Bohermeen (Waller Cup) - Sunday 11th March

Hungrycol

Looks like a nice flat race for all Cat's on this Sunday outside Navan. Not having raced this before I did a wee searchy on here and came across the 2010 pre & post race chat
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=64907341

Was there any for A4 last year? Was considering it this year but put off with all the chat of crashing going on in 2010 and in previous years.

Hungrycol

I see this is a double post but AFAIK this isn't just a race for women as the other title would suggest. Happy for the Mods to merge.

RobFowl

Hungrycol wrote: »

Looks like a nice flat race for all Cat's on this Sunday outside Navan. Not having raced this before I did a wee searchy on here and came across the 2010 pre & post race chat
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=64907341

Was there any for A4 last year? Was considering it this year but put off with all the chat of crashing going on in 2010 and in previous years.

They do run a seperate A4 race.
It's very flat and it is notorious for crashes...
(speaking from experience on that one :rolleyes:).

Idleater

My A4 race from last year, though it was May, so I'm only guessing that it is the same race.

joker77

Heading to the A4 race - but a bit apprehensive now with all the talk of crashes.

Hungrycol

RobFowl wrote: »

They do run a seperate A4 race.
It's very flat and it is notorious for crashes...
(speaking from experience on that one :rolleyes:).

So I read. Your dentist must have rubbed his hands with glee!

Hungrycol

Idleater wrote: »

My A4 race from last year, though it was May, so I'm only guessing that it is the same race.

That's only 39kms. Was the A4 race last year only 39kms??

Idleater

Hungrycol wrote: »

Idleater wrote: »

My A4 race from last year, though it was May, so I'm only guessing that it is the same race.

That's only 39kms. Was the A4 race last year only 39kms??

Good question, I suspect that I had garmin issues with one lap.

manwithaplan

I'm going to give it a miss and go to Clonard on Saturday for Rás Naomh Finian. It looks very flat and fast too - in fact it seems to be 35km each way out and back on a main road. It's unlikely to suit me but the Dubs take precedence on Sunday.

Hungrycol

manwithaplan wrote: »

I'm going to give it a miss and go to Clonard on Saturday for Rás Naomh Finian. It looks very flat and fast too - in fact it seems to be 35km each way out and back on a main road. It's unlikely to suit me but the Dubs take precedence on Sunday.

Interesting!

killalanerr

manwithaplan wrote: »

I'm going to give it a miss and go to Clonard on Saturday for Rás Naomh Finian. It looks very flat and fast too -in fact it seems to be 35km each way out and back on a main road. It's unlikely to suit me but the Dubs take precedence on Sunday.

thank god for that we might get a bit of a brake from the hammer fest you put us thought last sunday

oflahero

manwithaplan wrote: »

I'm going to give it a miss and go to Clonard on Saturday for Rás Naomh Finian. It looks very flat and fast too - in fact it seems to be 35km each way out and back on a main road. It's unlikely to suit me but the Dubs take precedence on Sunday.

Hoping to give this a go myself, if I can work out a way of getting the bike on a train to Enfield. This may be more difficult than doing the flat speedy race itself.

manwithaplan

oflahero wrote: »

Hoping to give this a go myself, if I can work out a way of getting the bike on a train to Enfield. This may be more difficult than doing the flat speedy race itself.

I could give you a lift. I'm not under any great pressure on the way there so could pick you up but I'll be heading straight back afterwards and might have to leave you in West Dublin somewhere. If you win something and need to hang around for the gongs, you're on your own!

Drop me a PM.

joker77

oflahero wrote: »

Hoping to give this a go myself, if I can work out a way of getting the bike on a train to Enfield. This may be more difficult than doing the flat speedy race itself.

I can give you a lift - I have an estate so should be able to get 2 bikes in the back handy enough?

oflahero

manwithaplan wrote: »

I could give you a lift. I'm not under any great pressure on the way there so could pick you up but I'll be heading straight back afterwards and might have to leave you in West Dublin somewhere. If you win something and need to hang around for the gongs, you're on your own!

Drop me a PM.

joker77 wrote:

I can give you a lift - I have an estate so should be able to get 2 bikes in the back handy enough?

Thanks a million, men - kenmc poster has already jumped in to very kindly sort out a lift also! See you there.

buffalo

Are there any lifts still going for Waller Cup or Ras Naomh Finan? I'll pay your race fees for you.

joker77

I was actually offering oflahero a lift to Bohermeen - didn't realise he was looking for Clonard!

I'm based in D14 buffalo - where are you? I'm heading to Bohermeen on Sunday

manwithaplan

buffalo wrote: »

Are there any lifts still going for Waller Cup or Ras Naomh Finan? I'll pay your race fees for you.

