Drogheda Wheelers Ras Na N'og race weekend April 20/21

lennymc

Drogheda wheelers race weekend will take place on the 20th and 21st of April. On the programme are the Ras Na N'og Youths stage race, as well as the Peter Bidwell memorial handicap race, and the Coombes Connor race. The Coombes Connor includes round two of the Womens national league

All in, there are 16 races over the weekend catering for all categories.

Full information (including maps) and contact details can be found at www.droghedawheelers.ie.

Any questions give me a shout.

Thanks,
Lenny

wav1

lennymc wrote: »

Drogheda wheelers race weekend will take place on the 20th and 21st of April. On the programme are the Ras Na N'og Youths stage race, as well as the Peter Bidwell memorial handicap race, and the Coombes Connor race. The Coombes Connor includes round two of the Womens national league

All in, there are 16 races over the weekend catering for all categories.

Full information (including maps) and contact details can be found at www.droghedawheelers.ie.

Any questions give me a shout.

Thanks,
Lenny

Great work on the maps and profiles etc Lenny.This weekend of events is a huge undertaking for us as a relatively small club,but its taking great shape.The entries are rolling in for Ras na N'og youth stage race and it looks like our best entry to date.4 separate races for the Sens on Sunday including the woman and the Peter Bidwell rounds off a very busy day on the Saturday.As the Bidwell race is a handicap race for all cats inc A4s the new rule 140 max riders will apply.I cant see this being an issue though.Stage 2 of Ras na N'og and the Peter Bidwell Memorial race all finish right outside the gate of the late Peters house.Oh how he'd love that if he was still with us.5 years now since he left us,and he is as missed now as back then.Quite simply he was a hugely popular and hard working guy for the sport.There was hardly a weekend went by when he wasn't driving a lead car or comm or doing something for our sport.Hope to see you all there.

couerdelion

Got this one pencilled in, there's no surprise hills in the middle I hope!

The profile looks like there's more up than down too.

lennymc

Good man Couerdelion. There is a small drag on the coombes connor circuit (Sunday), but you will be well able for it. Its nothing like the surprise last weekend The Donore circuit (Saturday) is a great circuit, its draggy and relentless with very little rest. I love it.

wav1

Entries for the Youth Ras na N'og crossed the 100 mark this morning.Its fantastic to see so many youngsters on bikes.Great weekend of thrills from the stars of the future in prospect.

RobFowl

Peter Bidwell was a great guy and remember working with him on the RAS as if it were yesterday.
Aim to ride this one if you can.

wav1

RobFowl wrote: »

Peter Bidwell was a great guy and remember working with him on the RAS as if it were yesterday.
Aim to ride this one if you can.

Seems like yesterday allright but I think 2006 was the year he was your pilot.Great times and a great guy.
Just received his memorial trophy back yesterday in Balbriggan,from last years winner and had it sitting on the passenger seat of my old team car this morning as it went in stubbornly for an nct test.Outcome is that its tested till 2015.Think Petes is still doing it for me.

RobFowl

wav1 wrote: »

Seems like yesterday allright but I think 2006 was the year he was your pilot.Great times and a great guy.
Just received his memorial trophy back yesterday in Balbriggan,from last years winner and had it sitting on the passenger seat of my old team car this morning as it went in stubbornly for an nct test.Outcome is that its tested till 2015.Think Petes is still doing it for me.

2006 he was my pilot and turned up at my house in a brand spanking new Land Rover (sporsors car which he hated!), he was safety officer the following year when 4 of us traveled together in a (very small) Nissan.

Great fun to be with and a lover of all things cycling.

killalanerr

What i remember about Peter was that he was always so well turned out on the bike,im looking forward to riding at least one of the days,will Gaybo be on the mike again its worth a tenner just to listen to him for a few hours

wav1

killalanerr wrote: »

What i remember about Peter was that he was always so well turned out on the bike,im looking forward to riding at least one of the days,will Gaybo be on the mike again its worth a tenner just to listen to him for a few hours

He probably will [try stopping him].Optional ear plugs will be available at sign on.
As regards Peter being well turned out,that indeed is very very true.Way back in 1981 on a ras stage to Clonakilty when we were probably our usual amount of time down he actually got a prize for 'most elegant rider'.
Robfowl yes he did hate that land rover and the ironic thing is that the day they took him out of his home for the last time,Yes,they took him away in similar black land rover.Had a little chuckle to myself that day despite how we were all feeling.
Yes we hope it will be a great weekend of racing and as the Sat evening race finishes outside Peters house Deirdre and the girls will have a mug of tea for all.

