Club League 2015

Hi everyone,
We're now accepting entries for the 2015 Club League. The registration deadline is Saturday February 28, so if want to take part, be sure to get your entry in before then. You can pay your entry fee along with your 2015 club membership fee or, if you've already joined for the year, you can make a separate payment of the €30 league fee.

What's the club league?
The club league is a series of races for Orwell Members run mostly on Thursday evenings during the spring and summer months. The league is one of the best routes into racing. The races are run on quiet circuits, involve smaller bunches and it gives newcomers a chance to find their feet in a less intimidating environment. It's a great competition and has a nice, sociable atmosphere since a lot of club members will ride out and back from races together. The race programme is fairly varied and we have a mix of criteriums, road races and time trials.

Entry requirements
There's a couple of very important steps you'll need to take in order to take part:

1. Get your entry in before February 28.
2. Have a Cycling Ireland Limited Competition or Open Competition Licence. If you've already got a Non-Competition Licence, you can change you licence online at the Cycling Ireland website and paying the difference in fees. If you have an IVCA Licence, that will cover you too.
3. Complete the compulsory marshaling training course (more details below). This applies to all racers, both new and returning.
4. Marshal two races. All league members will need to marshal two races and, if they can't make an allotted night, organise a replacement.

New for 2015

• Marshal training. We'll be running a marshaling training course before the league gets going. Attendance is mandatory. We plan to run it twice, one two different nights in March. This means anyone who can't make one date should be able to attend on the other.
• Racing two nights a week for Rounds 2, 3 and 4. Following the opening time trial we usually run the next three rounds as criteriums in Corkagh Park. The shorter evenings in April meant races tended to be quite short, so this year we'll be running the Limit/Semi-Limit race on Wednesday night and the Scratch/Semi-Scratch race on Thursday night.
• New Circuits. We hope to trial two new circuits in the Blessington area in 2015. If they work, they may become regular fixtures on the calendar.
• Two Sally Gap races. By popular demand we plan to have have not one, but two faces finishing on top of the Sally Gap this year (weather permitting). For the second race, expect to cover some punishing terrain before you even turn on to the Gap.

Marshaling
This is very important to note, since sometimes newcomers don't realise what's involved. The league is run by a team of volunteers from the club, but the races can't be run unless every league participant does their bit and marshals two races. By signing up to the league, you're agreeing to fulfill two night's marshaling. Not showing up causes serious problems for your clubmates. Races either get cancelled or someone else has to give up their race to replace you.

If you can't make an allotted night, you can use the club forum to organise a swap with someone else. Most of the time, you'll find someone else looking to change. If you can't find a replacement, then you'll to ask a friend to do you a favour and fill in. If something comes up at short notice, please do try to text or email the race organisers and let them know you're not going to be there.

If you miss a marshaling slot, you'll be suspended from the league and have to apply to the committee for readmission.

Newcomers
If you're new to racing and considering doing the league, I'll be running an Introduction to Club League Racing session in Corkagh Park on Saturday February 7 at 11am. More details here .

If anyone has any questions about the league, leave them below and myself or another committee member will do our best to answer.

We can confirm that the two dates for the mandatory marshal training are the 12th and 19th March, in BCS. They're both Thursday nights, just like the league.

You must attend on one or the other of these nights to be allowed participate in the league - no exceptions.

This is the latest list I have of those who have paid to enter the league (107 people). If you're not on there, and you think you should be, contact Paraic Morrissey .

<see below for updated list>

Paraic has informed me that the above list doesn't include youth and junior riders. That list is of those who have paid the fees to race, whereas youth and juniors can ride in the league free of charge. Just to clear up any confusion.

To answer a couple of queries we've gotten:

1. The requirement for marshal training means that, unlike previous years, we won't be opening up entries again later on for people who missed the original deadline.
2. Please don't enter the league if you can't make the marshal training on either March 12 or March 19. Marshal training is compulsory, even for people who've raced the league before. We won't be offering refunds.
3. Underage riders are allowed to participate and don't have pay the league fee. They will be handicapped according to ability. They are also exempt from marshalling requirements. However, U14 and younger riders are limited to participating in time trials and Corkagh Park races. Additionally, we would prefer if U16 or younger riders were accompanied to races by at least one parent.

I've given this a bit of thought, talked to other people on the league committee and I've decided to stick with the current system. While I can certainly see the merit in having something where people can select their own dates, switching to this would create a bit of a rush to book slots and favour those who get their names in first. I think random allocation is a fairer way of doing things.

Thanks for the suggestion. We always appreciate and consider the feedback we get.

We're just under two weeks from the deadline, here's the revised list of participants:

<see below for updated list>

A bump - this closes this Friday folks! If you've been humming and hawwing, it's make up your mind time!

If you're hesitating, my advice would be to put your name down. As Dick has pointed out, there'll be no chance of late entries this year due to the mandatory marshal training. So signing up now leaves your options open.

