Connoy Young Wins Star Trophy

Thursday, June 20, 2013
Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles – riders held their annual Star Trophy Grand Prix of the Glens road race at Broughshane last Wednesday evening as part of the Northstone sponsored club race series.
 
There was a field of thirty eight riders for the 40 miles event including several riders from visiting clubs. The entrants were set off in four groups with an overall handicap of ten minutes at the start.
 
One of the riders, Hall Booth, who was to finish tenth, gives his account of the race. "Riding was fast and furious from the off with a strong 12 man second group working well to catch the first group inside just six miles.”
 
"By Waterfoot these front runners still had a couple of minutes over the amalgamated third and scratch riders. As expected the 5.5 mile climb of Glenariffe splintered the race and saw under 16 rider George Graham and Ballymoney’s Philip McKeown pull out around a minute over the top of the hill.”
 
"What was left of scratch pulled back the last of the front runners on the run through Martinstown and a 35 mph run in the Cushendall Road ensued.  George Graham, despite a valiant effort on under 16 gearing, was unable to hold off this fast charging group and sixteen riders found themselves turning onto the Ballygarvey Road for the final 2 miles run to the finish. A bunch gallop ensued with on form Connor Young taking the sprint ahead of veteran Tommy Wilson, with visiting Bann Wheeler rider Nigel Quigley third.” The winner’s time was 1 hour 34 minutes 46 seconds.
 
Other placings were (4) Neil Millar (5) Craig Crawford (Duffin) (6) Michael Carroll (7) Ryan Orr (Ballymoney) (8) Martin Ruddy (9) Alan Blair (10) Hall Booth (11) Simon Taggart (12) P McGuigan (Duffin) (13) Adrian Kerr (14) Philip McKeown (Ballymoney)  (15) Gary Reid (16) Richard Reid (17) Claire Gillespie (BRC first lady) (18) Aaron Swan (TSC) (19) Ryan Bankhead at 54 seconds (20) Ryan Currie (21) Martin Robb (Bann Valley) (22) Karl Taylor (23) Ryan Shaw (24) Chris Beattie (25) Colin Scullion (26) George Graham (27) Nigel Kernohan (28) Stephen Smyth at 2 minutes 27 seconds (29) Nigel Elder (30) Brian Geddis (31) David Kennedy (32) Emma Smyth (second BRC lady) (33) Beresford Millar (34) John Maxwell.