Date: Saturday 12 January 2019
Event: National Youth Cyclo-cross Championships 2019
Location: Fota House and Gardens
Host club: De Ronde van Cork
Host club De Ronde van Cork has pulled out all the stops to put on a top class national championship. Saturday 12 January 2019 was the Youth National Championships for the Under 14s and 16s. The day started with a full complement of youth support races from the Under 6s to the Under 12s. The Under 6s to Under 10s used a mini course through the trees beside the finish line. The Under 12s took on a half lap of the main course. All competitors in the support races received a medal.
At noon the first of the Youth National Championship races took place with the Under 16 girls, followed one minute later by the Under 14 girls. They both took on 3 laps of the full course. There was a close battle in the Under 16 girls’ race between club mates Caoimhe May and Annie Roche (Scott Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) with Caoimhe pulling away to take the win. Annie finished second with Erin Creighton (McConvey Cycles) third. Aine Doherty (VC Glendale) has dominated the Under 14 girls racing this season and put on another fine display which would have made her top 3 in the Under 16 girls’ race. Behind Aine the race for second was between Phoenix club riders Cara Moffitt and Lucy Brown with Cara finishing a minute ahead of Lucy at the line.
At 12:45 it was the turn of the Under 16 and Under 14 boys with a gap of one minute between starting whistles. Great racing across all categories. As expected Darren Rafferty (Island Wheelers) put on a blistering display of cycling in the Under 16 boys’ race to take the win. The real race was for second and it was a close battle between Dean Harvey (VC Glendale) and David McCarthy (MBCC) with David taking second place by just 5 seconds over Dean. In the Under 14 boys’ race Shane Scullion (Island Wheelers) had to get everything right to ensure he stayed ahead of Ryan Fox (Scott Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) who was chasing hard. Shane kept his cool to take the win with Ryan second and Travis Harkness (Carn Wheelers) third.
The racing today was a great testament to the great work these young riders have put into the discipline of cyclo-cross. Future stars.
Commissaires: Richard O’Gorman, Anthony Keneally and Martin Grimley
Report by Martin Grimley
Result here.
Photos
De Ronde van Cork (Facebook) – here
