Shay Elliot Memorial Race and SHA3 April 26th 2014

velogirl

Details of the Shay Elliot Memorial Race and SHA3 - Saturday 26th April 2014

velogirl

Just to let everyone know that this will now start an hour later than previously stated due to a potential clash with the WAR race in Laragh on the same day.

Start time is now 12 noon with sign on from 10 - 11.30

lennymc

Postponing the inevitable suffering. Classy

I'm both looking forward to this and absolutely terrified of this in equal measures. It will be great.

Plastik

Bray Wheelers Cycling Club and sponsors Sinnott Autos, Hollingsworth Cycles, Suzuki and Base.ie are proud to announce details of the 57th Shay Elliott Memorial and Inaugural SHA3 Races.

Racing will take place on Saturday April 26th, 2014 and sign-on for all races is between 10am and 11.30 am in the Bray Wheelers Clubhouse, Schools Road, Bray location

57th Shay Elliott Memorial
Race start: 12.00 noon
Race distance: 140km (3km neutral roll out)
Primes: 14km & 106km
A+/A1/A2 Licence holders only
Entry: €15
Route: www.ridewithgps.com/routes/3868243

Cash prizes for top 12 riders and first 8 unplaced A2


SHA3 Race
Race start: 12.05 pm
Race distance: 89km (3km neutral roll out)
Prime: 14km
A3/Junior/Lady Licence holders only
Entry: €15
Route: www.ridewithgps.com/routes/3868223

Cash prizes for top 6 A3/Junior riders and first lady


Parking: Parking within the confines of Bray Wheelers Clubhouse grounds will be limited to official race vehicles only. Riders are asked to approach to the club house with care at which point they will be directed to the adjacent grounds of St. Kilian’s Community School where there are ample spaces. Riders are asked, as far as possible, to refrain from parking on Schools Road.

Presentation and Prize giving: Bray Wheelers Clubhouse


Shower and changing facilities available as well as food and refreshments in the Clubhouse.

Note:Please note that upon completion of both races there is a 14km cooldown to Race HQ.

Plastik

Going to be a great days racing. Really looking forward to the A3 race (knowing full well that I will simply be in survival mode once the we turn at Glenmalure for the Elliott).

There was a lot of chatter last year about folks looking for tougher routes. Hopefully this will be well supported and viable for the club to run it again other years. Whatever about racing being difficult to organise on circuits that loop, running races on routes like this take a hell of a lot of work!

buffalo

Really wanted to do this last year, but didn't qualify. Will be there on the day at the start line, and hopefully the finish line at some point! :pac:

Chips Lovell

I don't know what's wrong with me, but I really want to do this one. A week after the Gorey Three Day and all. I must be mad.

buffalo

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

I don't know what's wrong with me, but I really want to do this one. A week after the Gorey Three Day and all. I must be mad.

DO IT

QueensGael

Plastik wrote: »

...
SHA3 Race
Race start: 12.05 pm
Race distance: 89km (3km neutral roll out)
Prime: 14km
A3/Junior/Lady Licence holders only
Entry: €15
Route: www.ridewithgps.com/routes/3868223

Cash prizes for top 6 A3/Junior riders and first lady

Just wanted to check - is this for women with A3 licences only? (i.e. no A4 women racers)

lennymc

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

I don't know what's wrong with me, but I really want to do this one. A week after the Gorey Three Day and all. I must be mad.

ditto.

Pawlie

Kill or Be killed time muhahahaha gona be fun

Plastik

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

I don't know what's wrong with me, but I really want to do this one. A week after the Gorey Three Day and all. I must be mad.

Do it. You'll have great legs after Gorey

QueensGael wrote: »

Just wanted to check - is this for women with A3 licences only? (i.e. no A4 women racers)

I'll double check and come back to you.

doozerie

I'd like to take my daughter to watch this, preferably on the Shay Elliot ('cos there is no better way to entice the next generation into cycling than showing them a race filled with faces masked in severe pain, right?...). Does anyone know whether there is car parking available within walking distance of Shay Elliot? And has it typically been especially difficult to find somewhere to park on the day of the race in previous years?

Plastik

There's a small car park at the top of the elliott and a couple of dead end access roads up at the top too so there should be no problem finding a spot. There's usually a small crowd up there to watch and cheer.

You're looking at roughly 1.30 for the A3 race and 2.15 for the Elliott. Much as the kids will find it boring it would be a good idea to get there with a bit of time to spare so you don't meet the race at full throttle on the descent.

Sort the kids out with a cowbell and it'll keep them entertained

lennymc

Plastik wrote: »

You're looking at roughly 1.30 for the A3 race and 2.15 for the Elliott.

Doozerie, will ye stick the kettle on for me at about 3pm so!!

doozerie

lennymc wrote: »

Doozerie, will ye stick the kettle on for me at about 3pm so!!

Good thinking, a dose of scalding water chucked over you will certainly add to the motivation to get up the hill and away.

