balbriggan weekend

killalanerr

info here for balbriggan cc race series this comeing weekend

buffalo

Hoping to do the Ben McKenna - don't suppose there's any lifts going from Trim direction to Balbriggan on Sunday morning?

Was reading this the last night - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=65020195 Sounds like it'll be a great weekend!

shaungil

Friday night will be fun. Goes from very fast downhill to nearly a standstill beside the harbour in about 20 yards.

Diarmuid

shaungil wrote: »

Friday night will be fun. Goes from very fast downhill to nearly a standstill beside the harbour in about 20 yards.

the rain that is forecast should add to the excitement.

Raam

shaungil wrote: »

Friday night will be fun. Goes from very fast downhill to nearly a standstill beside the harbour in about 20 yards.

Oh yeah, that's a fun turn even on your own.

bcmf

Is it deffo going 'down' that hill to the turn for the harbour. If so I will prob be there with the camera to catch the 'ahem' fun!

El Director

Doing the Ben McKenna Race 3 (A4) myself. This will be my first road race and really looking forward to it. I was hoping to do the 80km race but have benn informed as this is my first I will have to do the shorter race, which is understandable. Really hope it stays dry for it though

killalanerr

Raam wrote: »

Oh yeah, that's a fun turn even on your own.

sure is a tight one ok,try and stay out of the harbour lads its a wee bit smelly if the tide is out ,should be ok on the harbour road as the hairpin on quay st will have taken the speed out at that stage,

just a point to note the car park on quay st has a height barrier so be mind full of that with your roof racks !!

http://maps.google.ie/maps?hl=en-GB&q=quay+st+balbriggan&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Quay+St,+Balbriggan,+County+Fingal&gl=ie&ll=53.610064,-6.181505&spn=0,0.008562&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.610046,-6.181554&panoid=-fWVk1BOoPiJtdtRWlOr0A&cbp=12,349.22,,0,0

kennyb3

Pretty pee'd off to miss this with it being the home town, was hoping to do both sat and sunday A4 races.

I ll prob go watch all the same

The Crunch

Diarmuid wrote: »

the rain that is forecast should add to the excitement.

And Declan Quigley is doing P.A. commentary so the excitement level will be boundless!

Chips Lovell

The Crunch wrote: »

And Declan Quigley is doing P.A. commentary so the excitement level will be boundless!

That fella from the telly?

The Crunch

el tonto wrote: »

That fella from the telly?

And the occasional A3 bunch stealth gallop...

English Bob

Am thinking of trying out for the Sunday race.
Ive only done club races (Swords) before so only have licence for club races. Can a one day licence be bought on the day?

ragazzo

English Bob wrote: »

Am thinking of trying out for the Sunday race.
Ive only done club races (Swords) before so only have licence for club races. Can a one day licence be bought on the day?

A 1 Day licence can be purchased on the day. This will cost €10 and you will also have to pay a deposit of €5 for your number. Return the number and you will get your €5 back.

Don't forget to bring your Club Competition licence as they may request a look at it.

Good luck. Enjoy!

GlennaMaddy

Friday will suit the climbers, Sunday will suit the sprinters

shaungil

Friday will suit the lunatics. Sunday the masochists.

sean_d

Is Friday running clockwise or anticlockwise around that circuit?

buffalo

sean_d wrote: »

Is Friday running clockwise or anticlockwise around that circuit?

edit: Whoops, I was thinking of Sunday. Tired today.

A44Ever

What about the Saturday, any clue what that course will be like? Looks like a handicap in any case so will be very fast from the getgo.

El Director

Hey guys, although I'm a member of a club I do not have the kit, is that ok? Can I just wear my training gear?

kennyb3

El Director wrote: »

Hey guys, although I'm a member of a club I do not have the kit, is that ok? Can I just wear my training gear?

Unbranded kit! (i.e plain). Make yourself known to the other swords riders and try do something together

shaungil

Saturdays course is a 7km loop 7 times. There's one hill pst the cemetry and I think the finish is here. Not steep but when you're going up it for the 6th time with the pace being driven you really feel it. There's a short flat and then another drag up tot he Cross of the cage (where we do our winter training).

Last yea there was a break from the A3 group and ths and the A4 group stayed away and was won by Paul Kenneddy (now A1).

