McAllister and Patton tackle ‘Millbrae and LUNGBUSTER-2’

On an evening that saw the ever expanding local cycling club put on a small exhibition event for riders under 11years. 12 young schoolboys and girls lined up under the guidance of club youth coach Alastair Henry, Rhona Laverty and William Loughridge,they rode the return leg of the time trial on the Ballybogey Road.

The young riders were Eoin and Liam McAuley, Aaron Archibald, Annagh and Charlie O’Hagan, Shay Donley, Lauren Laverty, Jamie Henry and Jack and Ewan McMaster. With the parents and friends who turned out to show their support they were treated to a view of what Ballymoney Cycling Club have planned for youth riders over the winter.

The club will be running youth racing and coaching sessions starting now in October and the development of our young people will be closely followed in the press each week.

With the introduction of the Wattbike testing at Dalriada school, Ballymoney CC are delighted to announce that the response has been staggering and “testing and monitoring” is booked solid right up to Feb 2013. Results will be published as soon as they are available and permitted for viewing.

In the Lungbuster2 event, returning to form is racing team rider Ryan Patton, this is Ryan’s 3rd victory of the 2012 season and with the club already planning for 2013, Ryan and his racing team mates will be at the front of Irish Racing again.

On a good evening with little wind the field of 26 riders faced the time keeper, an excellent turn out of an end of season event.

Again youth showed and the ongoing development of under 16 riders Stuart Laverty, Chris Surgeoner and Ryan Orr keeps

getting better and better all 3 lads did personal best rides. Chris Surgeoner this weekend was 4th in the All Ireland Youth Triathlon Championships, full report next week.

Another time to note was that of former Northern Ireland schoolboy road race and time trial champion William Loughridge (12.09), William has returned to the club that set him on the road to cycling success and for the record to other schoolboys watching.

In 1993 William recorded a 10mile TT time of 22.39 at the age of 15 years old, going on to represent N.Ireland at numerous International events. Along with Alastair Henry also a junior and schoolboy champion the two of them have plans to develop the youth at BCC and set the club ahead off the opposition with a youth programme that includes Commonwealth and Olympic programmes.

FULL RESULTS,

BCC “LUNGBUSTER2”

1st Ryan Patton BCC Racing Team 10.56

2nd Jason Henry U/A 10.59

3rd Jason Taggart BCCRT 11.26

3rd Damien Hazlett BW 11.26

5th Stuart Laverty BCCRT (U16) 11.34

6th David Strang BVCC 11.35

7th Mervyn Linton BCCRT 11.38

8th Ryan Orr BCCRT (U15)11.39

9th Steven McAllister BCCRT 11.44

10th William Loughridge BCCRT 12.09

10th Ollie Bateson DTRC12.09

12th Chris Surgeoner BCCRT (U16)12.23

13th Ryan Fenton BCCRT 12.38

14th Ricky McMaster BCC 12.59

15th James McCann BCCRT 13.04

16th Marshall Craig BCC 13.09

17th Martin Burke BCC 13.19

18th Tony Blaney BCC 13.20

19th Trevor McKeeman BCC14.07

20th Adam McMaster BCC (U14) 15.00

21st Nigel Simpson BCC 15.04

22nd Stephen McIntyre BCC 15.05

23rd Luke McAvoy BCC 15.31

24th Victor Devenney BCC 16.23

1st Ellen McAree BCCRT 18.15 (under14 girls)

Steven McAllister is 1st BCC rider over the Millbrae.

The 1500m gut wrenching climb on the Sleivenaghy Road features the Ballymoney Cycling Club’s

annual hill-climb. This event has been running here for many years, first used by Team Route and also in the 80’s by Ballymoney Cycling Club. It has earned a fierce reputation as a challenge bar none and with Commonwealth games rider David Gardner from Lurgan holding the record since 1980, it was local lad Jason Henry who equalled the long standing record of 3mins and 7 seconds.

As this is an end of season event it was an impressive line up as 16 riders faced the clock in the fast darkening evenings.

Under15/16 riders Ryan Orr, Stuart Laverty and Chris Surgeoner are fast knocking at the door to the top steps of the podium at BCC in 2013. Two young lions Eoin and Liam McAuley are learning their trade and at 8 and 10 yrs old the future is looking good with youngster and new to the sport Peter Pyper joining the ranks at Ballymoney CC.

Results for the Hill-climb Trophy are,

Steven McAllister 3.39

Ryan Orr (U15) 3.41

Stuart Laverty (U16) 3.44

Jason Taggart 3.51

Mervyn Linton 4.07

Chris Surgeoner (U16) 4.10

James McCann 4.18

William Loughridge 4.27

Jason Bartlett 4.49

Tony Blaney (Vet) 5.25

Youth Riders 8 - 11years

Eoin McAuley (U11) 5.59

Liam McAuley (U10) 6.57

Visiting Riders Times.

Jason Henry (U/A) 3.07 Equals David Gardner’s 1980 Course Record

Jerome McKendry (DRT) 3.41

Oliver Ollie Bateson (DRT) 3.54

The Dalriada Kingdom Challenge Sportive

On Saturday, Ballymoney CC Health and Leisure people put together a challenge for everyone with

a bicycle, two routes 75km and 40km. Taking in the Antrim coast and passing through the “Dark Hedges”

at Gracehill. Around 50 riders were involved in the sportive and as the groups set off from the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre

Club chairman Charlie Dickson and Leisure secretary Chris Frew were with the 75km group and BCC youth coach Alastair

Henry was on hand to look after the 40km riders.

The rides took in some of the best scenery that the North of Ireland has to offer, with clubs from far and near taking part in the challenge

and as the riders passed Portrush they were even giving an RAF “Fly by” from planes visiting the Air-show this weekend.

Breathe Easy and Leukaemia Research

Ballymoney Cycling Club are active in Charity work and on Wednesday evening at the September club meeting, Nessie Blair and

Marie Heggarty, newly elected chairperson of “Breathe Easy” a support group for the British Lung Foundation. Nessie and Marie both

gave the cycling club members a short briefing of their work and were then presented with a cheque from donations collected at a cycle earlier.

Yvone Stewart a cardiac specialist nurse and a patron of “Leukaemia Research” gave a talk on heart problems and showed some of the new tools used to give a better quality of life to those with heart problems.

Charlie Dickson and Liam McAfee who earlier this year cycled from Portrush to the Downings in Donegal to raise funds for Leukaemia research

presented Yvone with a cheque to help them continue their ongoing work.

Coming Events

This weekend is the final race on the Cycling Ulster calendar, the 100mile TT Championships at Woodgreen. This event has been held by the Bann Wheelers but due to unforeseen circumstances it was about to be cancelled. This when Ballymoney Cycling Club stepped into the breach and have taken on the promoting of this “REAL

time trialling challenge on Sunday 23rd. Sign on is from 8am and the first rider off at 9am.

Any BCC member or in fact anyone who can spare a couple of hours to help ensure the safe running of this event can turn up at Woodgreen, between Ballymena and

Antrim on Sunday morning