Swords CC club championships 29/06/11

English Bob

Gotta feckin miss this as am dosed up on antibiotics, ibuprofen, antihistamine, & have just caught an eye infection!!!!!!! Happy to swap. I'm due to marshal race 18 on 10/08/11.
Rob Marshall

Hungrycol

Hi Bob, Try the Swords CC Forum here

GWS.

kellt

I am also not available to race this wed i will marshall if anyone wants to swap with me in return for marshalling race 18 for me?

Send me a pm

English Bob

Swap made.
Good luck to all racing

honkjelly

so the club league is off this week. i.e us non swords participants should stay away?

Beasty

honkjelly wrote: »

so the club league is off this week. i.e us non swords participants should stay away?

They are asking visitors to volunteer for marshalling this week, particularly if they have not got their names down for marshalling during the rest of the season

I'm doing a vets 25m TT tomorrow night, and am marshalling on Wednesday anyway (there's no way I'll get up the Nags Head 3 times the day after a 25m TT!) - hopefully I'll be getting some picture also

We do need a volunteer for writing a race report this week, manwithaplan;)

honkjelly

Beasty wrote: »

They are asking visitors to volunteer for marshalling this week, particularly if they have not got their names down for marshalling during the rest of the season

Makes sense. If any other swords member wants race then I'm happy to marshal for them. If there are no takers do i just email swords cc to sign up?

kennyb3

honkjelly wrote: »

Makes sense. If any other swords member wants race then I'm happy to marshal for them. If there are no takers do i just email swords cc to sign up?

Id say just turn up, there is usually a shortage of marshals for this one and a last min post for help. So the more help the better.

07Lapierre

Anyone who can marshal please turn up and give us a hand. Its much appreciated. 6.30pm in Ballyboughal.

Swordscc

Lusk Doyle

Beasty wrote: »

(there's no way I'll get up the Nags Head 3 times the day after a 25m TT!)

Pathetic :P

Beasty

Lusk Doyle wrote: »

Pathetic :P

Which group were you in last week, Lusk Doyle? Did you go in Group 3 as I suggested (never saw you all evening, so I guess so). Anyway, as you didn't even do a report for boards, perhaps you should be nominated for the club website report this week ....

PS - looking forward to seeing you "suffer" on the Nags Head:p

Lusk Doyle

Beasty wrote: »

Which group were you in last week, Lusk Doyle? Did you go in Group 3 as I suggested (never saw you all evening, so I guess so). Anyway, as you didn't even do a report for boards, perhaps you should be nominated for the club website report this week ....

PS - looking forward to seeing you "suffer" on the Nags Head:p

My report would have gone like this:

- Hung on to the back of group two for almost three laps.
- Punctured just after the bad section of road that had been patched.
- Walked up to manwithplan and got spare tube from Bernie (thanks Bernie).
- Went home a lap down!

I'll write a report about an epic solo from group one if allowed!

manwithaplan

I'll do a report alright. Might take me a little while because I'm pretty busy this week. Don't be surprised if the report reflects a certain degree of confusion. I've only ever done club league-style races so I most likely will only have a vague idea what's going on.

pprendeville

What's the story with this. First time doing it so not sure how it's being run. Is it a mass start or handicapped? Not much info on swordscc.com or on the facebook page. do we get time bonuses for parking the car in an unobstructive spot? if not i'm just going to spin up there.

RobFowl

It's mas start with no handicap (or sometimes a token one)
There has been a B race run at the same time for the past few years.

killalanerr

who goes in the b race ? their is not much point in me going to a mass start with the a1/2s

Beasty

Last year Groups 1 & 2 did the "B" race, and 3,4 & 5 tha "A" race

I think anyone who's won a race already this season should have the privilege of riding the "A" race though;)

kellt

kellt wrote: »

I am also not available to race this wed i will marshall if anyone wants to swap with me in return for marshalling race 18 for me?

Send me a pm

Any takers?

manwithaplan

killalanerr wrote: »

who goes in the b race ? their is not much point in me going to a mass start with the a1/2s

It's limited to club members so I'm not sure how many A1s and A2s there would be. Some of the scratch regulars wouldn't be club members.

