Orwell Women's Criterium League

Chips Lovell

Just in case anyone hasn't spotted it yet, there's a new women's league starting tonight. It'll be held over six weeks, with the first race being a 5km TT from Glencullen up Pine Forest Road. The remaining five races will be around a crit circuit in Sandyford. Open to all women riders with a club competition licence. If you don't have a licence, you can get a day licence on the night. More details here.

Chips Lovell

Good showing by the boardsies tonight, all of whom finished in the top half of a field of 35. Godihatedhills was 7th and unlucky to just miss out on the points. Caroline was 11th and LDB 12th with only 2 seconds between them.

Caroline_ie

11:45 for me Avg of bang on 25kph. I am not a good climber ... bha

The tax man

If I passed anyone outside Johnny Foxes this evening sorry for not saying hello. I couldn't see a damn thing coming up the road with the sun in my face.
It only dawned on me that there was something going on when Dave Mc ran past me.

Well done folks on the results.

Chips Lovell

Some nice riding from the Boardsies at round 2 of the league last night. Caroline_ie, LDB and godihatedhills started in the limit group of the A race. They worked hard with their group to stay away for a good few laps and forced the scratch group to chase hard to catch them.

Caroline and LDB were unlucky to get dropped after Joanna Hickey of Usher/IRC and Jennifer O'Reilly of Ravens upped the pace big time to get a gap off the front. However, they got into a nice rotation with another dropped rider and didn't let up for the rest of the race. Goihatedhills rode very stronly to finish with the main bunch.

Hickey and O'Reilly stayed away off the front to take first and second respectively.

DirkVoodoo

Go on the girls! Sorry I couldn't stick around to watch the whole thing.

I thought there was a really good atmosphere last night, the circuit is nice but tough and being out of the way in an industrial estate most drivers were very courteous (at least any of the ones I stopped). Hopefully the league will continue to go from strength to strength.

I also made it into one of the photos, just not peeking out of the bushes as some people were insinuating :rolleyes:

Peterx

I was there last night shouting at the girlfriend. It seems like a brilliant and well organised venue. The circuit is very good and the racing was good.
If you're thinking of dipping your toes in these are a fantastic entry as there are groups of varying abilities to play in.
Well done all!

Raam

Shane Stokes talking about last weeks TT.

godihatedehills

Thanks dirk, tonto, the crunch, niceonetom, peterx and blorg for the trojan work marshalling and supporting.

I thought Orwell put on a really good race. There was a great turnout of riders, helpers and supporters and there was a real family atmosphere. The organisers should be very proud

Caroline_ie

It was tough, but it was well worth it. the start took me by surprise tbh, i wasn't ready to go when they said 'go'. Working together with LDB and Peterx's GF ( I think ) to keep the gap we got caught in not too far behind the main group.

I had a brilliant time, the pain cave is a nasty place to be but great to be racing together with International Irish riders. Great way to improve racing skills and trying to hang on to them crazy fast girls is brilliant training

I finished the 1st French in that race! Go me!

lyders

Congratulations girlies...really wish I could be there to race too.

Caroline_ie

godihatedehills wrote: »

Thanks dirk, tonto, the crunch, niceonetom, peterx and blorg for the trojan work marshalling, supporting and eating all the cake

FYP

Chips Lovell

Aidan.offbeat was there to cheer you along too. I'm not sure if he ate any cake though.

ROK ON

If there is cake at Orwell ladies races I may just have to get a procedure done and then join Orwell.

godihatedehills

ROK ON wrote: »

If there is cake at Orwell ladies races I may just have to get a procedure done and then join Orwell.

There is indeed.

Apparently that's the reason Dirk was there too....:rolleyes:

ROK ON

godihatedehills wrote: »

There is indeed.

Apparently that's the reason Dirk was there too....:rolleyes:

He's hanging around a lot of ladies races is he. Sure most of the girls would beat his scrawny ass black and blue. On and off the bike ;-)

godihatedehills

ROK ON wrote: »

He's hanging around a lot of ladies races is he. Sure most of the girls would beat his scrawny ass black and blue. On and off the bike ;-)

It was nothing short of an honour to have the most stylish man in cycling don a hi viz jacket for our benefit. I know it must have hurt him....

DirkVoodoo

godihatedehills wrote: »

It was nothing short of an honour to have the most stylish man in cycling don a hi viz jacket for our benefit. I know it must have hurt him....

You know me too well. I was gutted I couldn't find one that was a better fit. Much like Derek working in the mine, safety equipment can and should be functional and well tailored:

blorg

Round 4, last lap and finish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvIAuSYacAg

Monica Marconi was in the limit group and stayed away for basically the whole race. Orla Tansey broke from the scratch group to chase her and almost managed it, bringing the gap down significantly in the last two laps. After Orla was out chasing for a few laps the rest of the bunch simply gave up, to the extent that Monica almost lapped them on the penultimate lap. They sped up only on the last lap to race for the placings. Good race to watch.

godihatedehills

The last round of this is next Tuesday 18th in Sandyford.

Going into the last race Joanna Hickey is on top with 50 points with Orla Hendron nipping at her heels with 43. There's only a point between each of the the next 3 riders - Roisin Kennedy (33), Sandra Fitzgerald (32) and Heather Boyle (31). There are riders from Usher, Orwell, Lucan, Ravens and Sundrive in the top 6 so expect an exciting finish.

There's also a BBQ, raffle and prizegiving afterwards in the Blue Light Pub, Barnicullia, Sandyford from 8.30pm so it should be a nice way to round off what has been a cracking women's league.

blorg

Joanna has won it then if she shows up on Tuesday? With Orla safe in second. Third is still up for grabs.

Don't mean to detract from any excitement here :pac:

Could Joanna have a "nasty accident" before Tuesday I wonder.

That's better

godihatedehills

If the race isn't enough for you we can always try to make Dirk drink shots in the Blue Light afterwards, that's always fun

Caroline_ie

It's best 4 races out of 5.

Chips Lovell

godihatedehills wrote: »

we can always try to make Dirk drink shots in the Blue Light afterwards, that's always fun

It is. It never gets boring. Poor Dirk.

DirkVoodoo

I will be showing up for the free BBQ. I may enjoy the odd refreshment too.

godihatedehills

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I will be showing up for the free BBQ. I may enjoy the odd refreshment too.

Sambucca is not odd.

ROK ON

I am not amused by this. I tend to train on Barnaculla on Tuesday.

It is hard enough to get up that bloody wall without the smells of bbq wafting thru the air. Also announcing that ye are having a bbq means that it will almost certainly be driving rain if not thunder next Tuesday.

For shame.

blorg

Caroline_ie wrote: »

It's best 4 races out of 5.

I think that still puts Joanna and Orla in the 1-2 spots no matter what happens.