• Can’t say enough about this bunch of lads. They are a credit to their parents. Polite, friendly and with a wicked sense of humour, they are great fun to be with and we’re very proud of them.
• Well done also to Becky Heaney from SERC who I think was the only other local participant. Becky is in great form and was recently selected for the womens 2020 talent team. Just realised Odhran Stynes from Wexford Wheelers, another talented U14, was also competing.

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• Other news: Trying to arrange a committee meeting for next thursday evening with the Mount Leinster Challenge the main item on the agenda. Venue to be confirmed. Can all committee members please attend.
• Liam Bennett TT League round 3 takes place on tuesday event. Approx 15km event starts at Holmestown at 6.30pm
• If anyone fancies some indoor training and raising some serious sweat my mother is organising a céilí at the Riverside Park Hotel next wednesday at 8pm. Proceeds to the South East Radiotherapy Trust.
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• Barrow Wheelers 100/150/200km Sportive takes place next Sunday April 29th at 8/9am depending on distance.
• Some more nostaglia. Thanks to Murt Doyle for these. I Might open a separate page for these as I have plenty more to scan if people have an interest in seeing them??
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Slaney CC are delighted to have Kenny’s for Bikes as sponsors of the Novice/A4/Underage league

Our first A4/Novice league race got off to a great start with 48 adults and 12 underage riders signing on. Victory went to Barrow Wheelers Emmett Ronan with Elliott Young (Slaney) and Adam Thatcher (Slaney) winning the underage races. Many thanks to everyone who made such an effort to make the event a success and to the riders who supported it. We’ll do it all again in a fortnight! Some pictures up on my pix site now http://pix.ie/liamr

Results: 1st Emmett Ronan, Barrow Wheelers; 2nd David O’Connell, Slaney CC; 3rd Stephen Duggan, Wexford Wheelers; 4th Mick Barron, Marble City Cyclers; 5th Robert Roche, Wexford Wheelers; 6th Denis O’Brien, Barrow Wheelers.  

Underage 2 lap race: 1st Adam Thatcher, 2nd Ryan Byrne, 3rd Fionn Jordan, 4th Reece Young, 5th Billy Cooney (all Slaney CC)

Underage 1 lap race: 1st Elliott Young, Slaney, 2nd Marc Thatcher, Slaney, 3rd Charlie O’Hagen, Slaney,  4th David Nolan SERC, 5th Ross Evans SERC 6th Conor Ruth, Slaney, 7th Ruairi Carton 

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The 2012 Slaney Novice /A4 league commences next Tuesday evening with a road race on the DAVIDSTOWN CIRCUIT. Sign on from 6.15pm. Sign on will close at 6.40pm sharp to get races off on time. First race off at 6.50pm. Format like last year underage off first, than a handicapped novice and A4 race. As previously race is open to licenced (Club or Full) members of Barrow Wheelers, SERC, Slipstream, Slaney, Wexford Wheelers and Marble City Cyclers.

Lead cars & marshalls – we will not run the races unless we have sufficent marshalls to ensure the safety of our riders especially our underage so please ensure we have a good turn out of club members to help. If you are not racing or are barred from competing by your amazing cycling ability (!) come along and help run the event. This years races are fortnightly so we’re only looking for a couple of hours of your time each month.

As you know there is limited parking so keep well in off the road and don’t block residents entrances. In particular if you need to take a ‘natural’ break go find an empty field. We had serious complaints last year about riders using a residential driveway in view of local children. This is unacceptable and will result in the loss of a great circuit if it happens again.

Slaney’s Adam Thatcher pictured at the press launch for FBDs sponsorship of Cycling Irelands Talent Team 2020 today in Dublin. At 13 Adam is one of the youngest of a great crop of 16 underage riders chosen for the team. The plan is to develop their talents with quality coaching and mentoring, help them progress in the sport and maybe even produce some medals at Olympics 2020! (And if that happens we can all claim credit and say it all started when he was a 8 or 9 year old coming out with us on the Sunday tours!) The next big target for the Slaney underage team is the Rás na nÓg 2 day in Drogheda where Adam, Fionn Jordan, Ryan Byrne, Reece Young and Elliott Young will represent the club.