Beasty

Bear in mind a lot of guys seem to have dropped down from Group 3 to Group 2 in the couple of weeks before the Club Championships;)

Group 2 was the largest group anyway, and most of the riders are club members - we probably had 25 or more last week, and when you add another dozen or so from group 1 you still have up to around 30 or so after discounting non club members (although there do seem to be a lot of people heading off on their hols at present which may affect numbers)

Having said that, last year the "A" race had quite a lot more in then the "B" race

kennyb3

Personally cant wiat for it - havent done it before so looking forward to seeing how it is as against a normal club race - riding against each other rather than together as a group to stay away.

Beasty

kennyb3 wrote: »

Personally cant wiat for it - havent done it before so looking forward to seeing how it is as against a normal club race - riding against each other rather than together as a group to stay away.

It will suit you down to the ground - much more chance of trying to make a break on the hill, and hoping the scratch riders dismiss you as a little imp that will get your comeuppance on the road down to Ballyboughal (where I will hopefully have the camera ready to capture your suffering for the website) ....

kennyb3

Beasty wrote: »

the scratch riders dismiss you as a little imp that will get your comeuppance

Will the B race not go off after the A so that we arent caught?

A break? More like sandbag until the final climb!

I assume it finishes 2/3rds of the way up the nags head?


Also who is fancied to win the A race?

Beasty

kennyb3 wrote: »

Will the B race not go off after the A so that we arent caught?

A break? More like sandbag until the final climb!

I assume it finishes 2/3rds of the way up the nags head?


Also who is fancied to win the A race?

I thought you were in Group 3 this year - you're not sandbagging it in Group 2 are you?

Not sure about the main race, as a lot of the regular are, or have been, away on hols or injured. I think most of the wins from the faster groups have come from visitors, so it could be a nice even contest, although this course is made for good climbers (not trying to put any pressure on there Raam:D)

Paul Kennedy or Dave Wherity would be my favourites if they ride though as they have been far and away the classiest riders in the club this year

AFAIK it finishes just below the top of the climb, where the Swords Grand Prix finished the other week

kennyb3

Beasty wrote: »

I thought you were in Group 3 this year - you're not sandbagging it in Group 2 are you?

Ha ha good one!!

I ll try group 3 next week once the club champs are over:D*

*Really i just want to give it a go before i go on holidays and detroy the fitness - be interested to see what sort of a step up it is

Hungrycol

Now that we're just over half way through the League and with the Club C'Ships tomorrow I did a quick tot of the top 15 placings taking the scoring from the SCC website.


Can't exactly tell who's a club member or not but all members above should* be the A race. Martyn Irvine: your names not down you're not coming in.

(Points system: points awarded as follows 25,21,18,15,12,10,8,7,6,5 for top 10 riders. 2pts are awarded for eveyone starting race. No points for TT. 3pts for marshalling.)

* = opinion not fact!

Beasty

It's difficult to go on that because of the handicaps. Nulty, Irvine, Dargle are definitely not club members. I'm pretty sure O'Connell and Mulcahy aren't either.

The first 3 club members are all in Group 2 (but should be in Group 3, along with the others who finshed in the first seven last week;)). Not sure if anyone will get "promoted" for the Club Champs though.

Dave Wherity has raced regularly both in the league and elsewhere, but I heard he'd been injured so I'm not sure of his current status. Paul Kennedy has not raced much in the league, but was part of the Irvine train that ripped the rest of us to shreds a few weeks ago ...

Hungrycol

That's why I chose the top 15 not top 10 cos I reckoned at least 5 could be eliminated to give a true reflection of the club league top 10, exc visitors. The handicaps are supposed to equalise the league somewhat and all things being equal (cough) it should show a decent reflection of the best riders in the league.

manwithaplan

But can you not just show up and tell Joe that you haven't even looked at the bike since last week/have a bit of a cough/are just back from your holidays etc and finagle your way into Group 2? It was funny watching last week's race - Groups 3 and 4 weren't making any inroads whatsoever.

Anyway, all it will take for me to become club champion is for 30 or so people to be injured/on their holliers/in the bosom of their family or to sandbag their way into the B race.

Beasty

...well I believe Ben Hur's lead-out man blagged his way into Group 2 the other week ...

