The emergence of riders like European Championship medal winner Josie Knight has been great for the women's scene, though there will be no road or time trial national title races for her to ride this weekend.
By Brian Canty
The organisers of this weekend's junior women's national road race and time trial championships have cancelled both events due to insufficient entries.
The races were to be run as part of a packed schedule of junior and veteran title deciders in Cork on Saturday and Sunday.
But promoting club Team Osbourne Meats-Edge Sports Shop has taken the decision to cancel the events. It is doubtful if they could be run at a later date before the season is out as there is unlikely to be the increase in numbers needed.
Club secretary Michael Crowley said he and the other officials regretted the turn of events.
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“Entries have closed for all events as of August 10th and we have not received the sufficient entries for these races to be held in accordance with Cycling Ireland's technical rules," he said referring to the minimum number of riders needed for a race to qualify as a championship event.
News of the cancellation was conveyed to Cycling Ireland as well as member clubs and will come as a big blow to the few who had already signed on for the races.
A 15-kilometre time trial had been due to take place on Saturday morning, to be followed a day later by the road race of 58 kilometres.
Autumn Collins is another rider making her mark, mostly on the track. She represented Ireland in the recent junior Europeans.
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Women's racing has experienced an upsurge in recent years, with an increase in coaching and racing aimed specifically at female riders.
The scene has been progressed thanks to the work of those dedicated to promoting women’s cycling, especially Orla Hendron of Orwell Wheelers and Valerie Considine of Usher Irish Road Club in recent years.
The Neenan Travel Talent Team 2020 was begun two years ago to nurture young female riders.
Cycling Ireland has also promoted women's only coaching days and Ireland has been represented abroad this year and last at junior level at major championships, such as the Europeans.
One of our most promising young riders, Josie Knight of the O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk club won a silver medal in the pursuit at the Europeans.
While the cancellation of the junior women’s races is a blow to the progress made in the women’s scene in recent years, that work will continue and undoubtedly junior road championships will be possible in the not too distant future.
The other events on the schedule for this weekend are all still going ahead. They are the junior and vets' men’s time trials on Saturday as well as the A3 and junior men’s road races on Sunday.
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