels of ability are encouraged to take part in the Annual Joe Loughman Route De Chill Mhantain charity cycle in aid of Bray Cancer Support Centre which takes place on Sunday 9th September 2012.
There is a choice of three routes of 110km, 97km and 47km which will take the cyclists through Wicklow�s finest scenery, starting from Bray Wheelers Clubhouse, Schools Road, off Bogahll Road in Bray.
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The 110km route is the toughest of the three options and includes three big mountain climbs, Brown Mountain, Slievemann and the Shay Elliott climb at Glenmalure.
There is also a 47km route which would suit cyclists of all abilities, which takes the cyclists to Ashford and back to Bray.
There will be stops on all routes for light food and refreshments, along with a mechanic service along the routes if any cyclists get into difficulty.
Helmets are compulsory for this event.
Speaking about the event, organiser Brendan O�Leary says �This is the 13th year of the Joe Loughman Randonnee, and we hope the turnout will be the biggest yet this year. The event is in memory of founder and past President of the famous Bray Wheelers cycling club, Joe Loughman. Cyclists can have an enjoyable day out in the Garden County while supporting a good cause, Bray Cancer Support Centre.�
Registration and sign on takes place between 8.30am and 9.30am at Bray Wheelers Clubhouse, Boghall Road Bray on Sunday 9th September.
Entry fee is �20. Sponsorship cards are also available from Bray Cancer Support Centre.
All proceeds will go to Bray Cancer Support Centre who are to the forefront in providing free community based cancer support services to people with cancer & their families in the North Wicklow and South Dublin areas.
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Neenan Travel Track Club of the Year Competition (Update)
With just one event to go Sundrive Track Team have already secured the Neenan Travel 'Track Team of the Year' Award. With just 3 points separating the next three teams it's still all to play for for the runners up. Strangely enough this is the first year that the Sundrive Club even featured in the top three, with previous titles going to Lucan, Bray and Orwell. A good showing as always from Cycling Pursuits and Banbridge and we would expect that the newly formed Adamstown Cycling Team will also feature strongly in 2013. Once again too a good spread on the medals with 30 clubs featuring to date will all 4 provinces represented on the medals table.
The �Neenan Travel Track Club of the Year� is a unique competition on the Irish calendar in that it allows club members of all age groups and categories to contribute to the overall points totals, so the U12 age group can contribute points in the same way as the A1 riders.
Completed counting Events:
Junior National Track Championships (Sprint / Pursuit / TT / Scr)
Youth National Track Championships (Sprint / TT / Scr)
Men's Team Sprint,Team Pursuit & Keirin
Men & Women's Omnium
Women's Team Sprint
Womens Team Pursuit (Demo) & womens Keirin (Demo)
Senior National Track Championships (Sprint / Pursuit / TT/ Scr)
Still to come:
Veterans Omnium Championship. 8th Sept
Points to date August 7th
35pts Sundrive Track Team
19pts Banbridge ,
18pts Orwell
17pts Cycling Pursuits,
15pts Lucan
13pts Kilcullen
11pts Bray, Look Mum no Hands
9pts Sorrento, Curran Racing
8pts Kanturk, Black Rose, Carrick
7pts Usher
5pts Castlebar, ESB, BCD Sports Management
4pts SERC
2pts Inspiration, Limerick, XMTB, Newbridge, Phoenix
1pt Lakeland, Adamstown, Garda, NDCC, UCD, Bohermeen, DID
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UPCOMING
NICOLAS ROCHE CLASSIC FOR ALL THE FAMILY - 6th OCTOBER
This is the first year on this event which will take place on October 6th 2012 and our nominated charity is the Meath Youth Federation.
Starting at Tayto Park, Ashbourne, Co Meath there are three routes 90km, 50km and a family spin of 12km. All routes will be marked and marshalled and refreshments will be available at start and finish and along the route.
Cost is �25.00 per person for 90km and 50km routes and �20.00 per family for family cycle. Entry to Tayto Park later in the day is discounted for cycle participants and their families.
This will be first leisure cycle supported by Nicolas and full details and online entry is available at www.nicolasrocheclassic.com.
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Calling - 'Men of the Ras'
Join your colleagues this October for a once in lifetime Gathering of �The men of the Ras� 60 years on���. in Sneem Hotel on the beautiful Ring of Kerry, Wednesday & Thursday the 17th 18th October 2012. Meet the men you did battle with on the roads of Ireland down the years and exchange stories of woe. For some it was about winning for the rest the finish line had to be reached dead or alive. So here�s your chance to mix with greats who made up the Ras Bunch
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Get on yer bike for Jack and Jill!
� Join the Jack and Jill Children�s Foundation on Saturday 15th September 2012 for a cycle through the picturesque countryside and quite back roads from Dublin to Kilkenny culminating in a fun evening with dinner and overnight stay at the Pembroke Hotel, Kilkenny��
� Inaugural cycle to become an annual Jack and Jill Event.
� Professionally organised with 1 guide to 10 cyclists, back-up vehicles and mechanical support.
� Refreshment stations enroute with a stop off midway for lunch.
� Overnight stay at Pembroke 4 Star Hotel � Kilkenny.
� Registration �155 (Cycle, dinner and overnight accommodation) - �115 (cycle and dinner only) � Fundraising target �500 which includes registration.
� Register now and support Jack and Jill children in your community by going to www.jackandjill.ie to register.