Paul Caldwell (Navan Road Club) and Celine Ann Mc Phillips (Newry Wheelers) have taken victory at Ireland's first beach racing events promoted today in Co Louth.
The events were run by Starsky Cycling Club at on Bettystown Beach in Co Meath; the cold and windy conditions ensuring a very challenging day for the inaugural running of what will hopefully become a regular event.
In the main event for men, run over five laps of a 10km lap up and down the beach, the wind saw the main field of about 50 riders split to pieces very early; the wind making it almost impossible to close gaps once they opened.
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And while many riders approached the event as a challenge, rather than a race, a breakaway formed at the head of the men's race, numbering six riders. That group was eventually whittled down to three.
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They included eventual winner Caldwell along with Bryan Gaffney (Breffni Wheelers) and Robert Reidy (Kilcullen CC Murphy Surveys), finishing in that order. The battle for victory came down to a tight sprint between Caldwell and Gaffney, with Reidy just losing touch with those two on the final kick for the finish line.
Celine Ann McPhillips, who rides for Newry Wheelers and also competes in trialtlon - domestically and internationally - was best in the women's race.
Former Irish international road ride Karl Dolan (Cuchulainn CC) won the 30km men's race from Brian Hannon (Banbridge CC) in 2nd and Jimmy Flynn (Cuchulainn Cycling Club) in 3rd. Best junior on the day was 15-year-old Joseph Mullen of Navan Road Club.
