Membership 2012

Monday, February 6, 2012

After a relatively slow start to the 2012 registration Ballymena Road Club – Northstone – cyclists have been signing on in big numbers in recent weeks, with 107 now registered so far for the 2012 racing and touring season.

Once again the club will be represented right across all the categories from under 14 youths right through to veterans.

The club’s under 14 racers are Emma Gordon, newcomers Breandan McCavana and Ernie Graham (junior) with Stefan Wills, and brothers Dylan and Adam Wilson amongst the club’s youngest cyclists.

Only three under 16 youths have registered so far, they are 2011 youth time trials best all-rounder Adam Kerr along with Adam McCullough and newcomer George Graham. Chris Surgeoner, Josh Barr and Marc Moody, who were youth members last year, have still to re-sign.

Only two juniors have so far joined for 2012. Connor Young, who won the club’s three day race in 2011, joins forces with newcomer Ryan Shaw from Randalstown.

Our senior line up will include: Steven Workman who won the club’s senior time trials best all-rounder competition in 2011, Steven has taken out an open time trial competition licence again this year.

Matthew Brennan moves up from the junior ranks to join Simon Taggart, Mark McCullough, Karl Taylor, newcomer Colin Gordon and last year’s Time Trial handicap league winner Peter Smyth along with our top lady competitors Louise Fullerton and Maeve Savage.

A few seniors who were members in the past have re-joined Ballymena Road Club for 2012. It’s a big welcome back to Ryan Connor, Ryan Bankhead and Chris Beattie. Several other seniors have still to register.

The club too will have a strong veteran (over 40) squad which so far includes: Hall Booth, Derek Dougan, Adrian Kerr, Brian Geddis, Martin Ruddy, Alan Blair, Ryan Currie, Nigel Kernohan, Clifford Grant, Andrew Wills and Colin Scullion, who hopefully has fully recovered from the shoulder injury which he sustained in a crash at Bann Valley last season.

All the above riders have "open race” licences and they will be joined by a panel of another twenty three riders who have taken out club race licences. Forty four members are "non racers” while another six are associate members.

A recent year’s record total of 152 cyclists joined the club in 2009 with 146 in 2010 and 140 in 2011 there is no reason why these numbers cannot be reached again this year. 

The next registration meeting will be held on Monday 5th March at Rex Bonar House following the monthly meeting that night.