Looking for two good sportives in the next few weeks?? Look no further…

The 2012 Slaney Novice /A4 league commences next Tuesday evening on the Davidstown Circuit. Format like last year underage off first, than a handicapped novice and A4 race. More details over the weekend.

Lead cars & marshalls - we will not run the races unless we have sufficent marshalls to ensure the safety of our riders especially our underage so please ensure we have a good turn out of club members to help. If you are not racing or are barred from competing by your amazing cycling ability (!) come along and help run the event. This years races at fortnightly so we’re only looking for a couple of hours of your time each month.

Well done to the entire Slaney team who had a great weekend at the Gorey 3 day. Guest rider Paul Flynn took 3rd and 8th place stage finishes and leapt to 5th overall on final GC. Murt Doyle finished 9th in the stage 2 TT. Mike McLean came into the race on anti biotics and with low expectations and did a great TT and finished comfortably high in the bunch each day. Mark Driver was hardly able to walk over the weekend with a hip problem that required a vist to a spinologist on Friday evening but rode strongly each day and finished in the bunch today despite an early puncture. Shane Kelly was unluckiest rider of the week with a broken spoke on Kilcavan hill and a puncture near Poulaphouca today meaning he dropped time on both stages while riding really well. Pat Dobbs rode tirelessly in support of his teammates while Dan Szczech rode well until illness forced him out on stage 3. The strong performance had the team in 4th place until todays breakaway upset the GC and sent us down to 7th.

It wsa great to see so many Wexford riders in the mix over the weekend and special mention to Luke Maguire WW who had a great finish on Saturday and who crashed yesterday and also John Maguire SERC who also hit the deck on Saturday.

Pictures of Sundays stage here http://pix.ie/liamr/album/438045

The team had great support from team manager Stephen Kelly, Alex Williams, Ken Blanche, Rita Dempsey &  Mick Byrne. Thanks to Gerry Hanratty & Derek Webb from SERC who came to our rescue with transport and also Dave Maguire who offered assitance. Thanks to anyone who supported the team from the roadside and especially underage riders Elliott and Reece Young who cycled from Arklow each day to support the team.      

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Murt, Paul and Mick were our best finishers today. Murt is now 5th in A3 category standings at 17secs, team is joint 7th @ 31secs – all to play for in tomorrows TT. Shane was unlucky to break a spoke and needed a wheel change with the pace up on Kilcavan hill, Pat and Dan were caught behind an early pile up and struggled to get back on while Mark continues to ride thru the pain barrier with treatment required on an injured hip. Thanks to Stephen and Alex in service car, Ken for massage and bottles and Ryan & Conor for keeping me company!  

Post a few finish pictures on http://pix.ie/LiamR

Many thanks to Derek Webb and Gerry Hanratty from SERC who have saved our bacon with the transportation problem today. Much appreciated. Like last year Derek has extended an open invitation to Slaney, Barrow & Wexford to use his house as a base between stage 2 & 3 rather than drive home or be hanging around. (He’s a brave man…)

• We still need one more car or van for Saturday morning…..also looking to borrow a large gilet for the weekend
• Gorey 3 Day Plan: Meeting at Amber Springs Hotel car park Saturday morning to be gone by 8.30am and head up to Blessington from there. Stephen Kelly and I will have cars but we need one more vehicle as we have 6 riders, their bikes and gear to transport.  We’ll sort out the rest of the weekend from there. Sunday usually no problem but will also need cars on Monday. (I won’t be available on Monday)
• Riders – usual drill, bring bikes, spare wheels, gear bag to Gorey and we’ll get them loaded. One car will head back to be at the finish with jackets, bags etc when you get in. Make sure  to pack everything you need but don’t bring the kitchen sink.
• Finally, best of luck to our team of Shane Kelly, Murt Doyle, Micheal McLean, Dan Szczech. Mark Driver, Pat Dobbs & our guest rider Paul Flynn. Best of luck also to Wexford Wheelers, Barrow Wheelers, SERC and Slipstream who all have riders competing.   

