Time Trial Champions.
Shimna Wheelers have topped the Inter Club Time Trial series to retain the title for the second year in a row. Over the course of the series 29 club members have towed the line to compete in the race of truth and take the Club to the top writes Mark Rafferty.
However no race would have started if it weren’t for the volunteers and marshals who gave up their Tuesday nights to stand out in all manners of weather conditions. Thanks to everyone for their help and support.
They often say that you should save the best for last so it was appropriate that the County Down Hill Climb Championship was the final race in the series.
And what a race it was to finish the series. The Hill Climb finished at the highest point on a public road in Northern Ireland, the Slievenaman Road above the Spelga Dam. As if that wasn’t a tough enough challenge Mother Nature decided to show her ugly face and offer up a wet and windy deluge for the riders!
On the night it was our very own Wheeler, Stevie Cunningham, who arrived atop of the hill first in an impressive time of 30:10. Hot on his tail was Adrian Kinley who has raced strong all year, consistently finishing in the top 3. The third Wheeler home fresh from his Top of Mourne triathlon demolition was the ever improving Damien McDaid!
Within the Inter Club series there was a separate Club League. The winner of the Club League was Adrian Kinley followed closely by Stevie Cunningham with Johnny Ward in third place.
Over the series guest clubs and riders have been welcomed to join the Time Trials. It was a guest rider who blew the Hill Climb apart with a truly outstanding result. Lindsay Watson has enjoyed a successful year road racing around Ireland and took his form through to the Hill Climb posting a time of 26:57 which was almost 2 minutes ahead of the next rider!
The series has now ran successfully for 3 years and a number of guest riders from various local clubs have entered. The aim for next year is to increase the number of clubs within the series to add further spice, challenge and variety.
On a closing and jovial note the Wedding Ring turned up. Lord of the rings can explain and no doubt our good friend Danny will be buying a few beers for his helpers.
