The planning for the North Down Grand Prix incorporating the Northern Ireland Championships and sponsored by no less than the world’s biggest online bike shop – Chain Reaction Cycles are well advanced. North Down Borough Council will also be providing support to this prestigious event and will undoubtedly be one of the biggest event on the Northern Ireland cycling calendar for 2012.
The racing takes place on 20th May and as has been the case in recent years, the North Down Grand Prix will provide racing for all age groups from under 14 to over 50’s with racing for male and female riders. The course again will be the Groomsport / Springwell circuit and with over £1500 in prize money this will be an event not to be missed.
Further details will be provided closer to the event, but the programme of racing will be:
Morning: 10.00am
U16’s Race – approx 24 miles
Over 50’s Race – approx 24 miles
U14’s Race – approx 19 miles
Afternoon: 12:00
A1’s, A2’s & A3’s – approx 74 miles
A4’s Race – approx 42 miles
Women’s Race – approx 26 miles
Given the dominant form of our riders over previous months it looks like the bulk of the prize money (and trophys) might not leave the North Down area!
UCI Elite Women’s Time Trial
BGN Sports Management are proposing to organise a UCI Elite Women’s Time Trial on Sunday 13 May 2012, the Celtic Chrono. The event has currently secured a place on the UCI International Calendar and will be based in Belfast. It will be the only pre-Olympic event held in Northern Ireland. The main purpose of the event is to address the imbalance currently in Ireland whereas there are currently no UCI events for women on the road in Ireland.
This is the first year of the event and there is every intention that it will become an annual event with the possibility to extend to include a road race. The event will be organized for Elite Women only; the aim is to promote a Pre-Olympic Elite Women Time Trial; this event will have 55 professional women competing in Belfast for Olympic qualifying points, with at least 70% of the riders being foreign.
The top 25 names in the world of female cycling will be invited. The race distance will be approximately 22 mile / 35 km. The race will start and finish within the grounds of Stormont Estate, providing a world class sporting attraction for the local Belfast City Council area.
Obviously not all our female riders will be participating at this event so if any North Down riders are free on the day than the organisers have asked for assistance at marshalling this prestigious event.
A Volunteer register is in the process of being developed for the event and if you are interested in partaking as a Volunteer in the event please contact the organisers at the following email address: kts.gaston@ulster.ac.uk or contact them on Mobile: 07891319140
Racing News
At the weekend four of our A4 riders were competing at Tobermore – Cliff Blayney, Keith Millar, Brian Simpson & Peter Doggart – racing in the “B” race of the Carn Classic road race The guys all rode well and in the bunch race for the line Brian Simpson gave Cliff an excellent lead-out allowing him to take the sprint for 1st place. Keith placed an excellent 7th and both Brian & Peter finished well up in the bunch.
Clifford Blayney
Novice and Children’s Rides
The new season Novice & Kids Rides start Saturday 31st March. The Club has already drawn up an escort rota for the first two months of these rides but hopes that other club members will make themselves available to help out on at least one Saturday of the season.
Noel Boyce will be holding a short meeting in the clubroom on Friday evening at 7.30pm for all those who will be escorting the kids rides at anytime throughout the season. The club would also ask any parents who intend to help out on this ride or send their kids to it to attend. This is a safety briefing to ensure the rides are well marshalled and are as safe as possible.