Action-Packed Week for Wheelers Youths

Post date: Jun 01, 2015 10:47:16 AM

(By Philip Wade)

This past week has certainly been action packed on the youth side of the house with participation in the Lakeside Wheelers league races, Track accreditation, Sundrive track league racing and open race attendance. Of course there were summer exams in there also and some preparing for the junior cert managed to take a few hours out from their studies to hit the track, well done Naomi and Taylor J.

Last Tuesday we saw the 4th instalment of the club league races where Seán and Aaron took the leap from the B group to the A3’s joining Ian. They represented the youths well, staying with the group and avoiding being caught by the A1/A2’s finishing in the top 10. We are delighted the youths are being catered for here, learning from the senior riders, sharing the course with a Rás Podium man and increasing their race pace for open racing.

On Wednesday, Naomi and Aaron represented Lakeside Wheelers on the track at the Sundrive Summer league picking up points in the ladies and Men's C group races for the overall 8 week league. Then came Saturday and four of the youths (Seán, Taylor, Conor and Gabrielle ) and Junior Ian headed back to Sundrive to complete the second part of a 2 part coaching and accreditation plan put on by Sundrive and CI track commission. This was a sprint and skills session focusing on where to be on the track and when followed by some big 120 meter efforts as well as the track stand on grass challenge. It was an amusing session for the spectators, lots of fun was had by all despite the falls on the grass (Mr. S.K !). Lakeside now has seven youths track accredited and three more in the pipe with the first part completed. Looking forward to seeing these guys take part in some of the Sundrive Autumn League.

The fun of the week did not end at Sundrive however. On Sunday we had 3 youths that headed to Kilkenny for the Deenside Cup youth races. The Lakeside Wheelers flag was flown high from the TOP to the bottom with the youths taking home three prizes following in the footsteps of Mullingar’s Damien Shaw who took honours in the senior race. Seán Kenneddy took home 2nd in the Under 16’s race with just a tactical error early in the race that saw someone get away and left only second for the taking , Aaron took 2nd in the Under 14 race after leading out the sprint but could not hold off a Galtee Wheelers man that beat him to the line. Conor took 7th in the Under 14 race and was with Aaron's group all the way just getting caught at the back of the group out of the final corner. Delighted to report our youths are performing very strong out on the open race scene. Roll on the summer hols where we see more of our youth out taking part in the fun spins with their friends and enjoying their bikes!