Swenarton Wins Silver in Ulster Championship
A few weeks ago it was predicted in this column that North Down’s Cycling Club’s Craig Swenarton could look forward to a great year in the saddle. Craig only came into the sport last year and he achieved immediate success on the track. He put in together a great training regime over the winter with the intentions of competing in road races and time trials as well, and his dedication is already beginning to pay off.
Youth Cyclists Excel
The past weekend was a busy one for the young cyclists of North Down. The club’s leading female competitor, Rachael Mitchell, who races in the under 14 category, was racing in the difficult Manx Youth Tour. This demanding event is part of the British Series and attracts the cream of British cyclists. In the Prologue Time Trial, Rachael was a very creditable 15th and in the very tough road stage which followed she was 20th.
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Majorcan Sunshine!
Tales of rain and cold weather in early April from cyclists returning from training camps in Majorca had been sending shivers down the spines of the North Down riders who were getting ready for their annual trip to the island at the end of the month. They need not have worried, their arrival just happening to coincide with the first decent week's weather this spring. Based at the excellent Club Pollentia, near Alcudia, for the second successive year, the group took full advantage of the warm, sunny weather to pile on the miles.
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| POSITION | NAME | TIME | SPEED |
| 1 | Paul Swenarton | 23 22 | 25.68 |
| 2 | Declan McMackin | 23 35 | 25.44 |
| 3 | Paul Ferguson | 24 44 | 24.26 |
| 4 | John Hunter | 25 25 | 23.61 |
| 5 | William Barclay | 25 51 | 23.21 |
| 6 | Noel Boyce | 26 18 | 22.81 |
| 7 | Owen Parkes | 26 21 | 22.77 |
| 8 | Gary Swenarton | 27 6 | 22.14 |
| 9 | Phillip Downey | 27 15 | 22.02 |
| 10 | Craig Swenarton | 27 20 | 21.95 |
| 11 | Brian Simpson | 27 42 | 21.66 |
| 12 | Jessica Laird | 27 56 | 21.48 |
| Stephen Bingham | 27 56 | 21.48 | |
| 13 | Glenn Jordan | 28 0 | 21.43 |
| 14 | Ciaran Andrews | 28 11 | 21.29 |
| 15 | Tim Johnston | 28 20 | 21.18 |
| 16 | Lowell McCreadie | 29 45 | 20.17 |
| 17 | Ricky Blayney | 30 37 | 19.60 |
Conditions – for those taking part – tough head wind on the way back;
– for those watching – perfectly calm sunny spring evening
Henry Soloes To Victory
On Saturday last Regent House schoolboy, Stuart Henry scored an emphatic victory when he soloed to victory in the notoriously difficult Dromore Race. This was the third in the national selection road races for this year’s Youth Olympics in Belgrade and with three places in the first three he now seems certain to at least make it into the short-list of six who will travel to Belgium in May for a series of events to determine the final team of three.
Stuart Henry
Youth Cyclists’ Successes
In her first road race of the season young North Down cyclist, Rachael Mitchell, recorded an excellent second place in the Cicli Grand Prix at Cookstown. Competing in the under fourteen category Rachael was up against Irish Youth Champion, Jack Wilson so it was little surprise that the Newtownabbey rider would, on this occasion, take the laurels. Nevertheless, this was a very satisfactory start to the season and one which must give the Newtownards girl great confidence.
Results
Jack Wilson(East Antrim CC)
2nd-Rachel Mitchell(North Down)
3rd-Rachael Withers(Fintona CC)
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