Round 12 of the Bike Station League

By Rosemary Gibson

The ladies were out in force on Thursday night for round 12 of the Bike Station League - Flagstaff. It was a dry, breezy evening for the fast 38k rolling coastal circuit with over 150m of climbing in the last 2k.

Eve McCrystal from Team Asea Wheelworx was representing the ladies in group 5. Eve and her tandem stoker Katie Dunlevy have just been selected to represent Ireland at the Rio Paralympics which is an incredible achievement. We wish you all the very best!

Celine Mc Phillips has moved up to Group 4 and joins Eve as one of only two ladies in Race 1.

In Race 2 Mary Laverty was in fine climbing form taking a commendable sixth place overall, beating most of the men in her group easily.

Rosena Lynch extended her lead in the ladies competition again as group one worked together to stay away from diminished groups two and three. She finished second overall in race 2 just ahead of Rosemary Gibson in third.

Ardee's Johanna Rogan coped well with the transition to group three with Claire Ludlow also from Ardee staying in group two.

In the ladies points standings, Rosena Lynch is well in the lead, 5th overall in the league and 13 points clear (with 52 points) of Rosemary Gibson (39 points). 3rd is Johanna Rogan of Ardee with 22 points and 4th Claire Ludlow also of Ardee on 20 points with the rest of the ladies as follows:

5th Nuala O Donoghue 18
6th Marcella Leonard 14 
7th Mary Laverty 13
8th Celine McPhillips. 12
9th Mairead Holden 10
10th Sarah Fagan 9
11th Louise O'Hagan 6 
12th Eve McCrystal 5
13th Debbie Lundy 2 

With six rounds to go, can anyone catch Rosie at the top? Anything is possible in the league! Next up is round 13: Dundalk - Ardee - Fane, a fast flat circuit with a few drags. If you aren't racing, why don't you come out and show your support for the girls?

Photo Credit: Caroline Kerley