I'll post a final version of the list on Thursday, so people can make sure they've definitely got their name in.

edit: Apologies for any confusion, list updated 12.30 26/2

So here's the list as it stands with a little over 24hrs to the deadline. If you don't see your name on the list below, and you think it should be, please contact myself or Paraic (www.orwellwheelers.org/contact-us)

I've included the licence types here. FC and LC are full and limited competition, and all fine. Those with LM will need to upgrade to at least LC to take part, and those with no licence will need to make arrangements. If this information is out of date, again, contact myself or Paraic. There is no need to get this done by tomorrow, but it will need to be done before the league begins in April.

LM
Niamh Flaherty
Keith Harte
Tony McDowell
Paul Perry
Tom Potter
Declan Scallan

No licence listed
Paul Brosnan
Romano Morelli
Gerry O'Brien
Daisy O'Shea
Arek Pierozynski
Darragh Sheeran
Lucy Soden

LC or FC
Brian Ahern
Jamal Ahmed
Sulayman Ahmed
Valdis Andersons
John Anslow
Sam Attrill
Stephen Barry
Patrick Biggar
Garry Blair
John Blennerhassett
Tom Blennerhassett
Oisin Boland
Daragh Boyd
Cormac Bracken
Colum Bradley
David Bradley
Mary Brady
Paul Burgess
Jamie Busher
Eoin Byrne
Ruari Byrne
Colin Caesar
David Cahill
Jules Cantwell
Jim Carey Jnr.
Richard Cattle
Stephen Cawley
David Claes
Aidan Collins
Diarmuid Collins
Garret Connolly
Peadar Corbally
Dan Coulcher
James Crisp
Barry Dace
Fergal Daly
Jules De Meester
Gavin Dodd
Robert Dolan
Diarmuid Donnelly
Michael Doorly
Eric Downey
Kilian Doyle
Robert Ducie
Alan Duggan
Liam Ellis
Bernard English
Peter Fagan
David Fitzgerald
Stephen Fitzgerald
JP Flynn
Ronan Foley
Manuel Fontan Garcia
Ross Frehill
Paula Fyans
Malcolm Garland
Bryan Geary
Peter Gerrard
Scott Gilchrist
Denis Gleeson
Fionn Griffin
Ronan Grimes
David Halpin
Aidan Hammond
Stephen Hayden
Kevin Hayes
David Hearne
David Hendron
Orla Hendron
Sean Higgins
Jeffrey Hoare
Mark Holland
Martyn Holmes
Ann Horan
Breda Horan
Helen Horan
Michael Horgan
Neal Hudson
Paul Kane
Luke Keating
Fintan Keatinge
Aideen Keenan
Barry Keogh
Ciaran Keogh
Niall Kieran
Ciara Kinch
Kevin Lahiff
Alex Lalor
John Lanigan
Brendan Lawless
Damien Long
Eddie Lynch
John Lynch
Charlotte MacDonald
David Maher
Paul Mallon
Monica Marconi
Brian McArdle
Donnacha McCormack
John McEllligott
Daniel McElroy
Hugh McGeown
Niall McGuinness
Dave McLoughlin
Rodger McMorrow
Brian McNally
Barry Mooney
Julian Moore
Thomas Morelli
Frank Moriarty
Mark Mulcahy
Brianne Mulvihill
Conor Murnane
David Murnane
Sean Murnane
Graham Norton
Des O'Brien
Dick O'Brien
Patrick O'Brien
Paul O'Brien
James O'Callaghan
Aishling O'Connor
Donal O'Connor
Ronan O'Connor
Siobhán O'Connor
Barry O'Donnell
Greg O'Donnell
Owen O'Flaherty
Ian O'Keeffe
Edward O'Mahony
Ken O'Neill
Luke Potter
Adam Reynolds
Stephen Rowan
Liam Rowsome
Andrew Ryan
Graham Scanlon
Fionn Sheridan
Naoise Sheridan
Uisneach Sheridan
John Sower
Freddie Stevens
David Swift
Dave Tansey
Paul Tansey
Sandra Telford
John Twomey
Mike Van Niekerk
Neil Whelan
Saul Wyse

I've updated the above list following some confusion between myself and Paraic.

The link again for signing up is registration.precisiontiming.co.uk/events/preview?id=111

With the league now closed for 2015, we have nearly 180 participants signed up, which is unprecedented and incredible, and at a level with the old ICL (which was made up of 5 clubs).

With that in mind, please remember that the league is run by an entirely voluntary committee made up of club members. They will do their best to give all 180 members a great experience of club racing, but it's a big task, so please follow all directions - on the forum, at sign-on, on the road, etc - and help them as much as possible to keep the running of the league smooth and simple. If you are interested in helping to run a race or two, please contact Damien or Eddy (www.orwellwheelers.org/contact-us).

The first order of business is marshal training. Taking place on Thursdays 12th and 19th of this month, it's compulsory for all league members. You will have to marshal twice (probably) throughout the year, so you require this training.

Dick will be in touch shortly to confirm details, but the sessions will take place in our now usual venue of Ballinteer Community School at 7.30pm. There will be a sign-on sheet, and if you don't attend one or other of the sessions, you will not be allowed partake in the league. No exceptions.

With potentially up to 180 people (more likely to be around 90, assuming everyone splits up), it'll be a crowded room. There are bike racks for your use.