SERC Falling Leaves Classic - August 7

serc

Hi all,

Details of this years Falling Leaves can now be found on www.southeastroadclub.com.

Please note that the location is NOT as published in the Cycling Ireland calendar, due to the poor road surface on part of the circuit used last year.

This years race will take place on an exciting new circuit based around the Kilmurry Hill on the road between Castletown and Gorey. Race HQ is Gorey Rugby Club. A lap measures 13.5km, with a 1km drag near the start, max gradient 3%.


Details:

Changing and shower facilities are available in the rugby club.
Sign-on opens at 10:30
Roll-out to the start/finish line at 12:00
A2/A3 race, 6 laps, distance 81km. Start Time: 12:10
A4 race, 4 laps, distance 54km, Start Time 12:20

Route details, maps, etc on the SERC website.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

tawfeeredux

serc wrote: »

Please note that the location is NOT as published in the Cycling Ireland calendar, due to the poor road surface on part of the circuit used last year.

This years race will take place on an exciting new circuit based around the Kilmurry Hill on the road between Castletown and Gorey. Race HQ is Gorey Rugby Club. A lap measures 13.5km, with a 1km drag near the start, max gradient 3%.

Ah nuts! i was looking forward to doing last year's circuit. Could ye not find something with a 10% gradient at least:)?

MichealD

It was probably the way you rode away from the bunch up the loooong climb last year and got enough time to stop and pick up the bottle you dropped on the previous lap that made them change it!!!!

Caroline_ie

serc wrote: »

A lap measures 13.5km, with a 1km drag near the start, max gradient 3%.

Is that 'The Hill'?

serc

Allright, maybe hill is too strong, lets call it a drag then. yep, its short, and not too steep, but could still determine the overall result as I see it as a good spot to launch an attack.

campag

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Is that 'The Hill'?

I know this course. The "hill" is short, and not too steep, but 6 times up it at race pace will tell. For the non-climbers though, there's about 5km of flat or downhill to recover though between there and the intersection with the N11 at Inch.

Looking forward to it.

serc

Bump!

Hi all, 4 days to go. I think this one is going to be hotly contested. I'm aware of 2 guys targeting this for the points to move up to A1. Should make for a great race.

Now, if only we get the weather we'd all like. Current forecast shows rain clearing overnight and a dry Sunday in the south east.

Remember, the location on the CI calendar is wrong. Race HQ is Gorey Rugby Club.

pgd-pgd

Whats the best junction to come off to get into the Rugby club coming from Dublin.Thanks.

serc

Come off the M11 at Gorey North and follow N11 to Gorey.
After 2km, Turn left at Redmond Home & Garden World. (You are now on the finishing straight)
Take a right at the crossroads, just past the finish line, then turn right into rugby club after 1km.

pgd-pgd

Thanks for the speedy reply.

fondriest

Looking forward to this one ,the SERC lads always put on a good show. Am not too sad about last years hill being left out though it was a bitch.:D

Diarmuid

fondriest wrote: »

. Am not too sad about last years hill being left out though it was a bitch.:D

Last years course was excellent. I had been looking forward to racing it again. Pity the bad roads put paid to that....

tawfeeredux

+ 1, was really looking forward to last year's course. Not to be though. Race was very well run by Serc last year, so it should be well worth heading to regardless of the circuit. Btw, i'm not in any rush to get to A1, so no need for anyone to be 'marking' me this time, i'm just gonna take it handy.

Diarmuid

tawfeeredux wrote: »

i'm just gonna take it handy.

:pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:

BTW What happened to you tonight?

tawfeeredux

Diarmuid wrote: »

:pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:

:cool:

Diarmuid wrote: »

BTW What happened to you tonight?

see thread i just started there, not a good evening.

fondriest

Might be a stupid question but is there a handicap between a2 and a3 ? I know there is in some races. Thanks.

serc

fondriest wrote: »

Might be a stupid question but is there a handicap between a2 and a3 ? I know there is in some races. Thanks.

Nope. Combined a2/a3 fondriest.

While i'm here, if anyone is speaking to someone intending to travel to this, can you mention that the race HQ is in Gorey. I've had several calls this week from people who are only going by the CI calendar and think the race is based around Woodenbridge. Details are correct on southeastroadclub.com and Irish Cycling.

Thanks.

pgd-pgd

Well Done to SERC. good race ,well marshalled with that nice stingy Little Hill thrown in. Will be back again next year.
p.S. Coffee and sandwiches appreciated afterwards

serc

Here are the results from todays race. Thanks to all those who turned up. Hope you enjoyed the race.