Drop me a PM if you're heading to Clonard.

levitronix

Nvere done this race before where is it ? wheres sign on ?

buffalo

joker77 wrote: »

I was actually offering oflahero a lift to Bohermeen - didn't realise he was looking for Clonard!

I'm based in D14 buffalo - where are you? I'm heading to Bohermeen on Sunday

I'm in D9, with my bike still in D12, but I can meet you whereever. I'll drop you a PM now.

lalorm

manwithaplan wrote: »

I'm going to give it a miss and go to Clonard on Saturday for Rás Naomh Finian. It looks very flat and fast too - in fact it seems to be 35km each way out and back on a main road. It's unlikely to suit me but the Dubs take precedence on Sunday.

Raced this last year and it started snowing on the way out. Handicap race last year. Seperate Cat races this year.

lalorm

Idleater wrote: »

My A4 race from last year, though it was May, so I'm only guessing that it is the same race.

I can't remember if I raced this one last year. Was I there??

Idleater

lalorm wrote: »

I can't remember if I raced this one last year. Was I there??

No, I don't think so. There were a few from the club all right.

melaniespath

I'm looking to a lift to both the Ras Naomh Finian on Saturday and to the Waller Cup in Bohermeen on Sunday for share of petrol and tolls from around Dundrum in Dublin.

melaniespath

Lifts sorted.

RobFowl

Good luck to all those racing on Sunday








And may I recommend the recontructive and plastic surgery dept at St James hospital (if abmulances/lifts try to stop at Navan hospital tell them to keep on going !!)
Also dental work classed as recontructive is eligible for tax relief at the basic rate so make sure to keep all the receipts

kenmc

RobFowl wrote: »

And may I recommend the recontructive and plastic surgery dept at St James hospital (if abmulances/lifts try to stop at Navan hospital tell them to keep on going !!)
Also dental work classed as recontructive is eligible for tax relief at the basic rate so make sure to keep all the receipts

Available at all good sports stores near you.....

lalorm

Anyone know where the sign on for the Waller Cup is tomorrow? Is it at point A on the map shown at Irishcycling.com?

Beasty

Posts relating to today's race moved here

Caroline_ie

Is the sign on in Bohermeen the same as last year at the GAA grounds?

lalorm

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Is the sign on in Bohermeen the same as last year at the GAA grounds?

The question is, where is the GAA grounds??

Caroline_ie

lalorm wrote: »

The question is, where is the GAA grounds??

Last year it was there http://g.co/maps/xs2dy

sy

Anybody have a time and race schedule

Caroline_ie

Under-age race start @11am and the SR and Ladies at 1pm

levitronix

Thanks for that i would of never had a clue where this place is

petethedrummer

After the disaster of last Sunday's race in Navan where I cramped up at the end of the first lap and got dropped, my plan was to just get round this one. So I sat right at the back and hid behind the biggest riders I could find. There were ominous signs half way round the third lap when I felt a crampy twinge in my right leg, so I had to moderate my efforts out of the corners.

Towards the end of the last lap I decided to see if I could get to the front. Coming out of the corners and up the few drags I was able to take out a few riders each time, opting to go for where the space was rather than take the most direct route.

At about 400 to go I was to the right, just inside the white line with noone in front. A sprint line had sort of formed on the left and everyone was edging that way for shelter but I wasn't going to muscle in, so I stayed to the right. At 250(ish) Rob from Wheelworx jumped off the front to his right leaving a gap for me to slot in behind. I think around 200 I got a bit excited and decided to go for it. At about 50 to go I was still out front but it was starting to hurt. In my exuberance I had forgotten to breathe so my legs were really burning. I could see the line and tried not to die. I was just raising my hand on the line when a lad from UCD came by. I thought I might have lost it, thankfully I hadn't. My first A4 win, woot!

A well run race, with no crashes in A4 and good parking. All distances are very rough estimates.

levitronix

Well done nice report

kenmc

Well done!

sy

Was at the finish and yes impressive sprint petethedrummer. You did enough from about 150 out. Could see the legs were starting to go at about 50 but you had enough momentum to carry you across the line. Great victory and well done. Sorry didn't have my camera

A44Ever

petethedrummer wrote: »

....with no crashes in A4....

That was a miracle in itself. There was some seriously sketchy riding in that A4 bunch today. It's one thing to be weaving around the back while getting your head around cycle racing but another thing to be bumping around at the front all day. There was one number in particular (probably not appropriate to be airing it on this forum) who I predict won't make it through Easter without causing a serious crash in the A4's, even if they don't come down themselves.

Well done on the win. Very tough going just to stay in contention at the front with such a big group together all race on a narrow and technical circuit.

uberwolf

A44Ever wrote: »

petethedrummer wrote: »

....with no crashes in A4....

There was one number in particular (probably not appropriate to be airing it on this forum) who I predict won't make it through Easter without causing a serious crash in the A4's, even if they don't come down themselves.

