Covey League 2013 – RD 3 Results

Below are the results from Wednesday evenings Covey Wheelers Club League Round 3.

A big thanks to all the volunteers and marshals who gave their time to help out.

Race reports were submitted by the race winners.

Group 1 Race Report
The race started off fast into the railway bridge bend and settled into a fast chain gang rhythm shortly afterwards which was assisted by a tailwind. At the front of the ground were Michael, Keith, Mike F, Pat Joe and Ollie working hard going out the road.

Once we hit the Srah Loop, riders started to get tetchy and a few jumps were happening but nothing was sticking. As we turned at Srah school Keith made a solo break and I followed but with such a strong and equally matched field nobody was going to get away that easy.

We made our way back onto the main road and the race had become a start / stop affair with mad bursts of speed following the breaks, which were inevitably getting caught and then every one sitting up looking at each other. With a multiple of jumps happening (into a tough headwind), one was bound to stick and a few riders formed a small group including Michael, Mike F, Pat Joe, Anthony and Achlinn and the gap grew whilst the main bunch were admiring each other’s legs.

As the gap widened out to maybe 20 / 30 seconds the group behind started to become concerned and an orderly chain gang was formed which slowly pulled back the break. Keith immediately launched another attack at Digger Js and stayed away for a few KM but it was all brought back together again.

As the final run in approached it was shaping up for another sprint finish; out of the railway bridge Pat Joe, Keith, Ollie and Ger amongst others were leading it out and in a very tight finish I managed to get up enough and take the line by no more than the width of tyre, ahead of Ger with Michael finishing a close third.

Good race with no casualties and some suggestions afterwards that a few hills would spice things up for the next race!………………

1st Colm Staunton– 5pts
2nd Ger Corcoran – 4pts
3rd Micheal Brady– 3pts
4th Patjoe O Connell – 2pts

Group 2 Race Report
Group 2 took off with the wind on our backs. Unfortunately Brendan Conway’s chain broke. 1st for group 2 was Damien Gannon and Joe Browne 2nd. Noreen O Toole put in a great performance on the night.

1st Damian Gannon – 5pts
2nd Joe Browne – 4pts
3rd Sean McLoughlin – 3pts
4th Sean Hastings – 2pts

Group 3 Race Report
On a nice fresh evening for racing with a nice stiff breeze on our backs going out,the race started fast with 32-35k going out. A few small jumps were made by some of the younger guys in the group but nothing became of them. All the group stayed tight with Sean o Boyle, Michael Needham, Ann Marie Egan, and others doing a lot of work up front, nobody was making a move and it was clear that it would be a sprint finish, at the turn under the bridge Michael Needham made a break and finished strong with a few lengths to spare, a good nights racing and all home in good shape!!!

1st Michael Needham – 5pts
2nd John Lenehan – 4pts
3rd Declan Maloney– 3pts
4th Ray Staunton– 2pts

Group 4 Race Report

Group 4 consisted of only 4 riders ( Paul Reynolds, Martin Nee, Eoghan Carr & Siobhan O Malley) with two juniors who tagged along.

The bunch of 6 held together for most of the first half of the race with an average speed of 37 kmph assisted by the tailwind. Eoghan Carr made a break for a short time about 1 mile from the Srah turn off. Siobhan bridged the gap to catch Eoghan and the group came back together again.

Heading back to Westport, the headwind started to take its toll especially on the junior riders who lost the group and fell back just before Killawalla. The main four worked well together to get back to Westport and things really only took off when Siobhan O Malley made a surprise attack on the descent down to the railway bridge. She swung wide on the bend under the bridge losing momentum and was quickly overtaken by Martin Nee who took up the sprint to the finish chased by Eoghan Carr & Paul Reynolds. Martin Nee led the all the way up the straight but leaving it to the last second Eoghan Carr managed to just pip Martin on the finishing line to take the win. Paul Reynolds took third just a few metres off the pace with Siobhan in fourth.

1st Eoghan Carr – 5pts
2nd Martin Nee – 4pts
3rd Paul Reynolds – 3pts
4th Siobhan O’Malley – 2pts

Below is the League table so far, based on the Results from the first 3 rounds.

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