My local and one of my favourite races nice draggy circuit not too hilly but draggy enough to make you suffer.

RobFowl

El Director wrote: »

Hey guys, although I'm a member of a club I do not have the kit, is that ok? Can I just wear my training gear?

What club?

El Director

RobFowl wrote: »

What club?

Swords CC.

Unbranded kit? mmmm...... I'll rout something out....I hope :rolleyes:

RobFowl

El Director wrote: »

Swords CC.

Unbranded kit? mmmm...... I'll rout something out....I hope :rolleyes:

If you want a lend of some Swords kit I've L shorts and jersey and not going to be racing this side of May

El Director

RobFowl wrote: »

If you want a lend of some Swords kit I've L shorts and jersey and not going to be racing this side of May

O ya that would be great RF if you didn't mind. Will you be there Sunday? If not I could meet you where ever suits.

kennyb3

Just had a proper look at the course there - friday around the harbour should be interesting alright (I'll deffo be planting myself there) and plenty of interesting corners fairly shortly after as they are tight roads around the back of the harbour before getting back onto main street.

Would most like to be racing sunday but no way i ll be healed in time.

goldencleric

@RobFowl

Can I ask you what the sizing on the Swords kit is like? Getting some next week at the league launch night hopefully and just want to have an idea what the fit is lilke.

I am 183cm and 88kg btw if you can make a suggestion based on that.

Beasty

goldencleric wrote: »

@RobFowl

Can I ask you what the sizing on the Swords kit is like? Getting some next week at the league launch night hopefully and just want to have an idea what the fit is lilke.

I am 183cm and 88kg btw if you can make a suggestion based on that.

XL should be fine for you (it works for me, and I'm a couple of kg heavier and about 4cm taller than you - try it on when you get there though

RobFowl

I'm 178 and 80kgs and the L is perfect. I'd agree with Beasty XL should fit you. The XXL really are quite big !
The gear is Nalini and similar to other Nalini stuff I have.

killalanerr

looks like the rain will hold off its a bit windy but its a grand day of it,

kennyb3

Best of luck lads, heading down to watch the action

bcmf

Well done to Shaungil. Wasnt even out of breath at the end. Looked like a viscious speed.

kennyb3

Enjoyable nights spectating. Met Bcmf and beasty, who also positioned themselves at the sharp right hander. Met Raam and few other swords lads after.

In the race itself it seemed a savage pace from the outset - their were groups everywhere after only two laps.

Paudi O Brien won as part of a four man breakaway. Great ride by Walsh of UCD after some sort of tubular issue (per the announcer) and being asked to drop back to the bunch before he attacked again on his own and nearly reeled in the breakaway.

Great ride by DW (someone said he might have got 1st A3?) and shaungil of swords.

Hopefully get to see some of Sundays too

Raam

Have video of my headtubes perspective. Will upload and post.

Beasty

Couple of boardsies here, as well as the winner about to cross the line:

Beasty

Raam wrote: »

Have video of my headtubes perspective. Will upload and post.

Just hope it wasn't pointing at shaungil's backside throughout (presumably it has a wide angle lens?)

Staro

Great job by Balbriggan, well marshelled, great course & a Ferrari lead car! The standard has been set :-)

RobFowl

Beasty wrote: »

Couple of boardsies here, as well as the winner about to cross the line:

:eek:
The small ring in a crit...........

Raam

RobFowl wrote: »

:eek:
The small ring in a crit...........

I would have gone smaller, if I could.

Beasty

Got to say it was a great course for spectators - we could see the riders taking the hairpin and then heading around the harbour, and the finish line was just a few minutes walk away. Action was almost continuous, be it the marshalls trying to clear the traffic ahead of the racers, or the ever increasing spread of riders - by the end the leaders were not far off the back of the field.

I understand there was a limit of 70 entries, but I would guess there were not many more than 40 who finished. It looked pretty brutal from the start.

Well done to everyone taking part, as well as the organisers, marshalls and other support

shaungil

That was mad. Great fun and total carnage. Started at the back of the group of 70. No head start for A3's :eek:didn't see any A4's.