Plastik

Nice promo thanks to the guys at Black Umbrella

velogirl

Just over a week to go - hoping for a great turnout

doozerie

Enthusiastic 4yr old? Check!

Cowbell? Check!

All set. I suggest that ear defenders be issued to all riders at the base of the Shay Elliot though.

Plastik

All the Easter madness done and dusted. Some guys will think they have great legs, others wondering why they ever took part. The big races are coming thick and fast now though so getting the recovery right over the next few days will be important for a lot of people.

Only four more sleeps until the next of Ireland's one-day classics. Around longer than either E3 Harelbeke or the Amstel Gold ...

http://veloviewer.com/route/7061051 [interactive 3D map]




http://veloviewer.com/route/7061050 [interactive 3D map]

Plastik

Just to reinforce their considerable squad, Timmy Barry fancies getting his name on the trophy a second time! Very unfortunate last year having punctured at the top of the Elliott having been away in a very select lead group.

http://www.irishcyclingphotos.com/?p=30742

QueensGael

Plastik wrote: »

I'll double check and come back to you.

Hi Plastik, were you able to find out if this is open to women with A3 licences only? (i.e. no A4 women racers). We'd like to put out the word on the womenscycling.ie site, but need some details.

Thanks!

smurphy29

This should be a sensational race. I presume the super-juniors are returning from their sojourns around Belgium, Norn Iron etc. to race us into the Wicklow dirt?

Chips Lovell

Hope so.

Hmmzis

If the Norwegians are right this time round then this is going to be epic. Not much rain but the wind should do some serious damage.

Plastik

QueensGael wrote: »

Hi Plastik, were you able to find out if this is open to women with A3 licences only? (i.e. no A4 women racers). We'd like to put out the word on the womenscycling.ie site, but need some details.

Thanks!

Hi QueensGael, apologies for the delayed response. It would be fantastic you were able to promote it on womenscycling.ie. The SHA3 race will open to any lady that holds an A3 licence and we would absolutely delighted to see a few sign on.

smurphy29 wrote: »

This should be a sensational race. I presume the super-juniors are returning from their sojourns around Belgium, Norn Iron etc. to race us into the Wicklow dirt?

There's a few on the way alright

Sr. Assumpta

Plastik wrote: »

Hi QueensGael, apologies for the delayed response. It would be fantastic you were able to promote it on womenscycling.ie. The SHA3 race will open to any lady that holds an A3 licence and we would absolutely delighted to see a few sign on

Info tweeted from Women's Commission account, https://twitter.com/womenscyclingie... and link posted on calendar... http://womenscycling.ie/calendar/ as requested

J Madone

Good luck to one and all doing this Iconic monument tomorrow!

SetOverSet

Good luck to everyone doing this this afternoon! I do hope the conditions improve. Just back from a spin less than an hour ago. Went up to Johnny Foxes from Stepaside, then on to Cruagh, the viewpoint and Featherbeds/Military Road. The plan was to do Sally Gap, then home via Kilbride > Valleymount and onto the N81, but the conditions up the Featherbeds were pretty rough - 50km/h+ wind, hail and rain - so, went left at Glencree, down into Enniskerry. I think I can safely say that descent is the coldest I've been on a bike in a long time!

Lusk_Doyle

Pure awful out there today. I didn't even get up the Shay Elliot to cheer the lads on as had been my intention, the weather was so bad. By the time my lift arrived in Laragh to whisk me away home in warmth, we slotted in right behind a breakaway of two riders. One was from Aquablue, the other I don't know. They were absolutely flying along.

Met a rider from the earlier A3 race and I understand that there was a crash in it. He climbed off in Laragh with the cold and wet. It was just not nice at all to be out there, either racing or waving flags!

Inquitus

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Pure awful out there today. I didn't even get up the Shay Elliot to cheer the lads on as had been my intention, the weather was so bad. By the time my lift arrived in Laragh to whisk me away home in warmth, we slotted in right behind a breakaway of two riders. One was from Aquablue, the other I don't know. They were absolutely flying along.

Met a rider from the earlier A3 race and I understand that there was a crash in it. He climbed off in Laragh with the cold and wet. It was just not nice at all to be out there, either racing or waving flags!

Damien Shaw and Eddie Dunbar who then finished 1st and 2nd in that order, apparently they put over 2 mins into everyone else.

Lusk_Doyle

Inquitus wrote: »

Damien Shaw and Eddie Dunbar who then finished 1st and 2nd in that order, apparently they put over 2 mins into everyone else.

They were waaaaaaay ahead of anybody else when I saw them so no surprise there. the wind was a killer down there so that's great riding.

buffalo

From Bray Wheelers' Twitter/Black Umbrella Facebook:

doozerie

Just back from watching this on the Shay Elliot, we were positioned about 1km from the top. What a manky day to be on the bike, I was in the car and it felt miserable even in that. Fair play to the riders for persevering, and to the marshals too.

