Marcus Christie wrapped up his 2023 season with a fine win at the Thomas White Memorial TT in Warrenpoint. The Banbridge CC promoted event attracted a field of specialist time trial riders and also hosted the final round of the Cycling Ireland Para-cycling National Series. Fresh from a successful World Championships in Scotland a number of the National Elite Para-cycling squad were in attendance, including BCC’s own Chris Burns and 2022 World Champion Roanan Grimes.
Gary Cranston of East Antrim CC, a seasoned road competitor who has been enjoying some great late season form, set the early pace with a time of 20min 50 sec for the 10 miles. This was bettered by upcoming Junior rider Curtis Neill of Team Caldwell Cycles who recorded 20:22. The final wave of riders included a string of names that carried expectation of some fast times, and they didn’t disappoint.
International junior Seth Dunwoody (Cannibal B Victorious) was the first to go under the 20 minute marker, recording a time of 19:11. Para-cyclist Ronan Grimes came in next with a time of 20:33, only 1 second off his own Irish National Record.
Defending Champion Paul Kennedy, Burran CC, once again travelled north from his home in Limerick. The recently crowned Irish National Masters Champion hoping to repeat his win from 2022. He set a blistering time of 18 minutes 48sec to take the fastest time with only 2 riders remaining on the course.
Marcus Christie of the host club thundered across the line setting a time of 18:46, taking the victory by a slim 2 second margin. Donegal man Mitchell McLaughlin, All human/VeloRevolution RT, was the last rider to finish. He set a very respectable time of 19:23, which gave him 4th fastest time on the day.
As well as his 2nd fastest time overall Kennedy also collected the prize for fastest M40, while Dunwoody was 3rd fastest overall and fastest junior. Philip Loughlin, another of the BCC’s strong time trial squad, was fast M50 and local man Colin McGready was fastest M60. Colin was also recently crowned Irish National M60 Time Trial Champion and is clearly finishing his season in fantastic form.
Karen Hull of Phoenix CC was the fastest woman with a time of 25:08. Another local rider, Dromore’s Zoe Lindsay of TC Racing collected the Women’s Junior prize.
Ronan Grimes led the way for the para-cyclists with a deserving win as fastest solo competitor. Declan Slevin of Rosemount CC in Westmeath was winner in the handcycling category, while Donnacha McCarthy of Newcastle West Wheelers made the trip from Limerick worthwhile by collecting the tandem prize.
Name |
Club/Team |
Cat |
Actual Time(MM:SS:MS) |
||
| 1 | Marcus | Christie | Banbridge CC | ELITE | 18:46:90 |
| 2 | Paul | Kennedy | Burren Cycling Club | M40 | 18:48:40 |
| 3 | Seth | Dunwoody | Cannibal B Victorious | JR | 19:11:11 |
| 4 | Mitchell | Mc Laughlin | All human/VeloRevolution RT | ELITE | 19:23:71 |
| 5 | Donnacha | Mc Carthy | Longcourt Hotel – NCW Wh | TANDEM | 20:10:83 |
| 6 | Curtis | Neill | Team Caldwell Cycles | JR | 20:22:69 |
| 7 | Ronan | Grimes | Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club | C4 | 20:33:22 |
| 8 | Gary | Cranston | East Antrim CC | M40 | 20:51:33 |
| 9 | Steven | Mc Allister | Un-Attached Ulster | M40 | 20:56:19 |
| 10 | Jonathan | Denvir | Banbridge CC | ELITE | 21:02:48 |
| 11 | Philip | Castles | Banbridge CC | M40 | 21:10:01 |
| 12 | Andrew | Hedley | AHC Racing | ELITE | 21:18:18 |
| 13 | Philip | Loughlin | Banbridge CC | M50 | 21:18:34 |
| 14 | David | Ross | Banbridge CC | M40 | 21:34:22 |
| 15 | Sean | Featherstone | Newry Wheelers CC | M40 | 21:36:63 |
| 16 | Adam | Jeffers | Kings Moss CC | ELITE | 21:38:56 |
| 17 | Colin | Mc Gready | Dromara Cycling Club | M60 | 21:39:48 |
| 18 | Noel | Conway | Bray Wheelers | M50 | 21:45:22 |
| 19 | Nathan | Mullan | Velo Cafe Magasin | ELITE | 22:05:37 |
| 20 | Liam | Crichton | Velo Cafe Magasin | M30 | 22:12:00 |
| 21 | Barry | Hayes | Island Wheelers | M50 | 22:13:69 |
| 22 | Simon | Ridings | AHC Racing | ELITE | 22:14:07 |
| 23 | Jeremy | Martin | Team Madigan C.C. | M50 | 22:14:34 |
| 24 | Aaron | Parks | Banbridge CC | M40 | 22:15:92 |
| 25 | John Paul | Rice | Banbridge CC | M40 | 22:24:53 |
| 26 | Stephen | Fitzsimmons | Banbridge CC | M40 | 22:33:22 |
| 27 | Pat | Byrne | Dublin Wheelers | M50 | 22:53:06 |
| 28 | Chris | Wheeler | Team Madigan C.C. | M60 | 22:53:08 |
| 29 | Paul | Whyte | Seven Springs CC Loughrea | M50 | 22:57:30 |
| 30 | Simon | Keery | Powerhouse Sport | M40 | 22:58:25 |
| 31 | Clive | Stevenson | Un-Attached Ulster | M40 | 23:03:40 |
| 32 | Kevin | Mc Crossan | Four Masters CC | M60 | 23:12:78 |
| 33 | Chris | Burns | Banbridge CC | C2 | 23:13:18 |
| 34 | Brian | Hannon | Banbridge CC | M60 | 23:18:98 |
| 35 | Noel | Mc Loughlin | Island Wheelers | M50 | 23:20:60 |
| 36 | Jack | Ferguson | Velo Cafe Magasin | ELITE | 23:47:16 |
| 37 | Mark | Kendall | Banbridge CC | M40 | 23:52:20 |
| 38 | Martin | Fitzpatrick | Banbridge CC | M50 | 23:58:49 |
| 39 | Martin | Duffy | Banbridge CC | M50 | 24:08:29 |
| 40 | Adrian | Kerr | Ballymena Road Club | M50 | 24:17:15 |
| 41 | Joseph | Giles | AHC Racing | ELITE | 24:21:96 |
| 42 | Declan | Slevin | Rosemount Cycling Club | HC | 24:33:60 |
| 43 | Kevin | Walker | Dromara Cycling Club | M40 | 25:00:59 |
| 44 | Karen | Hull | Phoenix CC | WM40 | 25:08:07 |
| 45 | Helen | Mc Parland | Longcourt Hotel – NCW Wh | WM | 25:14:38 |
| 46 | William | Orr | Ards CC | M50 | 25:32:70 |
| 47 | Gillian | Orr | North Down CC | WM50 | 25:37:77 |
| 48 | Nigel | Mc Cullough | Banbridge CC | M50 | 27:06:17 |
| 49 | Zoe | Lindsay | TC Racing | WMJR | 27:07:66 |
| 50 | Richard | Nicholl | Banbridge CC | M50 | 27:52:39 |
| 51 | Ruth | Mc Kee | Banbridge CC | WM50 | 28:52:01 |
| 52 | Carl | Fullerton | Donegal Bay Cycling Club | M60 | 28:57:07 |
| 53 | Seamus | Wall | Barrow Wheelers | HC | 29:28:18 |
| 54 | Thomas | Murphy | Clonard RC | C3 | 29:47:93 |
| 55 | Carla | Mc Ardle | Banbridge CC | WM | 29:57:99 |
