Irish medallists in the World Track Masters, Manchester

Beasty

After picking up silver medals in their respective pursuits last night, Susie Mitchell and Orla Hendron returned to Manchester velodrome this evening to each pick up silvers again in their respective points races

The guys haven't been doing too badly either with Terry Cromer claiming 4th place in the 60-64 sprint and Hugh Mulhearne just being pipped in the bronze medal ride-off for the 40-44 pursuit (both getting their first ever medal rides at this level)

All-round this is already the second most successful Masters championships ever for Ireland with the 4 medals won to date

RobFowl

Well done to the Auld codgers

The Big Lebowsky

This is wonderful news. All we need is a decent indoor velodrome now.

buffalo

Beasty wrote: »

All-round this is already the second most successful Masters championships ever for Ireland with the 4 medals won to date

As the Orwell rep, I had to correct this one. Although there's still a slim chance 2013 will surpass it, 2010 saw Ireland bring home six medals, including a gold when Orla Hendon won the rainbow stripes in the Points race, to add to two silvers and three bronzes for the Irish squad.

But great to see both Orla and Susie Mitchell keeping the flag flying for the Irish!

I was explaining it to my housemates last night, and they were astounded at well they were doing despite not having a velodrome in the country.


edit: PS we got 4 medals in 2011 too - Terry Mackin (Banbridge CC), and Orwell's Stephen McNally and Orla Hendron (2). Also 4 last year, when Susie Mitchell was IP world champ, Orla Hendron took double bronze, and Terry Mackin took a bronze as well.

second edit: seems some of 2010's medals were not 'championship' medals, and don't count. Myself and Beasty can share our humble pie.

morana

and lets remember their coaches!
they deserve credit as well!

ROK ON

I can't believe that OrlanHendron is over 50. Is that true?
Anyway well done.

Beasty

ROK ON wrote: »

I can't believe that OrlanHendron is over 50. Is that true?
Anyway well done.

It was her birthday earlier this week

mark kiernan

jesus lads
never mention a womans age,::Have you learned nothing!!

Beasty

Given her age category, I thought it better to point out which end of it she's at ....


I'm actually looking forward to 2015 when I move "up" an age group and leave behind the "whippersnappers" for a year or two ....

dedocdude

great showing by these folks - desperately close for Hugh and Terry but they now have shown their class at this level. Chapeau guys.

kumate_champ07

dedocdude wrote: »

great showing by these folks - desperately close for Hugh and Terry but they now have shown their class at this level. Chapeau guys.

poor Terry missed out on Bronze vets national sprint medal this year, he had the race won(imo) but dropped down into sprinters lane too early and got DQ'd

kumate_champ07

maybe we cold do what British Cycling did to elite cycling, to Masters cycling instead!
theres a good few male sprinters who could combine for a 135+ team sprint.
one guy in particular will be close to elite level in 5 years if he keeps it up, could do very well in 35+ sprint. Id say he could do a 11.3 indoors 200m at the moment

kumate_champ07

can anyway give an idea of the cost to do masters champs in UK, Ive heard its over 1000e when u factor in travel,track costs,accommodation?

Beasty

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

can anyway give an idea of the cost to do masters champs in UK, Ive heard its over 1000e when u factor in travel,track costs,accommodation?

To run it you need track time - around £100 an hour. The UK Masters run over 3 days, but Irish could be done in 2. You are still talking £1,500/€1,800 for exclusive use of the track for a couple of days, although that would hopefully extend to use of starting gates, timing equipment etc. Then you need officials although you could probably get away with someone from CI/the Track Commission to oversee everything and some of the guys from the local track (a lot of them are trained Commissaires and were on duty at the Worlds and/or Europeans)

Travel is down to individual preference - I regularly drive over to Manchester (and drove to Newport for the Europeans), but you are looking at ferry costs of €250 or more plus fuel per vehicle (maybe 2 riders per vehicle unless you get something like the "Black Rose passion wagon";)).

Hotels are going to be up to €100 per night per room I would guess, and riders would need to be over for a couple of nights

There were maybe a dozen or so Irish riders in Manchester and I know a few more who may attend this type of event. Then there could be "locals" who would qualify, but I still could not see more than 20 taking the trouble to go over

Total estimated cost for 20 riders, say

Track etc €1,800
Travel (21 people in say 10 vehicles x 250 = €2,500
Accommodation/food 21 (includes CI representative) x 2 (nights) x €100 = €4,200

Total €8,500, or €425/rider

Travel could be further cut by maybe hiring a couple of larger vehicles, but then there would still be airfares to factor in. Accommodation would depend on what else is on - there was the Tory party conference in Manchester last week and the Rugby Super League Grand Final which pushed costs up a bit, and the extent of people being prepared to share rooms

Based on the above, I would estimate a cost of between €300 and €500 per rider depending on numbers

kumate_champ07

Beasty wrote: »

To run it you need track time - around £100 an hour. The UK Masters run over 3 days, but Irish could be done in 2. You are still talking £1,500/€1,800 for exclusive use of the track for a couple of days, although that would hopefully extend to use of starting gates, timing equipment etc. Then you need officials although you could probably get away with someone from CI/the Track Commission to oversee everything and some of the guys from the local track (a lot of them are trained Commissaires and were on duty at the Worlds and/or Europeans)

Travel is down to individual preference - I regularly drive over to Manchester (and drove to Newport for the Europeans), but you are looking at ferry costs of €250 or more plus fuel per vehicle (maybe 2 riders per vehicle unless you get something like the "Black Rose passion wagon";)).

