With no Orwell results in Clonard on Saturday, all eyes were on Newbridge to salvage the weekend, and the club did not disappoint! Diarmuid Collins, Mark Mulcahy and Ciara Kinch all took home prizes, read about them below.
Open Racing
Orwell are very active on the national scene - see all the results and reports from open races here.
The weather could not have been more different, but Orwell riders brought home the bacon both days last weekend. In Summerhill, Tom Blennerhassett, David Halpin and Brian McNally lit it up on Dorey's Forge, while in Navan Ciara Kinch tore it up for second place, while Juniors Rachael Kaye-Mellor and Naoise Sheridan also took home prizes.
On a damp and dismal day in Dundalk, Monica Marconi netted herself a great third place in the women's race at the Trader's Cup.
It's a delight to commence the 2014 race reports with a superb win for Aideen Keenan in Monasterevin yesterday, and a fine fourth for Bernard English in the A4 event.
For the much-delayed final review of the year, we've listed all the championship and medal-winning results from the club - provincial, national and world titles. Click through!
Throughout 2013, Orwell has entered teams in stage races the length and breadth of the country, and we've pulled together as many of the results from these as possible.
As we hit the final month of the year, and all thoughts start to turn to next season - training and preparation, let's take a quick few moments to have a review of the year's results.
The end of season has been a busy one, and we've been neglecting the usual reports, but we can't let Orla Hendron's magnificent double silver at the Track Cycling Masters World Champs slip by unannounced. Also MIA was Brian McNally's super 3rd place at the Barrow Wheelers GP, and two Orwellians attempting the National Hill Climb Champs.
We've been remiss in our results round-up since the Rás na mBan, and it's time to play catch-up! Along with a host of medals for Orla Hendron and Fionn and Naoise Sheridan at the track champs, the Laragh Classic saw a great result for Liam Rowsome, and Brian McNally placed in the A4 edition, and the Leinster Champs. Before that, the Hammond TT saw Gavin Dodd, Jules Cantwell and Fionn Sheridan all take home prizes!
All eyes were on Charleville this weekend, as Brian Doyle rode the TT of his life to move to second overall in the A4 event, and then took the win with a very strong ride in the final stage. Philippe Bourdarias used his sprinting prowess to good effect, earning two top ten placings in the A2/3 races.
Orwell secured a fine two-in-a-row when Isabel Cogan cruised to victory on Thursday night in the Leinster Hill Climb, happily keeping the title in the club. Aidan Collins also scored gold on the night in the A2 category, with bronze for Neal Hudson and Brian McArdle. And the final Corkagh Park race earlier in the week saw Rachael Kaye-Mellor clinch second place behind strongwoman Anne Dalton.
With no easy options for the senior men over the weekend, it was left to the women, juniors and youths to bring home the bacon, and they didn't disappoint! There were fine performances from the Sheridans in youth and junior national champs including a bronze for Fionn, and Rachel Glendon struck gold in the Dublin City Triathlon.
Gráinne Coghlan got the results off to a flying start this week in Corkagh Park, and this continued into the weekend, with Pat O'Brien sprinting in for 8th on the final stage of the Wexford 2 Day, putting himself into 10th overall. Darragh Long featured in the Junior Champs, taking the bunch gallop and helping his NRPT squad to the team prize.
This week was once again dominated by the Orwellian women, with Monica Marconi winning the Collins Christle Memorial race yesteray, adding to her Corkagh Park placing from Tuesday. Ciara Kinch made it two from two over two weekends, and Orla Hendron took a fine 4th place. Naoise Sheridan also took 4th in the Leinster Champs, while Philippe Bourdarias and Cormac Bracken picked up unplaced prizes in Kilmessan. Brian Ahern continued his comeback, with a decent 6th in the Beechmount Cup.