Bog of the Ring is easier to stay away because there are no hills to split the group up (and Group 2 was way bigger than any of the others)

Lusk Doyle

Beasty wrote: »

and Group 2 was way bigger than any of the others)

That's what she said last night! Get up!

killalanerr

Beasty wrote: »

Last year Groups 1 & 2 did the "B" race, and 3,4 & 5 tha "A" race

I think anyone who's won a race already this season should have the privilege of riding the "A" race though;)

now look what you started and me after leading you out to score points last week :rolleyes:
does coming off a night shift get you it to group 2 ,tbh im in the top ten but wouldnt have a hope of hanging on to some of the other guys on that list on the nags head track

clashextra

I'll swap with you Kellt, don't want to miss this one and don't mind marshalling for race18 as I'm back from a two week holiday earlier that week. Send me a pm and we'll arrange it.

kellt

clashextra wrote: »

I'll swap with you Kellt, don't want to miss this one and don't mind marshalling for race18 as I'm back from a two week holiday earlier that week. Send me a pm and we'll arrange it.

Swap agreed with clash extra

Ryaner

Beasty wrote: »

Dave Wherity has raced regularly both in the league and elsewhere, but I heard he'd been injured so I'm not sure of his current status.

Broken rib from a crash but he was out on the tour on Sunday so you never know.

Mass start will make this an interesting evening.

Anyone know if it finishes on the hill or not?

morana

what is the parcours?

i am on the bike for the first time since your open race and would like to head out to have a squint.

Beasty

morana wrote: »

what is the parcours?

i am on the bike for the first time since your open race and would like to head out to have a squint.

same course you did the Swords GP on. Starting at Ballyboughal, Not sure if it's finishing on the Nags Head (where you finished) or motorway flyover past Ballyboughal just before the Old N1

RobFowl

Beasty wrote: »

same course you did the Swords GP on. Starting at Ballyboughal, Not sure if it's finishing on the Nags Head (where you finished) or motorway flyover past Ballyboughal just before the Old N1

It usually finishes on the Nags head (4th time up) but not sure this year.

Beasty

Website says 2/3 laps and 45/60km, suggesting the flyover, but they usually change their minds at the last minute on this course ...

biker_joe

Good luck to all riding tonight !!! I only ever managed a 4th in the Club Champs .... beaten by some sprinter lad called Whelan .... and some Young lad called Lally !!

Who are the Favourites for tonight .... if it is an uphill finish RAAM has to be the man !!!

Biker_Joe

Beasty

biker_joe wrote: »

Who are the Favourites for tonight .... if it is an uphill finish RAAM has to be the man !!!

Don't think Sean Lally's riding tonight, so it would be Paul Kennedy for me if he's riding, followed by Dave Wherity if he's fit, and Raam if it is a finish on the hill

kennyb3

Looks like it i ll be a little greasy to add to the fun

Beasty

Greasy it certainly was!

Congratulations to our new Club Champion... manwithaplan - pretty impressive for someone in his first season of racing
Hungrycol came in third in the A race

Lusk Doyle missed the B title by a whisker in a photo finish, and LDB was first lady

Plenty of boardsie representation, and I'm looking forward to the reports;)

Well done to everyone taking part

Photos to follow .....

kennyb3

Fair play MWAP and great ride Lusk Doyle - so nearly but ride of the night in the B race.

Some conditions tonight alright - first lap could of done with a canoe to get round.

Did the B race myself. 1st lap not much happened. Did some work on the front and chatted to lusk about a plan. 1st time up the hill was very steady

2nd lap - sat in, got cold so did some work. Then plan into action and myself and lusk attacked at the bottom of the hill. We went full gas and got a good gap but were eventually closed down at the top of the hill as we suffered a bit. We broke the group up nicely to leave only about 10, was hoping for less but ah well.

3rd lap & finish - cat and mouse games, fast last few km. Cant sprint at all but got 6th. Happy enough but wish it had finished up the hill.

With hindsight should of attacked up the hill first time to make it more of a test.

Never been so glad of a hot shower. Absolutely plastered in muck too.

Definitely move up to group 3 next week, i know there was a lot of games going on but that didnt feel like much of a test. Would rather push myself a bit more.

Fair play to all the marshals in that weather and hope the 2 crashee's are alright.

Beasty

kennyb3 wrote: »

Definitely move up to group 3 next week, i know there was a lot of games going on but that didnt feel like much of a test. Would rather push myself a bit more.

Joe said he's going to start getting very strict next week,stopping riders droping down groups at will. Hopefully that will improve the handicapping

kennyb3 wrote: »

hope the 2 crashee's are alright.

