Cycling on the Up and Up

North Down Cycling Club, like cycling itself, is on the up and up. These were the thoughts of club president, Harry Adams, who is at the vanguard of an exciting new era in the club’s history with the establishment of a dedicated racing section. North Down has an unsurpassed recreational side and a fine racing heritage, but it is Harry’s aim to put in place a continental style racing team with director sportif, soigneur and sports scientist to ensure that the undoubted talent in North Down is given the very best opportunity to self actualise. Speaking from his home in Ballyholme this week the club president urged everyone to ‘watch this space’ for a New Year roll-out of what promises to be a sporting outfit befitting a club of the stature of North Down.

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Cyclists Support Local Charities

The organisation of a mammoth event such as the Coastal Challenge is an all-year round affair, but this week the event organiser, Terry Nicoletti, had one of his more pleasant duties to perform: the presentation of one of the charity cheques to the Ulster Hospital. In all a cheque for £7,500 was presented to Dr Roy Harper Consultant Endocrinology and Diabetes. In fact three departments will benefit from the 2008 Coastal Challenge: Diabetes, Cardiology and Stroke Units.

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Cycling’s Gala Night

The biggest social event on the North Down Cycling Club’s calendar, which was organised last Saturday night by the Blayney duo of Eric and Kathleen, was a resounding success. As usual the craic was powerful, the music superb and the food was excellent.

In addition, the evening gave everyone an opportunity to recognise the prize winners who kept the pink and black to the fore in club and open races this year. As well as trophies for the racing men, the coveted clubman’s trophy found a very worthy recipient in the form of the event organiser for the Coastal Challenge, Terry Nicoletti.

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NORTH DOWN RACE TEAM GETS SERIOUS

North Down Cycling Club has a reputation for operating across the whole spectrum of the sport. The year on year increase in membership is evidence of the growing popularity of cycling, particularly in the leisure and touring ends of the sport. The club’s annual Coastal Challenge charity ride is one of the biggest and best organised events of its kind but against this background it is easy to forget that there are many riders who regularly take part in open competition across several disciplines, including road racing, time trialling, mountain biking, cyclo-cross and track.

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Cycling’s Roll of Honour

The North Down Cycling Club will be honouring its prize winners at next Saturday night’s social event in the Pickie Bowling Club. As mentioned in this column last week, riders such as Neil McKenna, Paul Swenarton and Stuart Henry grabbed most of the headlines in open events this season, but there were many others who achieved much in club events.

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Cycling Club’s Winter Programme

The very successful North Down Cycling Club winter programme continued last Friday night with an in-depth talk by Commonwealth Games manager Alistair Irvine. Once again it was standing room only as Alistair shared his considerable knowledge of how to optimise performance through perfecting the set-up of racing cycles. To help him explore the myths and the research in this area the highly acclaimed former international rider and All-Ireland champion was ably assisted by his beautiful assistant, who will remain nameless.

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