lennymc

I normally need something a bit stronger that a cup of tea after finishing a race on that circuit

wav1

lennymc wrote: »

I normally need something a bit stronger that a cup of tea after finishing a race on that circuit

Race budget wont stretch to that im afraid.
Sunday evening post presentation and formalities is usually ''quite lively''in the Thatch though

wav1

130 entries now for the youths 3 stage race [nearly 60 in the U16 race alone].If you're coming to ride the senior races come a bit early and give them a shout.
Again a reminder that all routes,profiles,etc are on the home page of www.droghedawheelers.ie all courtesy of lennymc.
If you have any queries at all re the weekend give Lennymc or myself a shout and we'll do our best to help you.Most important piece of info I think is that the sign on is 300 mtrs from J9 exit from the M1.Hope to see you all in the Boyne Valley this weekend.

lennymc

yep, any questions give me a shout. Its gonna be great!!

RJM85

Looking forward to having a weekend of racing within cycling distance away. Will have to decide whether to do both days or not... Saturday is fairly late to be out again on sunday...

lennymc

RJM85 wrote: »

Looking forward to having a weekend of racing within cycling distance away. Will have to decide whether to do both days or not... Saturday is fairly late to be out again on sunday...

saturday is a good race, tough wee course. ill be doing both anyway.

Harrybelafonte

Sorry, I'm a little unclear, do I have to prebook myself in for any of either of the two races?

wav1

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Sorry, I'm a little unclear, do I have to prebook myself in for any of either of the two races?

NO PRE ENTRY required for Senior races either day.Entries taken on the day only.There was pre entry for the youth event as its a stage race and we needed to compile a rider list to put in to the computer for the results system.Again NO PRE ENTRY for senior races.
Ryan Mullan has confirmed his intention to ride both days.

lennymc

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Sorry, I'm a little unclear, do I have to prebook myself in for any of either of the two races?

your too old to do the ras na n'og Harry

as wav1 says, turn up and pay on the day. You planning on doing both?

Harrybelafonte

lennymc wrote: »

your too old to do the ras na n'og Harry

as wav1 says, turn up and pay on the day. You planning on doing both?

Yeah, not 100% yet. Training on Saturday morning, so I may suffer through the two.

dave_o_brien

Should be there on Sunday... Hopefully.

padjo5

We had sunshine, spectators, safe riding and sprints last year, twas magic! Hopefully more of the same this weekend! Mind you Lennymc will be out practicing his 10km solo breakaway all week!

lennymc

padjo5 wrote: »

We had sunshine, spectators, safe riding and sprints last year, twas magic! Hopefully more of the same this weekend! Mind you Lennymc will be out practicing his 10km solo breakaway all week!

10k? Im going from the gun. Keep 'er lit boi!

dario28

I havent got my license from CI - Payment was taken 11 days ago - I have an email from CI with my license number in it , would that be enough to race ?

Harrybelafonte

Looks like I'm heading to both these. Stupidity seems a habit.

wav1

dario28 wrote: »

I havent got my license from CI - Payment was taken 11 days ago - I have an email from CI with my license number in it , would that be enough to race ?

Yes you can race once you produce the email confirmation from Cycling Ireland.The commissaire on the day/days will issue you with a temporary race number to use for the race.Looking forward to seeing you there.

wav1

The last pre race club meeting took place last night.The i's are dotted and the t's are crossed and we're all ready to go for a hectic weekend.135 Youths in action over the 2 days and we look forward to welcoming all you Senior riders for the 2 events also.
Prize list for Sen races as follows
Peter Bidwell Memorial
First Eight over line
First 3 x U/P A2
First 3 x U/P A3
First 3 x U/P A4
First 3 x U/P Juniors

Coombes Connor Memorial
A+/A1/A2 Race
First eight over line
First 5 x U/P A2
A3/Jun Race
First eight over line
First 5 x U/P Juniors
A4 Race
First eight over line
Womans Race
First six over line

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Looking forward to doing both races as both on my doorstep. I like the Coombes course especially the Duleek/Julianstown stretch of road....nice & fast.

lennymc

There is an interview coming up at 12.30 with the club secretary on LMFM. Listen live here

padjo5

lennymc wrote: »

There is an interview coming up at 12.30 with the club secretary on LMFM. Listen live here

Im tuned in here, they are playing quite possibly the worst somg i have ever heard, before brining on the star of the show!!! The suspense is unreal.......!

Beasty

padjo5 wrote: »

Im tuned in here, they are playing quite possibly the worst somg i have ever heard, before brining on the star of the show!!! The suspense is unreal.......!

