National Track Championships 30/31 August

Beasty

See one or two boardsies on the entry list for this weekend at Sundrive - good luck to everyone

It would appear that a few of the vets excluded on a technicality last year have registered as Seniors this year to allow them to participate

Also see Mr Irvine has found his way onto the entry list (wasn't there first time I looked)

I'll hopefully be down there at some stage over the weekend to cheer on a set of my wheels (won't say who has them unless they bring back a medal or two!!) - There should be some great racing and I would encourage people to head over to check it out. The action is always fast and furious, and everyone can see everything that's going on at a track event

dave_o_brien

Caroline Ryan isn't down for the pursuit?

colm_gti

I was feeling moderately hopeful about finishing the scratch without getting lapped until I spotted Martyn Irvine's late entry this morning

Ah well, it'll be cool to line up next to him on the start line anyway!

Harrybelafonte

colm_gti wrote: »

I was feeling moderately hopeful about finishing the scratch without getting lapped until I spotted Martyn Irvine's late entry this morning

Ah well, it'll be cool to line up next to him on the start line anyway!

They had him as my pursuit opponent last year til I freaked out and it was changed.

Beasty

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

They had him as my pursuit opponent last year til I freaked out and it was changed.

They obviously think highly of you as they are supposed to match you up with someone of similar ability, with only the top 2 seeds being separated, which would usually avoid a repeat of the qualifying round in the final. The fastest normally goes against the 4th fastest - what I don't know for certain is whether Martyn was no 1 or no 4:pac:

kumate_champ07

why isnt Ryan Mullen racing?

Beasty

The entry list I linked to above is now in seeding order - no pressure there Harry ....:D

kumate_champ07

cant wait for this, Im probably least prepared since my first season but somehow feel confident to go faster than last season!

have never done a timed 1km tt, not trained for that this year either so will be visiting a world of pain I haven't been too in a while


anyone know the average speed of the scratch? is it close to A league races? also is it 15km??

Beasty

Maximum distance in the technical rules is 15km, and I'm pretty sure that's the distance they will run in the men's race - possibly 10km in the women's

Bear in mind there will be a few very high quality riders that don't do the track league. Although the distance will be a bit longer than track league scratch races, I would imagine one or two will push on to break up the group, then Mr Irvine will head off with a couple of laps to go ....

Beasty

I would add that there are 26 signed onto the scratch race, so it's going to be a very large group (many more and they would probably have had to run heats). Some guys are definitely going to want to reduce the size of that group. Of course, there should be no "collusion", and anyone trying to break it up on their own is likely to suffer later on. I would guess therefore that the "big boys" may think it's going to be in all their best interests to try and break it up - That's the way it worked out last year with a group of 4 - Martyn Irvine, Javan Nulty, John Lynch and Ian Inglis - making a break. Inglis went for it with a few laps to go but was then swallowed up by the other 3 who took the 3 medals

eeeee

Caroline Ryan, Lydia Boylan and the usual scary fast women…:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: I just hope I don't get lapped too bad :pac: :pac:

ETA that should be too many times! :pac:

nak

Good luck to everyone racing.

Beasty

Got there towarsd the end of teh pursuit qualification to discover gadetra was heading to hospital after a nasty fall in the warm-up. Hope it's not too painful and you recover quickly gadetra

Susie Mitchell beat Orla Hendron in the final of teh women's pursuit


Javan Nulty took his first ever national title in the mens event

eeeee

Just an update on me. I'm fine, I dislocated my shoulder and broke my collar bone in the warm up, so no nationals for me Really disappointed, I was really looking forward to the pursuit. Basically have to wait until Tuesday week to sort out getting it pinned. It's still sticking out quite a lot (one end is sticking out and overlapping the other, it's displaced) but didn't break the skin thank god. I'm hoping to get back to it before track training finishes in October.

I just wanted to say a huge, massive THANK YOU to everyone who helped me out yesterday, you looked after me so well. The track community are awesome, I have been inundated with messages of support and tips and help, thank you all so very, very much. You're all awesome

Can't wait to see how the 500 and women's scratch goes today. It's gonna be tight at the top, and the mens also. I think Caroline Ryan, Lydia Boylan, Eoin Mullen again and Martin Irvine have lined out today. Exciting stuff!

Harrybelafonte

Bloody hell. Hope recovery is quick.

No Caroline Ryan nor Martyn Irvine today. All races good today and some strong showings tbh.

eeeee

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Bloody hell. Hope recovery is quick.

No Caroline Ryan nor Martyn Irvine today. All races good today and some strong showings tbh.

Oh exciting. How'd the women's scratch go?

Beasty

Lydia then Susie with Orla third

Harrybelafonte

Beasty wrote: »

Lydia then Susie with Orla third

Pretty exciting race, where Orla was dropped by the first two, out on her own for a few laps, caught by two more and still managed to sprint to third. Well deserved placing.

@Gadetra: SL did well in the scratch. She held on for a commendable amount of time. I get the feeling there's a lot more to come from her.

@Beasty: Any photos?

colm_gti

Excellent weekend, thanks to all involved!

Beasty

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

@Beasty: Any photos?

Will be uploading later, but exhaustion set in this afternoon and I've only just got out of bed:eek:

Beasty

Massive imnprovement in the weather today prompting Harry to offer me some suncream when he saw the colour my head was going.

I didn't get there until after the Kieren, which was won by Terry Mackin, and the Women's TT, won by Lydia Boylan.

Mens Kilo was won by Eoin Mullen in a time of 1:07


Then onto the womens scratch, with Lydia again taking the gold, from Susie Mitchell and Orla Hendron


Final event of the day was the Mens scratch won by John Lynch from Javan Nulty. They were still examining the video evidence to determine 3rd place when I had to make a rapid departure, although it looks as if it may have been a dead heat based on another photo I have seen of the medal ceremony

Harrybelafonte

Yes, it was a dead heat in the end between Darragh Zaidan and Murt Rice.

It was another record by Eoin, and in drops rather than skis which'll show you how much power he has. Most of us hit the finish line leaving the gates in 9/10 seconds he had 7. So had three seconds on everyone in the first few hundred meteres.

Beasty

Full results now available here

colm_gti

I came 9th in the scratch, not Dave Peelo