Father and daughter Brendan and Áine Doherty take the Masters 50 and U14 Irish titles at the National Cyclocross Championships in Cork promoted by De Ronde Van Cork (Photos by John Hammer)
Most family supporters who travelled to the National Cyclocross Championships in Cork at the weekend would have been thrilled to leave the venue with one medal winner in the car on the way home.
But for the gang around Brendan Doherty and his daughter Áine, the joy was on the double.
The VC Glendale father and daughter pulled off a rare achievement in Irish sport; winning national titles at the same championships.
Áine nailed the U14 race on Saturday while Brendan stepped up 24 hours later to hold off Des Woods for the Masters 50 crown.
Doherty Snr said while he felt he had a good chance; seeing his daughter winning the previous day made him more determined and added a bit of pressure.
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“Coming down for the weekend I knew we had a good chance of winning,” he said of himself and Áine. “I’ve tried to win a national championship for what seems like forever.
“But after watching Áine win on Saturday people were saying it would be so special if we could do the father, daughter double win and that put more pressure on me.”
However, Doherty is a very seasoned campaigner, at both cyclocross and on the road, and he made it all count on Sunday.
“I had a good start and after the second lap I knew I had the race under control,” he said.
Indeed, while the eventual winner had the accomplished Des Woods (Newry Wheelers) and Michael Jordan of CSS Tallaght Wheelers chasing him, the VC Glendale man rode very well from the gun.
The Dohertys in their Irish champion's jerseys and with their gold medals on the podium at Fota Island yesterday (Photo with thanks to the Belgian Project)
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Doherty ploughs on out front towards the gold medal (Photo: Toby Watson)
By the end of the second lap of five he had about 15 seconds on Woods and around 40 seconds on Jordan.
On the third lap Woods held him at the same gap, though Jordan slipped back a little further.
But Doherty simply dug in. And on the penultimate circuit he put another 11 seconds of daylight between himself and dangerman Woods.
And while the gap would close by 18 seconds on the final lap; Doherty knew he had it in the bag and was easing back and at the last enjoying his win with his celebration.
In the end he took it by 10 seconds over Woods, with another 1:23 elapsing before Jordan finished for the bronze.
John Doris of EPIC MTB would get quite close to Jordan on the line, but the gap between the two of 22 seconds was more than enough.
New champion Áine Doherty
Doherty said he was thrilled to win, and that he did so only 24 hours after Áine was crowned champion made it extra special.
“I got so much pleasure from winning my first national title on the same weekend Áine moved up and won her first U14 championship,” he said.
For her part, first-year U14 Áine said she was thrilled for herself and for her dad.
“I was delighted to be able to race my first cyclocross national championship and to top it off by winning makes it even better,” she said.
“I’m so proud of my dad for winning his first national championship. I know how much it means to him and how much effort he puts into cyclocross.
“I was so happy that to two of us were able to stand on the podium together.”
National Cyclocross Championships 2019
Fota Island, Co Cork
Promoted by De Ronde Van Cork
Sun, Jan 13: Masters 50 Race
- DOHERTY, Brendan VC Glendale 42:33
- WOODS, Des Newry Wheelers CC 42:43
- JORDAN, Michael CSS Tallaght Wheelers 44:06
- DORIS, John EPIC MTB / Expert Cycles 44:28
- HEGARTY, Dominick IMBRC 44:44
- MCCONVILLE, Peter Newry Wheelers CC 45:15
- CROWLEY, John Killarney Cycling Club 45:31
- CORKERY, Micheal De Ronde Van Cork CC 46:00
- KIDD, Mark Les Rouleurs 46:18
- SHEILL, Billy Un-Attached Leinster 46:29
- LAWLESS, David Team WORC 46:49
- BRACKEN, Colm Murphy Surveys Kilcullen CC 47:23
- FITZSIMON, Vinnie Team WORC 47:42
- MCCANN, Christopher Banbridge CC 38:28
- TREACY, Russell St. Finbarrs CC 38:55
- MCDOWELL, Kevin The Bike House CC 38:59
- DALY, Sean Cuchulainn CC 39:14
- CONROY, Cormac Bray Wheelers 39:57
- MEANEY, Peter Midleton CTC 40:01
- MCNEILLY, Deon Shimna Wheelers Cycling Club 40:27
- ROCK, William Cork Triathlon Club 40:35
- DOHERTY, Justin Dunloy CC 40:47
- RYAN, Jerry Upperchurch Drombane Cycling 40:57
- MCCANN, Fergus Cuchulainn CC 41:01
- MAWHIRT, Paul Dromara Cycling Club 41:08
- BAILY, David Midleton CTC 41:34
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