Hotels are going to be up to €100 per night per room I would guess, and riders would need to be over for a couple of nights

There were maybe a dozen or so Irish riders in Manchester and I know a few more who may attend this type of event. Then there could be "locals" who would qualify, but I still could not see more than 20 taking the trouble to go over

Total estimated cost for 20 riders, say

Track etc €1,800
Travel (21 people in say 10 vehicles x 250 = €2,500
Accommodation/food 21 (includes CI representative) x 2 (nights) x €100 = €4,200

Total €8,500, or €425/rider

Travel could be further cut by maybe hiring a couple of larger vehicles, but then there would still be airfares to factor in. Accommodation would depend on what else is on - there was the Tory party conference in Manchester last week and the Rugby Super League Grand Final which pushed costs up a bit, and the extent of people being prepared to share rooms

Based on the above, I would estimate a cost of between €300 and €500 per rider depending on numbers

sorry was too lazy to type 'euro/worlds' before masters! interesting figures none the less

Beasty

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

sorry was too lazy to type 'euro/worlds' before masters! interesting figures none the less

Around 160 signed up, paying maybe £150 or so each entry fees - maybe £25k total entry fees, plus sponsorship and other income - maybe getting on for £30k/€35k or so. I suspect the costs of putting it on were north of €40k (inlcuding levies from British Cycling and the UEC, costs of medals/winners jerseys, track hire (exclusive for a week), costs of Commissaires etc, although there was no doping control present

The Worlds will be more expensive - people are working pretty much full time from one event to the next. They are getting over 400 entries and taking in £60k/€70k or so from entry fees and a bit more from sponsorship and merchandising and charging spectators and for helpers accreditation. I suspect it just about breaks even.

Harrybelafonte

More photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/veloshooter/

Harrybelafonte

Harrybelafonte

Harrybelafonte

Harrybelafonte

kumate_champ07

Beasty wrote: »

Around 160 signed up, paying maybe £150 or so each entry fees - maybe £25k total entry fees, plus sponsorship and other income - maybe getting on for £30k/€35k or so. I suspect the costs of putting it on were north of €40k (inlcuding levies from British Cycling and the UEC, costs of medals/winners jerseys, track hire (exclusive for a week), costs of Commissaires etc, although there was no doping control present

The Worlds will be more expensive - people are working pretty much full time from one event to the next. They are getting over 400 entries and taking in £60k/€70k or so from entry fees and a bit more from sponsorship and merchandising and charging spectators and for helpers accreditation. I suspect it just about breaks even.

really?! some very fast times this year, Im sure they are clean but I believe there should be testing all the time just to keep the temptation away

kumate_champ07

whats the banter like there, do all the athletes socialize after its all finished or just go their separate ways? Im sure everyone takes it very seriously but it seems like it could be alot of fun too

wav1

Excuse my ignorance on these lads,but whats the story with the club gear?If its a UCI worlds is it not nations reps,or can you just go and enter from your club.Just interested.Thanks.

Beasty

wav1 wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance on these lads,but whats the story with the club gear?If its a UCI worlds is it not nations reps,or can you just go and enter from your club.Just interested.Thanks.

Club, plain or national gear is all acceptable

Basically anyone can enter (online only - no 1 day licences wav;)) - there are no quotas. The standard is increasing every year and everyone seems to getting more professional with their approach. A few British clubs had extensive support teams and a lot of guys seem to have paid coaches. There was even a holding camp at Newport last week run by one coaching organisation - they would have had the opportunity to practice their flying 200s, TTs, pursuits etc on boards that are very similar to Manchester.

Some nations offer extensive support to their riders. Some guys just turn up and give it a go (that seems more of a case in the older categories).

Beasty

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

whats the banter like there, do all the athletes socialize after its all finished or just go their separate ways? Im sure everyone takes it very seriously but it seems like it could be alot of fun too

I've been to 2 of these now. The camaraderie in the Irish team is great with everyone looking out for each other (and for those who may not be entirely Irish;))

It's clear that some people have built up great friendships over the years. My new best Aussie mate set a world best time in the Flying 200 qualifier, which meant he was up against the slowest guy (me!) in the 1st round proper, as well as a fast American (who ultimately finished 4th). The Aussie (Geoff Stoker) asked me on the starting line if I'd raced much - it was only my second time racing head to head indoors and the guy actually looked out for me during the race, giving me tips on where to stay on the track. After the race he came up to me and gave me some more tips - of course I'll never be a challenge to him, but he didn't have to take time out to do that

I suspect that in many cases riders go back to their countries, probably feeling a bit more camaraderie with the countrymen they have spent time with (I certainly feel that to be the case) but don't see many of the others they were racing against until the next year

I've got to say the atmosphere amongst the riders is something that will help draw me back to this event in future years.

Beasty

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

really?! some very fast times this year, Im sure they are clean but I believe there should be testing all the time just to keep the temptation away

All winners in the Worlds get tested. Not sure what the protocol is for "lesser" events, but I'm guessing cost is an issue. Having said that some of the riders at these events have been around a very long time and have certain "histories" they may not be keen to publicise

kumate_champ07

thanks to cycling Im looking forward to growing older!

kumate_champ07

Beasty wrote: »

All winners in the Worlds get tested. Not sure what the protocol is for "lesser" events, but I'm guessing cost is an issue. Having said that some of the riders at these events have been around a very long time and have certain "histories" they may not be keen to publicise

I read that anyone who breaks a record will get tested. there was a flying 200m record a few years back that was by a guy who doped.

buffalo

As well as her two silver, Orla Hendron very nearly clinched a gold. I interviewed her last night, so you can get the inside scoop at http://www.orwellwheelers.org/racing/20-open-racing/550-a-masterful-end-to-the-season.html