Rainbow Jersey in action at Track Champs this weekend

Beasty

Martyn Irvine get his first chance to race in the rainbow jersey this weekend in the National Championships Scratch race at Sundrive on Sunday

It promises to be a great weekend with Irvine also taking part in the pursuit, World Cup track star Eoin Mullen down for the Sprint and Kilo and World Bronze medallist Caroline Ryan heading the ladies list which also includes current World Masters pursuit champion Susie Mitchell.

A host of other overseas based and domestic riders including quite a few Boardsies make up the fields

The action starts on Saturday morning around 10 with the pursuits to follow the warm-up and the sprints later in the day (I'm sure one of the participants will be along to confirm estimated timings), so head along and catch a glimpse of the rainbow jersey along with a host of top track stars

Full entry list here

Squidgy Black

Definitely going to try and make it if I'm not in work, hopefully the weather will be nice enough and the track will be dry.

Harrybelafonte

Looks like the standard is comparable to the GP all over again, a painful day. The schedule is here: http://www.trackcycling.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=727:senior-track-cships-entry-now-open&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

nak

I am helping out on Saturday - anyone else able to volunteer?

kumate_champ07

I didnt realise he was racing, pity I cant do the scratch race

Actual Paramedic

He raced at Mondello this evening, best of luck to him at the weekend not that he needs it

Harrybelafonte

I see the National Pursuit record possibly being broken this weekend.

The schedule above is incorrect now, got the proper one last night, men's pursuit qualifiers is first. Am only on phone at the moment so will try and post details later for anyone interested in spectating.

Beasty

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

I see the National Pursuit record possibly being broken this weekend.

The schedule above is incorrect now, got the proper one last night, men's pursuit qualifiers is first. Am only on phone at the moment so will try and post details later for anyone interested in spectating.

Details here

Club Kit or Plain Kit only

- hope this doesn't apply to Mr Irvine

Harry, can't see Martyn's time from Minsk being broken (just over 4m 20s), but hopefully Ryan Mullen's track record from the International GP (4m 40s) will be under pressure if the weather conditions are decent

Harrybelafonte

Beasty wrote: »

Details here

- hope this doesn't apply to Mr Irvine

Harry, can't see Martyn's time from Minsk being broken (just over 4m 20s), but hopefully Ryan Mullen's track record from the International GP (4m 40s) will be under pressure if the weather conditions are decent

Ah, sorry, forgot it was track rather than nationaj

buffalo

ooh, thread of the day!

Beasty

No idea why, but all male vets have been excluded from the Championships, resulting in a number of withdrawals and change to estimated timings

More details here

The good news is they will now be putting a separate vets championship on in September

Harrybelafonte

Beasty wrote: »

No idea why, but all male vets have been excluded from the Championships, resulting in a number of withdrawals and change to estimated timings

More details here

The good news is they will now be putting a separate vets championship on in September

It was already planned to have a vets champs in September and this rule about categorisation was to be imposed from next year. I have no idea why it has been brought forward.

Beasty

The vets champs had been cancelled and replaced with the vets Omnium format used in previous years. I guess CI may have relented and re-instated the vets championships in return for those who qualify for it not being eligible to ride the Seniors

However they have only done this for the men's category - I suspect because they do not anticipate having enough ladies to have separate vets championships, but I'm also guessing they will be allowed to race against the men (also excluding vets from the Women's championships would decimate the fields)

... anyway, should free up a few more "volunteers"

Harrybelafonte

Beasty wrote: »

The vets champs had been cancelled and replaced with the vets Omnium format used in previous years. I guess CI may have relented and re-instated the vets championships in return for those who qualify for it not being eligible to ride the Seniors

However they have only done this for the men's category - I suspect because they do not anticipate having enough ladies to have separate vets championships, but I'm also guessing they will be allowed to race against the men (also excluding vets from the Women's championships would decimate the fields)

... anyway, should free up a few more "volunteers"

I see the difference now.

I wonder who that means will pull out.

I should be there again for the Vets this year. Hopefully weather holds out this time.

Harrybelafonte

Anyone have photos from today?

Beasty

Well here's one:



"The Jersey" on it's way to scratch gold

More here

Harrybelafonte

Thanks Beasty, I can't seem to access these, but could those you posted on the other thread. A chance to boast about not being on Facebook.

Beasty

A couple of great scratch races today with both fields being blown apart with early breaks.

In the men's a 4-man break comprising of Martyn Irvine, Ian Inglis, John Lynch and Javan Nulty stayed away with Inglis making a solo attempt with a few laps to go, opening up quite a lead until caught in the final couple of laps with Irvine taking it from Nulty with Lynch 3rd

The medallists in the women's race was determined quite early on with Caroline Ryan, Lydia Boylan and Sarah Connell making a break - Ryan winning from Boylan with Connell third

Earlier in the day Terry Mackin and Lydia Boylan had taken the respective TT titles

Beasty

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Thanks Beasty, I can't seem to access these, but could those you posted on the other thread. A chance to boast about not being on Facebook.

Try again - I changed the original link to one that should be accessible to anyone

Harrybelafonte

Forgot to say, Keirin was: Eoin Mullen, John Lynch and Philip Ryan

Harrybelafonte

Today was almost as exciting again as yesterday, men's scratch was an unbelievable speed and the four who stayed away just kept upping the pace. I can't remember how many laps I managed before being told to pull out, but I was lapped with in the first 10 I'd say. It's a blur to be honest. I'd have liked to have had the chance to really push through all 33 laps, but in all honesty being lapped twice was enough, and I spent most of the race in no-man's land trying to bridge a gap for a few laps. Mr Irvine was impressive to watch, when he upped the pace he really upped it, but the group with him showed the talent we have here by staying with him as they did.

Keirin was absolute agony and, after the scratch, I had problems even keeping up with the derny which hasn't happened before, I swear. I messed up the semi final, or first reparcharge, by trying to just go long for the hell of it and then did go for the long one on the second reparcharge. I'm sure everyone was happy to sit behind me before the proper sprint, but I figured I'd give it everything for the last race. I could barely unclip at the end. Legs were like jelly and thought I was going to faint, but I guess that's track.