Author: william parnell

News / Road Racing / TT News

Cassidy best in Hill Climb

Ian Cassidy continued his excellent form in IVCA time trials this year with a thrilling victory in the Hill Climb on 2 October.  Paul Dolan set the standard with a blistering ride of 7 mins 28 secs for the 2.9 Km course.  This looked like it was good enough to seal the win, but Cassidy pulled out all the stops to record a time of 7 mins 27 secs – beating Dolan into second place by just 1 second!  Third fastest was Barry Swan, with a time of 7 mins 58 secs.

First prize on handicap went to Ciara Kinch who was one of the few riders to beat handicap on the day.  Second in this category was Jimmy Murphy, with John Dillon taking the prize for third on handicap.

Full results are below.

[gview file=”https://theivca.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Hill-Climb-results-2016-web.pdf”]

CHAIN GANG

Leisure League update

Two events have taken place in the the Dick O’Brien Leisure League since our last Leisure report in July.

In August, the iconic 100 in 8 took place in difficult and windy conditions.  See Tony Pearson’s report on this tour  below.

[gview file=”https://theivca.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/100-in-8-report-2016.pdf”]

A clash with several other events on the Irish cycling calendar led to a very poor turn-out on the West Wicklow tour on 11th September.  Nonetheless, the bright, if breezy conditions led to spectacular views of Wicklow in all its glory in an experimental new route taking in Blessington Lakes and Slieve Coragh before heading into Dunlavin and back via Punchestown, Eadestown and Kilteel.  There were mixed views about the challenges of this new route, which might prompt a re-think for next year.  Many thanks to all who continue to support or help organise the Leisure tours. These tours were the foundations on which the IVCA was built many years ago.

General News / News

New route, new start for West Wicklow

The West Wicklow 100k tour takes place next Sunday, 11th September, with a brand new route taking in Blessington Lakes, Hollywood, Dunlavin and back via Eadestown and Kilteel.  We will have the usual tea-stop in Dunlavin.

This event has traditionally been an opportunity for racing and non-racing members alike to wind-down at the end of the season.  The event is also open to non-IVCA members.

The course this year is slightly hillier than recent years, with a few stings towards the tail-end.

Due to the unavailability of the National Basketball Arena, this year’s event will start from the AstroPark on the Greenhills Road, Tallaght.  The AstroPark is close to the Cycle Superstore, as shown on this map. 

Sign-on is from 8.30 am, with a 9 am start.  Entry fee is €10.

News / Road News

Change of venue – Sonny Cullen race

Due to a clash with other events in the Kilcullen area, next Sunday’s Sonny Cullen Memorial Race has been changed to the Kentstown circuit.  Please spread the word amongst members.

Marshal who were rostered for Sunday should turn up for duty in Kentstown by 8.30 am.

As usual, there will be four separate races, with the Sonny Cullen trophy being contested by Race 1.

General News

Leisure League update

The 100 in 8 took place on Sunday, 7 August and we’ll bring you a short report on that event soon.  In the meantime, attached is a report on the previous round of the Leisure League, held in July.  The report is courtesy of Tony Pearson.

[gview file=”https://theivca.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/IVCA-Round-7-20161.docx”]

General News / News

100 in 8

The IVCA’s 100 in 8 tour takes place next Sunday, 7th August.  With road racing taking a break this weekend, we’re hoping for a good turn out for the touring event.  Even if you only want to ride part of the way, our touring members would be glad of the company and shelter from the wind as they take on this challenge.  Remember though – it is a tour and not a race.

Covering 100 miles in 8 hours is one of cycling’s major standard touring challenges and has been a feature on the IVCA events calendar for many years.  An engraved Silver Medal is awarded each year to any member completing the 50 in 4, the Wicklow 200 and the 100 in 8.

This year’s event will start from the Grasshopper Inn in Clonee (not the Phoenix Park as indicated in the published calendar, out of safety considerations).  Sign on is at 8:30am for a 9:00am start.  The route will go in the direction of Bracetown, Ratoath, Kentstown, Navan, Athboy and on to Delvin for a tea stop.  The return journey is through Killucan, Ratharney, Rathmolyon, and Summerhill to Clonee.

A map of the route is available here.  Thanks are due to Jimmy Murphy and Tony Pearson for arranging this route and marking the major turns along the way.
The cost of the tea and sandwiches in Delvin will be in the region of €5.00.
We would ask as many members as possible to support this tour in our 50th Anniversary year.

 

News / Road News

Dylan Delivers

In an exciting finish to the Henry Whelan Memorial over four laps of The Curragh circuit, Dylan Rafter delivered a stunning sprint to beat Paul McKenna and Fearghal Regan to the line.  Long-time race leader and last year’s winner, Sean Lally, had the misfortune to puncture at the start of the last lap, and this changed the dynamics of the race heading into the final climbs of Boston Hill and Dunmurray Hill.  In the end, it came down to a sprint between a small group of riders with Dylan taking the honours.

Race results are available here.

It was great to see members of Henry Whelan’s family at the race finish today, to present the trophy to the winner.

Thanks, as ever, to the race marshals, drivers and outriders who make such a big contribution to our racing.

Dylan Rafter

News / Road News

Henry Whelan Memorial

This Sunday’s race (31 July) is the Henry Whelan Memorial.  This race will be run as an Age CP over 4 laps of The Curragh circuit, with riders heading off in 5-year age groups (the oldest riders starting first).  The time gaps for Age CPs (based on a 50 mile race) are published in a previous post on this website.  Times will be adjusted pro-rata to take account of the shorter distance of this Sunday’s race (70 km).

The late Henry Whelan was Chair of the IVCA in the early 2000s and was hugely encouraging to new members.  He joined Orwell Wheelers in 1948 at the age of 15 and was a keen road and track man.  In the late 1940s and early 1950s, grass track racing was in vogue and cycling events were regularly held as part of Athletics meetings in Lansdowne Road and College Park, as well as elsewhere throughout the country.

Henry stopped cycling for 30 years due to family and business commitments, but returned to the sport in the 1980s through the IVCA and was a central figure in the Association up to the time of his passing.  He was a great fan of sprinter Mario Cippolini and got to meet the great man in 1998 when the Tour de France visited Dublin.

 

Road Racing

Age CP Gaps

The following are the handicaps for Age CPs, as approved by the membership in 2014

[gview file=”https://theivca.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IVCA-Age-CPs-time-gaps.pdf”]

General News

Next event – Millennium Cup

Next Sunday’s race, 24th July, takes place in Monasterevin.  Race 2 will compete for the Millennium Cup, with League points up for grabs in all three races.  (Race 1 competed for the Dermot McGrath trophy earlier in the year, while Race 3 will compete for the Sonny Cullen memorial in August).

As ever, first race is off at 9 am, with sign-on closing at 8.45 am sharp.  Marshals should report to sign-on 30 minutes before the start.  A reminder that changing facilities and toilets are available in the GAA clubhouse, with the entrance facing the football pitch (on the opposite side of the building to the car park).