I think you're a bit confused - that was the Club Sec with his very own version of "My Wav"

wav1

padjo5 wrote: »

Im tuned in here, they are playing quite possibly the worst somg i have ever heard, before brining on the star of the show!!! The suspense is unreal.......!

Bit of a Fred but what a radio voice.Ha Ha.Kids will be fairly p....d off listening to that voice for 2 days at weekend.

lennymc

wav1 wrote: »

Bit of a Fred but what a radio voice.Ha Ha.Kids will be fairly p....d off listening to that voice for 2 days at weekend.

how do you think we feel - we've been listening to it for years!!

padjo5

Beasty wrote: »

I think you're a bit confused - that was the Club Sec with his very own version of "My Wav"

His party-piece is 'I wanna sex you up' by Colour me Badd!

wav1

Just did some prep work for Sundays race out on the circuit tonight.Route marking etc.Met one local resident who filled my ear for a while re some complaints from last year.I would ask that any of you who are bringing cars out to the finish area to park ONLY on the left hand side of the road both before the finish and again on the eastern side of the flyover after the finish line.Please DONT park down the cul de sac to the L/H side as residents were trapped in there last year.The last thing we need is to fall out with them.Finally as the start/finish area is in an isolated rural setting away from public conveniance facilities I would ask that you go well away from the area to answer a call of nature as there are private residences behind the small wood nearby.Just common sense stuff really but please be adhere.Thanks Wav

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

I was out for a spin on the Coombes course today it might be worthwhile doing something with the loose gravel as you turn left off the Duleek/Julianstown road (onto r108) and at the turn left as you hit the Beamore crossroads.
Both areas you are hitting the corners at speed and there is a lot of loose gravel on the road which could cause a few wheels to go!!

lennymc

AFAIK they will be swept before the races. Also, a couple of the corners have potholes on the inside, these will also be coned and taped off so as to avoid anyone going into them

Beasty

Any plans to lay fresh mud anywhere on the course lenny?;)

lennymc

Beasty wrote: »

Any plans to lay fresh mud anywhere on the course lenny?;)

no, we keep the mud for the league

Harrybelafonte

Anny roundabouts on these courses?

wav1

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Anny roundabouts on these courses?

None at the moment,but can be arranged.Gravel on corners will be taken care off.

lennymc

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Anny roundabouts on these courses?

Nope.
Saturday is left, left, left, repeat.
Sunday is left, left, left, left repeat.

Beasty

So Harry, Sunday will be just like Sundrive ....:)

(that last left is a bit sharper mind)

Harrybelafonte

Great, nothing throws me more than a right turn.

wav1

Glad to report that the machine,that is the Drogheda Wheelers crew have removed every speck of loose gravel on the corners mentioned and indeed all the other corners as well.We're all good to go here now.All we need now is you lot.
Great around here this evening with camper vans arriving for the youth races.Ras na N'og tour te France style.

CillianL

Is anyone rolling out to this tomorrow?

Its not ideal but I enjoyed it enough last year that its worth it.
Luckily I met Jason O'Callaghan from UCD on the way out last year who gave me a few wheels, I would have died otherwise hahahah

Sorry I forgot to say the Peter Bidwell Memorial tomorrow evening

Harrybelafonte

CillianL wrote: »

Is anyone rolling out to this tomorrow?

Its not ideal but I enjoyed it enough last year that its worth it.
Luckily I met Jason O'Callaghan from UCD on the way out last year who gave me a few wheels, I would have died otherwise hahahah

Sorry I forgot to say the Peter Bidwell Memorial tomorrow evening

Not cycling to it, but I can offer a lift to someone this evening from Northside (as in where to meet rather than your origin) if they can help me out with fuel and toll costs.

Also, which lanes are to safe to use on toll if bikes on roof, all except express?

lennymc

Never thought of the tolls. To avoid the tolls, take the julianstown exit from the m1, follow the r132 to drogheda, turn left at the bus station, straight ahead and then left at the first roundabout. Retail park and sign on will be on your right.

CillianL

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Not cycling to it, but I can offer a lift to someone this evening from Northside (as in where to meet rather than your origin) if they can help me out with fuel and toll costs.

Also, which lanes are to safe to use on toll if bikes on roof, all except express?

PM Sent

Beasty

Make the most of it today guys - this may be the best weather we get all year ...

drogdub

Cycled down to the first stage this morning, my son (6) asked me a few weeks ago could he start racing when he was older, so I thought we'd go down to get an idea of what racing is all about. Really enjoyed the morning and heard a couple of parents comment on how well organised it was, so well done to all involved