Heverin is Irish champion as Turner left to rue what might have been

*Emer Heverin has been crowned U16 Irish champion at the National Cyclocross Championships in Ballinasloe, Co Galway (Photo: Sean Rowe)*

Emer Heverin has taken an Irish title today in her new All human-VeloRevolution colours, proving best in the U16 race at the National Cyclocross Championships in Ballinasloe, Co Galway.

She got ahead early and, once in the lead alone, kept the pressure on all the way to the line for a strong win on the day.

Heverin, already an Irish title winner on the road to date in her fledgling career, opened a big gap on her nearest rivals on the opening lap of three in the Ballinasloe Cycling Club promotion.

After the first passage of the circuit, she was already just over 40 seconds clear of Aoife Craig (VC Glendale), with Orla Mulhearne (Panduit Carrick Wheelers) chasing hard in 3rd place.

Katie Turner (Orwell Wheelers) went into the event as one of the favourites but suffered a very unfortunate - and long - mechanical problem on the opening lap.

That incident cost Turner well over a minute and she had it all to do through the remainder of the race. To her immense credit, she rode her heart out over the following two laps to get back up to 2nd place.

However, Heverin was hard at work solo at the front; her efforts conspiring with the time Turner lost on the opening lap to ensure the early leader went from gun to tape to win.

On the line, Heverin took the title by 29 seconds from Turner, with Craig taking the bronze medal some 2:54 down. Mulhearne took 4th and missed out on the bronze by just two seconds.

*She's U14, so we won't get too carried away, but Ava Baker looked like she's already at leading U16 level in winning her national title race today (Photo: Toby Watson)*

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In the U14 boys race, James Cunningham (Team WORC) got ahead on the opening lap of three. Once clear, he continued to build his advantage.

He was pushed closest by Tomás Connolly (Orwell Wheelers), with Rory McCool (Square Wheelers), Kealan Doherty (Foyle CC) and Dylan Finnegan (Square Wheelers) all giving good accounts of themselves chasing the leading duo.

Cunningham ran out a relatively comfortable winner in the end, taking the title by 57 seconds from Connolly, with McCool at 2:51 in the bronze medal position.

In the U14 girls race, Ava Baker (Breffni Wheelers) put in the kind of performance that would have put her in contention at - certainly close to - the front of the U16 race.

She opened a gap on the first lap over Lilly McDermott (TC Racing) and Laoise Crinion (Orwell Wheelers); that duo closely matched on that opening lap.

Baker continued to pound away out front on laps 2 and 3 and by the flag had plenty of time to savor her win. She took the gold by 2:24 from McDermott, who pulled clear of bronze medal winner Crinion as the race progressed.

U16 Girls