Was told to spin not grind (my forte) and stay near the front. The Ferrari led us out (never saw that till the end) and 2 laps neutralised not that it felt it. Lap 3 started and all hell broke loose for me. The pace was phenomonal and I was right at the back. I could see one line just streched out in front and not a hope of me moving up. Start of the fourth lap bodies went all over so I was bridging , shoutiong to hold wheels or getting someone to go with me to try and bridge. About 5 laps of this and it eventually eased back. It's races like that you are better off not using aheart rate monitor.

apparently a break of 4 or 5 then another group of mainly a1's and I was in the last group of 20, All 1's and 2's and about 4 a4's. I was still off the back most of the time and working so hard but I'll have to say the technical part was a great buzz with lots of cheering and chicanes marshalls lights etc.

I heard the Crunh mention me a few times saying that I needed to move up or I'd get dropped but it was just too difficult. Crits are fast and furious but after the initial carnage it did settle down to something more manageable.

Interesting talking to Anto from UCd after. He rolled a tub and legally was allowed to take a lap and re-join race. I would have murdered for a break.

The race was named after the Granddad of one of the lads in the club. All his family were there and he rode really well and got first A3. Only started cyling last summer. Delighted for him, didn't even try to sneak by him in the sprint.

Good to see everyone after. Tired now have the Skins on and ready for Harry reynolds hammerfest tom.

GlennaMaddy

shaungil wrote: »

Interesting talking to Anto from UCd after. He rolled a tub and legally was allowed to take a lap and re-join race.

He lost the rear at the harbour towards the end, I was waiting with the camera but he controlled it too well and spoiled my shot :-(

He might have had a lap less than everybody else, but being out on his own while keeping pace with a quartet including Paidi is impressive.

RobFowl

shaungil wrote: »

:eek:didn't see any A4's.

It was A*/1/2/3 only

Great ride btw.
Absolutely savage pace and great from a spectators point of view.
Paidi seemed the strongest and deserved the win which he took convincingly.
Great show from Balbriggan CC

Beasty

shaungil wrote: »

Interesting talking to Anto from UCd after. He rolled a tub and legally was allowed to take a lap and re-join race. I would have murdered for a break.

I suggested to Staro when he dropped out he may have a convenient "mechanical", but by the time he'd worked out what I was getting at the lap had gone anyway:D

Anto was on his own for a long time, and was still making inroads into the lead group at the end - it was a savage performance from him

killalanerr

that was a bit mad i was on the moto leading shaungils group i got in the way a few times trying to clear the cars on the harbour rd sorry about that guys,but some savage riding by the guys grate to see it up close

hope it stays fine for the rest of the weekend

Beasty

RobFowl wrote: »

It was A*/1/2/3 only

I never knew Swords had so many A3 and better riders. I guess a few of them must have promoted themselves, and they will all be in scratch or semi-scratch when the Club League starts in a couple of weeks;)

Raam

The racing starts after a couple of minutes. See if you can spot your own arse.

The footage is 37 minutes long and not terribly exciting so congratulations to anyone who watches it all. It looks slow but felt a hell of a lot faster at the time. Spot the point where I start loosing wheels!

Staro makes a cameo appearance early on.

http://vimeo.com/21830016

I had to reduce the quality so that it would upload before we have to change the clocks again.

kennyb3

killalanerr wrote: »

that was a bit mad i was on the moto leading shaungils group i got in the way a few times trying to clear the cars on the harbour rd sorry about that guys,but some savage riding by the guys grate to see it up close

hope it stays fine for the rest of the weekend

You's did a great job i thought, some of the cars were being a bit idiotic slowing down having a think were to go and so forth. Fair play. Very well organised

Diarmuid

Raam wrote: »

Spot the point where I start loosing wheels!

The omens were there at 14:50. Gotta love A1 races. Line-outs after 14 minutes.

ryan_sherlock

Diarmuid wrote: »

The omens were there at 14:50. Gotta love A1 races. Line-outs after 14 minutes.

hehe, you should have seen the racing in Taiwan - lineouts from KM 0 and lasting 60km...

You get good at riding in the gutter quick! I really do wish that Eurosport covered teh first 50 and last 50km of races... The first part is the crazy bit.

My body is still tired from the racing and traveling but I'll be around for this evenings race and tomorrow too - looking forward to it.