I was wondering about this yesterday as I watched some absolutely clueless riding. One club in particular seemed prominent for having a series of clowns.I was wondering about reporting it for the sake of someone approaching the club for a general word to their riders. It's borne of ignorance as much as anything

fago

You should report both to the club and ci commissaires.
Any club worth its salt would follow it up with the people representing them.
It might avoid some innocent behind an idiot spending a few days off work due to their stupidity.
A word during the race can also help.

chakattack

uberwolf wrote: »

I was wondering about this yesterday as I watched some absolutely clueless riding. One club in particular seemed prominent for having a series of clowns.I was wondering about reporting it for the sake of someone approaching the club for a general word to their riders. It's borne of ignorance as much as anything

I've similar sentiments about yesterday. Lots of clueless and dangerous riding.

petethedrummer

A44Ever wrote: »

That was a miracle in itself. There was some seriously sketchy riding in that A4 bunch today. It's one thing to be weaving around the back while getting your head around cycle racing but another thing to be bumping around at the front all day.

There was some strange riding alright. At one point almost the entire group was on the right hand side of the road a bit after the village on the last lap for no particular reason that I could see. I didn't see what was going on right at the front and there were a few wobblers at the back, but there was plenty of room to manoeuvre around. I had to do much more avoiding in Navan last weekend.

Beasty

We get these comments about the A3s and A4s every year. I'm guessing the ever increasing sizes of the fields doesn't help, particularly early in the season when there are no club leagues to take some of the "strain" (and indeed help "educate" novice racers)

It's something that puts me off the idea of taking part open races until things hopefully settle down a bit, and perhaps the numbers turning up for individual events drops off. In the meantime I think I'll be sticking mainly to Vets/Masters races until the Club League kicks off

I think they limit numbers in races in Ulster - not sure if this is something that should be considered here.

oflahero

My attempt at a heroic half a final lap at the front to victory faded at the first bump over the motorway. Got swamped and couldn't find the extra 5% to muscle up to the front again and stay there. Yeah the right hand side of the road was a mess on the final quarter-lap. All unnecessary bumping, shouting and cursing to no effect. I felt like I could've had a last honourable dig at the end, but I preferred to come home intact than get tangled up in that. Well done petethedrummer for having the toughness to stay up there - lots harder than it looks from further back the field. (And also joker77 of this parish, who had excellent positioning on the final lap.)

BTW this one offending number - <snip>? Got nearly taken out twice on fast corners by something fitting this description.

levitronix

The pros fall off just as much

chakattack

petethedrummer wrote: »

There was some strange riding alright. At one point almost the entire group was on the right hand side of the road a bit after the village on the last lap for no particular reason that I could see. I didn't see what was going on right at the front and there were a few wobblers at the back, but there was plenty of room to manoeuvre around. I had to do much more avoiding in Navan last weekend.

Riding on the right is what annoys me most. There were lines of riders just sitting on the right side of the road yesterday, no effort to move up or anything. Anyone moving up then needs to overtake them creating a second lane of riders on the outside, all of whom need to get in again quickly when there's a car coming. As for the lads going on the outside of traffic control bollards......

I treat the righthand side of the road as you would in a car, check it's clear, overtake and get back in.

We're racing on open roads and the rules of the road apply.

110 in one group is probably too many.

moch

Well done to Pete, good win.
I have not done a lot of racing, but today was the most dangerous race I have done as of yet. Some riders seemed nervous probably due to the narrow roads and pulled on the brakes needlessly at times.
Overall I enjoyed the race and the event was well organised.
Fair play to second place today aswell, I seen him having to go up on the grass for about 5m on the last lap, he was lucky not to go down, but he managed to keep upright, get back onto the road and get back to the front.

joker77

Well done petethedrummer on the A4 win. The legs were screaming at me the last couple of hundred metres, didn't have enough left today, just outside the prizes.

kenmc

It's a bit of a condundrum right enough; it's great to see so many people taking up racing, it bodes well. Everyone has to have their first race, but I wish they didn't have it around me and put me in danger. I know that in Dublin we're lucky to have so many clubs that we can have club league series which are a great introduction, and you get great guidance from your clubmates, which is invaluable; personally I chose not to go open racing until I'd tried out the club league, a) to see if I liked it and b) so as not to try not end up around the nearest lamppost.

I talked to a couple of lads yesterday who were in their first ever race, and the gist of what they were told seems to have been "stay up around the first 20". So they all dutifully tried to do as they were told and stay up there, whether there was room for them or not. I guess any of the more isolated clubs won't have the numbers to do serious intro spins for new members, with up&overs etc being taught.

Perhaps if the early open races were specifically chosen as lumpy/hilly ones, which would split the groups early, it would reduce the likelihood of incidents?