My daughter's enthusiasm to clang the cowbell didn't last until the day itself, so I was left trying to juggle both taking photos and also ringing the bell, both of which I did badly. I might upload some of the photos later if any of them are anything other than a blurred and rain-speckled mess. My daughter just yelled enthusiasm from the relative comfort of the car and occasionally blew her trumpet out the window, that seemed to raise a smile from some of the less shattered looking riders on the climb.

doozerie

Hey buffalo, were you racing today? Yelling for you was the prime motivation for my daughter being there (she'd happily have stayed at home in her pyjamas instead - life as a 4yr old absolutely rocks!). I wasn't sure if you were in the main bunch that went past, neither of us spotted you if so.

For the first 10 minutes of the drive home all I heard was "I didn't see <buffalo>. I'm sad that I didn't see him". And when I showed her the results you posted above just now, which I described as a list of the riders that got points, the first question she asked was "Did <buffalo> get points?". She should be a coach, she has something that no adult coach has - a stock of doe-eyed disappointed facial expressions that would guilt improved performances out of the hardest of hearts

Max_Charger

Was Dunbar only allowed junior gearing today?

Pawlie

Max_Charger wrote: »

Was Dunbar only allowed junior gearing today?

I'm almost sure that's all he is allowed to use until next year

Max_Charger

Pawlie wrote: »

I'm almost sure that's all he is allowed to use until next year

If that's the case his result today is incredible tbh.

Plastik

He had dispensation to ride the main event along with about five or six others that CyclingIreland requested. Stephen Shanahan in 9th was also on that list. There's no change to the gearing though and they're stuck with a 14 as the biggest they can turn on the rear.

The A3 was as hard as I was expecting it to be. I was with the main bunch turning on to the Elliott but I had to ride it at a pace that would see me to the top and through the 35km afterwards. Picked up a few, dropped a few, and the last gap I got we were 3 from the front and 1 from the next group on the road. Disappointing not to have finished a little further up but the legs from the start didn't feel particularly spritely.

I'm trying to think of a word for the A3 course, and as someone said earlier, sensational sums it up nicely. It has absolutely everything. The miserable weather just added to the pleasure of getting it done!

Thanks to everyone that turned up! We thought the A3 might have been a little better supported than it was but there was still a good size field. Given the weather predictions I'm not massively surprised that some guys chose not to race.

Plastik

Full results of all races http://www.stickybottle.com/races-results/full-results-for-all-races-at-the-shay-elliott-memorial-promoted-by-bray-wheelers/

buffalo

doozerie wrote: »

Hey buffalo, were you racing today? Yelling for you was the prime motivation for my daughter being there (she'd happily have stayed at home in her pyjamas instead - life as a 4yr old absolutely rocks!). I wasn't sure if you were in the main bunch that went past, neither of us spotted you if so.

I'm still in recovery mode - need a bit more at the moment, but am planning to race tomorrow. Hoping all the big guns will have caught hypothermia from today, and I'll waltz to the win. Easy, right?

smurphy29

Epic racing. A great route, foul conditions, one killer climb and some super-fast descending. These selective races tell you exactly where you are, and for me it played out pretty much the same as Nenagh; a group of five or so starlets, another group of 10 or so and then me in the next group; this time there were about 10 of us together. It's all about working hard to get to the level where I can make the next group up.

Surprisingly small peloton; perhaps everyone was exhausted after last weekend? Anyway, it was sort of nice to be in a less than huge peloton and found it easier to hold position. Got to the turn for the Shay in the first 10, which was the plan, but didn't have the legs to stay there.

It felt like a wipe-out was inevitable on the serpentine descent to Rathdrum. I gather with the climb out of the village a handful of riders never got back on.

Chapeau to Bray for such a great spread. I know the Orwell Randonee carrot cake gets talked about in a kind of hushed awe, but there's a new sheriff in town...

manwithaplan

Very tough day alright but the racing was too lively to worry about the conditions. After being active for the first 35k, I got away with two others just after Rathdrum. We were caught by a couple of juniors just at the turn onto the Elliott. I couldn't hold Daire Feely's wheel going up so climbed away with one other lad behind him. I was passed by another couple of juniors and then maybe three others on the way up. Was about 7th going over the top.

Hammered it down but ended up in the second group on the road which swelled to 10 or so. We never saw the first five again. After a very sketchy gravelly descent somewhere or other, it turned out we were only about a kilometre from the finish. I now know this but had no clue at the time (I wasn't the only one - some lad from Blarney who had just done a brilliant descent and could have pushed on sat up and waited for us). Started moving up too late but probably wouldn't have made the points anyway. Just outside the top ten overall - I'll claim an imaginary first vet prize.

Great day on a bike and a brilliant show by Bray Wheelers.

Chips Lovell

Thanks to Bray Wheelers for putting on such an amazing race. It takes a serious amount of manpower to stage something like this but despite the challenge, it was an impeccably run and marshalled event.

Even the rain made it feel that bit more epic.