Bobby Currie wins Henderson Cup

Monday, October 15, 2012

Bobbie Currie, from Sunningdale Park, has successfully defended his Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles – veterans’ time trial best all-rounder title for the 2012 season.

The Henderson cup, for the veterans’ BAR, which was introduced for the 1999 season, is awarded to the rider with the best overall age standard performance. Bobby Currie won the competition that first season and also in 2000 and 2001 and then in 2002 Sammy Kerr won for the first time; Kerr was successful again in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008 and when Sammy won in 2009 it was with a record breaking performance of plus 71 minutes 10 seconds. These are the only two riders to have won the competition since its inception.

Each rider is given a universally recognised "par” or standard time for each distance depending on his or her age, and the one with the biggest overall accumulated total time is the winner.

Bobby’s performances, in the Northstone sponsored series of club races, for the 2012 season were: 10 miles; 27 minutes 25 seconds registered on 1st August at Woodgreen, this beat his age standard time by 5 minutes 05 seconds.

His 25 miles time was 65 minutes 51 seconds on 13th August in the Combat Cancer cup event on the Woodgreen, Dunsilly, and Ballee course. This beat his standard time by 17 minutes 16 seconds.

At 50 miles Bobby clocked 2 hours 27 minutes 17 seconds at Woodgreen on 8th September, in the Sam McQuigg cup event. This was 25 minutes 16 seconds faster than his age standard and when all three times are added up his total is plus 47 minutes 37 seconds, which is slightly slower than his winning total last year. (54 minutes 46 seconds)

Bobby’s son Ryan registered times in this competition for just the second time during the 2012 season and he again finished runner up to his dad. Ryan had a total "age standard” time of plus 42 minutes 46 seconds, which, by an amazing coincidence is exactly the same total as in 2011!

Other placings were (3) Adrian Kerr plus 29 minutes 23 seconds (4) Nigel Kernohan plus 26 minutes 38 seconds (5) John Maxwell plus 24 minutes 17 seconds (6) Beresford Millar minus 1 minute 51 seconds.

Bobby, who incidentally celebrated his 72nd birthday on 7th October, will receive his award at the annual prize presentation dinner, which will be held at Eaton Park Ballymena on Friday 30th November. Tickets, which cost £17.50, are now available from committee members.