A2/A3
1. John Doris ( Epic MTB)
2. Gary Gorman ( Stammullen RC)
3. David Byrne ( South Dublin CC)
4. Enda Connolly (Richies Bikes/Garda CC)
5. Brian Cullen ( Barrow Wheelers)
6. Patrick O'Brien (Orwell Wheelers)
First unplaced SERC - Anthony Mills

A4
1. Liam Blanchfield (unattached)
2. Gavin Dodd (Orwell Wheelers)
3. Jamie Nooone ( Sorrento)
4. Patrick Dobbs ( Slaney CC)
5. Darren Maher (Usher Irish Road Club)
6. Barry Dunne (Orwell Wheelers)
First unplaced SERC - Wayne Byrne

serc

Photo of the very close finish of the A2/A3 race is now on the SERC website.

More photos will be uploaded later.

tawfeeredux

Good race today, pretty much full-on from the word go. Well done to Serc on finding another challenging circuit, the drag was actually a proper hill, though just a bit short to really break things up (not for lack of trying mind;)). Break looked for a long time like it might stay away, but once they were caught on last lap, it was always likely to come down to a bunch finish. Well done to those that got results, it was a tough last 300m, leg-sapping stuff.

levitronix

Thats how to run a race from start to finish, other clubs should take note, results and pics up the same evening !!!! class

Diarmuid

Good tough circuit and well organised. Looking forward to it next year

King Kelly

The photos that should apprear on Irish Cycling. com tomorrow are now up on http://pix.ie/LiamR . I'll stick up a few more tomorrow. Tough race!

An Gabhar

a big congrats to John MaGuire and SERC .The organistation and communication put into this race was first class

campag

Superb event. For what its worth, here's my feedback:

Good:
Great course, with what turned out to be a rather savage climb (at least for me), especially as we had to do it 6 times.
Very fast, yet completely safe descent. I hit 80km on this, in my best aero position :cool:
Well marshalled junctions and the motor bikes appeared to know exactly what they were doing
Good communications both before (on this site and on SERC's site) and after the event, photos published within hours.
Nice food afterwards, good venue with plenty of parking
Safe but very tough finish, that squeezed the very last ounce of energy from my exhausted body
The rare poor sections of road were well marked out
The weather

Suggestions for improvement:
hmmmm, if I had to suggest one thing, it might be that the race started off a little too hard (for me anyway) - but then I guess we were there to race

well done again - this is the second time for me attending this race, and I will definitely return next year.

Thanks to everyone involved.

gav07

campag wrote: »

... and I will definitely return next year.

Me too - except next year perhaps I'll only celebrate across the line if I actually win. :rolleyes:

Liam Ruth: "A4 good celebration but 1st place already gone"

Thanks to the organisers - well-run race, good course, well-marshalled.

serc

campag wrote: »

Suggestions for improvement:
hmmmm, if I had to suggest one thing, it might be that the race started off a little too hard (for me anyway) - but then I guess we were there to race

Interesting. I thought about this during the week, and considered neutralising the race to the top of the first climb. As it happened, for various reasons, such as not being able to warm up sufficiently, and early attacks, I think some guys were under pressure on the first ascent. I'm not sure if anyone went out the back on the first time (which would ruin anyones day), but its something to think about for next year. I also don't want to make the race too easy though and would take the view that its up to the riders to ensure they are fully warmed up before going up that hill for the first time. Unfamiliarity with the new circuit was probably a factor though and in new surroundings, guys were probably reluctant to stray too far from the HQ. We could have communicated this at the sign-on. These are valuable lessons for us all to learn from, both organisers and riders. Thanks for the feedback.

serc

gav07 wrote: »

A4 good celebration but 1st place already gone

LOL - 3 celebrations for the price of 2

Well done on your 2nd place.

Diarmuid

campag wrote: »

Suggestions for improvement:
hmmmm, if I had to suggest one thing, it might be that the race started off a little too hard (for me anyway) - but then I guess we were there to race
.

Took me a lap to recover from that first climb. I'd keep it though. Nothing like an attack from the gun for set the tone for a race...;)

MichealD

serc wrote: »

LOL - 3 celebrations for the price of 2

Well done on your 2nd place.

In fairness the A4 race needed a good celeration as the lad that actually won either hadn't the energy to raise his arms or couldn't believe he'd won!

michael196

the hill did not seem too bad and went up twice as part of a warm up however in the a4 race up the hill, the pace the second time around took me out of the race.

Was able to chase the bunch on the descent however the head wind on the main road tired out the small chasing groups that were forming.

the a4 crash on the first lap, happened behind me , on the inside, was anyone injured ? as the lads said it sounded expensive .......


Darren Maher came in 5th in the a4 race, one day licence no.81, for Usher, second open race this year and gets a result !! I met Darren before on sportives in Cork and the Leinster loop. Strong GAA football player coming into cycling full time next year. Watch out !!

pgd-pgd

michael196 wrote: »

the a4 crash on the first lap, happened behind me , on the inside, was anyone injured ? as the lads said it sounded expensive .......



Some idiot on my left drinking from his water bottle and not concentrating clipped a wheel and nearly brought about ten riders down. Don't think anyone hit the deck though, Thankfully.