I heard one guy's stem snapped - he's probably going to be a bit sore but sounds like no serious damage (to him, at least). What happened to the other one?

pprendeville

well done mwap. i'm getting rid of my carbon frame and reverting to aluminium.

punctured just before N1 flyover on lap 2 so only got to go up Nags Head once. pace was very slow in comparison with what it's usually like. not sure why. maybe the conditions put a damper on peoples spirits. well put there in terms of needing a canoe. it was brutal on the N1 first time round. was dreading the hill coming down the nags head as i'm a terrible descender but it was grand.

after fixing the puncture i said i might as well keep going and jupm on whenever i get caught. so up the nags head again and punctured at the top. to top the night off the valve on the last spare tube was missing the nut that screws down so air won't escape rendering the tube useless. a few phone calls later and i was getting worried as nobody was answering. to my relief the ambulance came along and picked me up. thank you St. John's Ambulance and the crew. lifesavers. they told me someone's handlebars snapped and rider went over them. hope he's ok.

before ambulance picked me up mwap and long socks 9no socks tonight though) went flying past. i must say, i'm only cycling a short time but mwap is a classy descender. he was flying down the hills on the WW200 as well - wish i had that skill. maybe a 1 5-6 sec gap back to 5-6 riders. was sure they would be caught but mwap pulled it off. fair play. delighted for you. back to the grindstone for me. also big thanks to Dublin Wheelers lads for dropping me home and sorry to HonkJelly for taking your space but i was freezing. thanks to all the organisers and the marshalls who turned up from other clubs.

honkjelly

Well done manwithaplan!! Club Champ in the debut season isn't too shabby.

Took a few pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/johnwkelly1/SwordsClubChamps2011?feat=directlink

Got none of the finish as i was too busy cheering the winner home.

tawfeeredux

Great stuff manwithaplan! can't wait for the report.

Beasty

The plan in action:









More pictures here

manwithaplan

Life begins...

I was 40 on Sunday. The sun shone and the Dubs won. All was right with the world. But when I tell my grandchildren about my collapse into middle age, this is what they'll have to put up with...

I met up with honkjelly in town and we pointed our front wheels towards Ballyboughil (it's even harder to spell than it is to park in). I had never done a mass start race before so I asked him what I should do. He said to stay near the front and to give it a lash when the time is right.

We arrived in Ballyboughil and it rained. A lot. I had stuffed my base layer in honkjelly's bag which had been spirited away to a marshalling point somewhere near Dundalk. I stood in my short sleeve jersey under a tree. The tree wasn't working.

We set off after a while and there might have been enough of us for a game of five-a-side. There might even have been a few subs.

The pace was slow enough. The first time up the Nag's Head, nothing much happened but I felt fine and some others seemed to be under a little more pressure. pprendeville punctured near the flyover and I thought "poor Phil" but I also thought "I wont have to look at his arse receding into the distance up the climb".

Raam rode away from us up the hill the second time. I just stuck to the wheel in front of me and hoped he wouldn't stay away. He was reeled in near the flyover and things got a bit cagey.

Raam asked (jokingly) whether we were all waiting for the sprint. I said I was waiting to watch the sprint. He said to me that my best chance was to have a go up the climb and to make it count. I'm not sure if he was telling me that he wouldn't chase or just giving me some friendly advice but it made up my mind for me.

On the last go up the hill, I knew I couldn't attack too early or I would blow up. I left it until near the top. The pace wasn't that high and I gave it my best. It wasn't that impressive but I think I was helped by the fact that I was definitely not a marked man. Long socks came with me but he crashed on the turn at the top - I think he's alright but his elbow looked a bit iffy at the finish.

I'm not sure how far it is from the top to the finish - someone said 10k but I think it's a good bit less than that. I got into the drops and rode as hard as I could. I didn't look back but I was expecting company at any time. I stole a glance over my shoulder just before the finish straight and didn't see anyone. Halfway up the straight, I had another look for the purposes of determining whether I could strike a pose for the camera. I was met by a view of marauding pursuers so I abandoned the Zoolander plan and pedalled like bejaysus. I had a few metres to spare.

I don't think it was a vintage club championships and everything went my way. However, I promise as club champion to campaign for world peace and for freedom for Tibet.

As always, many thanks to Joe, the marshalls and all those who helped out.

I have had a few pints so I hope this all makes sense tomorrow!

kennyb3

Beasty wrote: »

I heard one guy's stem snapped - he's probably going to be a bit sore but sounds like no serious damage (to him, at least). What happened to the other one?

Yep that guy went down with some clatter as we were coming down to the golf club - he ll defintely be sore but he was blessed to get up and walk away.

Think i heard long socks came off at a corner too not sure where though. See MWAP's report