Cork Racing Clubs?

Max_Charger

I made a promise to myself that this winter I’ll join a club with a view to start racing in the spring next year, seeing as now is probably the best time to join. I’m looking for a club that’s in the city or close to it as I myself am in Bishopstown. The only club I know of is Finbarrs but I’m not sure how open they are to newbies? Do they run a club league? All options and opinions welcome please.

on_the_nickel

https://www.facebook.com/DeRondeVanCork

inc21

Cork county cycling club was recommended to me some cycling enthusiasts.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cork-county-cycling-club/200986473255159

shaka

Depends where you are inCork. Don't forget Kanturk or fermoy cycling clubs

inc21

shaka wrote: »

Depends where you are inCork. Don't forget Kanturk or fermoy cycling clubs

Kanturk is where I have to go. Do you know have they club league?

Max_Charger

on_the_nickel wrote: »

https://www.facebook.com/DeRondeVanCork

Didn't know De Ronde had a racing side, thought it was just leisure . Do they have a club league? Do they start their spins in douglas?

Laundry_Hamper

Max_Charger wrote: »

Didn't know De Ronde had a racing side, thought it was just leisure . Do they have a club league? Do they start their spins in douglas?

No league of our own, but a few riders on local podiums last season.

More to come, too.

Plastik

Based on where you are I would go with Cork County or St. Finbarrs. In saying that De Ronde are a club that are absolutely flying along with some very strong riders and some very pacey training spins - enough to keep most people interested. The spins seem to be split 70/30 from Little Island/Ballincollig, so if hoping in the car is something you don't want to do then that's worth considering. I think if I was ever to move back to the Republik I would look to join Blarney - but again, maybe not practical for you.

Roger Hassenforder

DRVCCC spins go from Little Island, Douglas or Ballincollig. A good few Bishopstown & Ballincollig members, a good foew of which are going racing next season. (and its a fact, have the nicest livery in town!)

What about the Aquablue lads?

on_the_nickel

Laundry_Hamper wrote: »

No league of our own, but a few riders on local podiums last season.

More to come, too.

Ha! I have worked out who you are. *taps nose

cantalach

Hi Max_Charger,

I'm one of the founders of DRvCCC. We are primarily a sportive-oriented club. By this I mean that the majority of our members do sportives rather than races. However, a number of our members started racing this year and that side of the club will continue to develop in 2014.

We don't run a club league, nor are we likely to because we feel that the Cork area is already well-served by club leagues (our members had wins in the Planet-Tri League and Fermoy Leagues this year). We are, however, hoping to run a TT league next summer as Cork is badly served in this discipline.

As well as training rides on Saturday and Sunday mornings, we offer turbo and yoga classes during the winter. We organise a spring classics weekend in Belgium every April, and every summer we organise domestic and overseas summer tours (Mizen-Malin and Paris-Nice this year).

We've recently opened up the membership again and are currently welcoming 3-4 new members a week. If you're interested in guesting on one of our weekend spins, please fire off an email to committee@derondevancork.cc. Be sure to check us out on Facebook (http://facebook.com/derondevancork).

Here endeth the sales job!

Thanks,

Dave.

Max_Charger

Cheers for your opinions folks, much appreciated

Leaning towards DRVCCC. Seem like a nice bunch and there appears to be millions of them! Strong riders and pacey training spins sounds exactly like what I want to challenge myself against. Ballincollig and Douglas are fine but getting rid of the car soon, getting out to Little Island could be painful cycling through town. Are a lot of their spins from there?

Plastik wrote: »

I think if I was ever to move back to the Republic I would look to join Blarney - but again, maybe not practical for you.

Any reason in particular Plastik?


*Edit, Sorry cantalach, started typing went away for a while and hit post before seeing your reply!

Max_Charger

cantalach wrote: »

Here endeth the sales job!

How could anyone say no to that?! Sold! :pac:

Plastik

Max_Charger wrote: »

Any reason in particular Plastik?

Hard to nail one down. I've little interest in sportive and leisure riding, and also have no interest in training just for training sake i.e. going for regular hard rides with mates without any particular end-goal. I suppose, from what I've seen, Blarney are a strong club with a good presence in races around the year and that's just something that would interest me. That said, it's a moot argument, as I'll likely never live in Cork again! Actually, Aqua Blue would interest me too for the same reasons, and they're taking on new members this time of the year also.

Hard to go wrong with De Ronde - but it would seem that the majority of the evening training spins do emanate from Little Island. Maybe that will change in 2014 but it's something that you need to bear in mind if you don't want to be adding as extra 25-30km return on to your spin.

cantalach

Plastik wrote: »

Hard to go wrong with De Ronde - but it would seem that the majority of the evening training spins do emanate from Little Island. Maybe that will change in 2014 but it's something that you need to bear in mind if you don't want to be adding as extra 25-30km return on to your spin.

No. We ran two week night spins from the start of April to the end of July. The Thursday one always left from Costa in Douglas, and the Tuesday one alternated every second week between Costa in Little Island and Lidl in Ballincollig.

*Edit: Plastik's cousin (I think) and another few of us did keep riding from Little Island after the end of July and perhaps that is what he's thinking of.

Plastik

I'm nowt but a casual observer Anyway, good strong group of riders regardless of whether it's a 'racing' club or not.

Where is there club racing in Cork on a regular basis? The St. Finbarrs League has been very hit and miss for the last two years, there's the Planet-Tri League that ran this year outside Blarney, racing in Fermoy, I think Youghal might run a league but it's confined to members, is that it? I wouldn't say racing in Cork is particularly well served given the population base down there when compared to similar stuff in the Dublin area, but at least there is stuff happening.

I would think that there's definitely scope there for a few clubs to come together like The Club League and it could be a huge benefit to all the members taking part. Kartworld in Watergrasshill might be open to renting the track for an evening once a week for a race - plenty of room, good surface. Similar to the racing in both Corkagh Park and Mondello.

cantalach

Plastik wrote: »

Where is there club racing in Cork on a regular basis? The St. Finbarrs League has been very hit and miss for the last two years, there's the Planet-Tri League that ran this year outside Blarney, racing in Fermoy, I think Youghal might run a league but it's confined to members, is that it? I wouldn't say racing in Cork is particularly well served given the population base down there when compared to similar stuff in the Dublin area, but at least there is stuff happening.

The Finbarr's league never got started this year. A few days before it was due to start, a note appeared on their FB page or website saying that they didn't have enough members to marshal it safely.

The Planet-Tri League ran right through the summer, starting in Cloghroe for the earlier part of the summer (a bloody tough circuit!) and Blarney later. The Fermoy league ran until half way through the summer, at which point Aqua Blue started a crit style league on the Monaghan Road circuit.

The participation level at all of these was such that I wouldn't think there's room for another. I reckon though that a TT league is badly needed. TT is a nice route into the sport for newcomers, as well as offering a competitive option for those who are too risk averse for road racing.

thebouldwhacker

A great opportunity to meet and chat to some of the riders from different clubs maybe next weekend at the spin for LPB.

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