With the Gorey 3 day upon us again transport yourselves back to 1985…. Wexford team of Eddie Toibin, Aidan Nolan, Mark Gurhy, David O’Neill, Robert Whitty & Stephen Kelly with Jim Allen as manager. Eddie Tobin finished 5th overall and the Wexford team 3rd. Those were the days!

Can anyone free to help service/transport riders for this years Gorey let us know by the weekend? I’m away on the Monday but am available on Saturday & Sunday. Riders to be brought to Dublin on Saturday morning and back to Gorey on Monday. Many thanks to Frank Dunne who is looking after the Rás Mumhan crew.

More memories from 1983-85….

Liam Bennett TT League: The first round of the Liam Bennett TT league starts tomorrow evening Tuesday with a TT from Oylegate to Ferrycarrig. Sign on from 6pm. Remember there is no underage section. There will be a separate underage TT on April10th.

Results from the TT are available on http://www.wexfordwheelers.com/ Well done to Davy Walsh who put in a great winning time of 8.49 to win and to the only other Slaney participant Mick Foley. Don’t worry Mick, you only need to improve by 3 minutes to match Davy next week! A few newer members have asked me about Liam Bennett. Well he was an absolute gentleman, one of Wexfords outstanding hurlers and a great cyclist too. This article is a great reflection on the man. 

Don’t forget SERC’s Three Peaks Challenge takes place next Sunday. If you are not riding the Three Peaks or racing next weekend we’re still looking for volunteers to do some on the bike marshalling at the Hope & Dreams 10mile run. 

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Slaney riders were out in force in the sunshine this weekend. On Saturday the event was the Lucan GP. As can be seen from the pictures Slaney were to the fore with Davy Walsh and Frank Dunne in the A1/2 event and David Dempsey and Patrick Dobbs in the A4. Both Davy and Patrick finished 7th in their respective races.

On Sunday the venue was Carlow for the hardest race of the season the Des Hanlon Memorial. Alan Galavan and Conchubhar O Crualaoich started the A1/2, Murt Doyle, Paul Bolger & Micheal McLean the A3 and Ger Leacy, Bill Jordan, Tom Lucas, Patrick Dobbs and John Dobbs the A4. (Hope I have everyone!). Murt was best rider of the day, sitting comfortably in the first group all day and taking about 12th place in the mass sprint. Paul Bolger finished just off this group. Bill Jordan was best finisher in the A4 race with Ger Leacy unlucky to break a spoke and forced out. A big crash at the end of the A4 saw several riders taken to hospital included Wexfords Ben Delaney – get well soon!

Finally Ken Blanche and Willie McDonald rode the first IVCA veta race of the year with Ken finishing in the top 6 and Paul Nolan and Mylie Kavanagh led a good sized tour to Wexford, Curracloe, Oulart and home.

Looks like the two Ann’s got a certificate and a man each in Ballymurphy……!! Thanks to Gowlin CC’s Tom Doran for the photo’s. 

Entry is now open for the 2012 Mount Leinster Challenge. Like last year numbers taking part will be limited to 300 riders. There will be no entry on the day. Entry will be closed when we hit 300 so we advise early registration to avoid disappointment as we were closed entry up about a fortnight before last years event. The online entry is secure and remains unchanged at €25 (plus a handling fee) for Cycling Ireland members or €28.00 (plus fee)  for Non – Cycling Ireland members who also require a one day licence. Check the Mount Leinster Challenge page for further updates. ( NOTE: Slaney members – Do not use the online entry system, keep the 300 spaces available for visitors. ) 

ENTER HERE : http://precisiontiming.primo-solutions.co.uk/ps/event/MountLeinsterChallenge2012

One area the clubs are adament about is the issue of licences. There is a strict rule to the interclub racing leagues that you must possess a valid 2012 Cycling Ireland licence – minimum club competition licence – or you will not be allowed race. This applies to all events so if you haven’t a licence yet get it sorted now.

Interclub Events Calendar 2012