Riders battle it out for Savage Memorial Shield

LAST Tuesday night 22 riders took part in a 25 mile TT on the Castlewellan Road for the Steven Savage Memorial Shield.

Race Secretary Clive Adamson says he was delighted with the turnout. Although there was 22 members of the West Down Wheelers who turned up 18 actually rode it which was a pleasant surprise as most riders usually give this a miss as it is the toughest of the TTs.

The start was up from the bridge on the Castlewellan Road to near the horseshoe bend and back.

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The quickest wheeler on the night by a long way was P.Wilkinson his time of 59.51 was class and he was the only Wheeler to go under the hour and once again winning him the shield. Paul has proved unbeaten in club TTs for a while now and shows how dominant his is as second place man W.Maxwell was over three minutes behind him, although Will’s time was a very respectable one and he is going to get quicker.

Third on the night and just one second slower than Will was Pete Savage. His time of 63.28 was a respectable time and shows Pete is never out of a top five place in club TTs when he takes part.

One rider who could have got closer to Paul but couldn’t make it is Paul McManus who is having his best year yet.

Fourth on the night was J. Kernaghan with a very good 63.54. John is more noted for his road racing so to do a time like that was first class.

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Fifth was C.Adamson with a 65.10, just beating sixth place man and his training partner M. Alexander by seven seconds - a fit Mark is capable of a 62 or 63.

Every week we give a mention to the riders who catch the eye, but Clive says this week all the new riders in the club are worthy of a mention for taking on a tough challenge. They all said it’s very different to road racing as you haven’t got the bunch to pull you along when you get tired and so you can’t hide. A big well done to them all and the other riders in the club who did their first ever 25 mile TT.  

This week four members of West Down Wheelers are taking part in the very tough McKinley three day stage race, namely Ian Walker, Josh Daly, Ally Walker and eighth man overall last year P. Wilkinson.

The members are wishing all the guys the best and know they will do well in what is going to be a tough race. One stage on Saturday finishes at the top of the Spelga Dam. 

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Would all wheelers please note there will be club runs over the holiday period as not all riders are going away, so if you want a good end to the season then plan to be there.

Anyone looking more info on the Wheelers can log onto www.westdownwheelers.com. Here you will find all you need to know.

All riders please note that a road race will be held on Thursday night as soon as the club can get it fitted in.

Also the Scarva race will be held instead of the new quarry-Corbet course.

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If there are any concerns of any race then you must get in contact with the Race Secretary no one else can make a change - it has to go through him first. All decisions will be for the benefit of the club not individuals.

 A number of the keen road racing West Down Wheelers competed at the Dromara CC club Annahilt circuit road race.  Conditions were anything but favorable with heavy rain fall and a water laden surface.

The conditions, however, didn’t hamper the fast and furious racing. The riders were set of in three groups with West Down’s new comer, Mat McKinstry, in the first, Ian Walker, D. G. and Davy Cartmill in the second, the third and scratch group saw John Kernaghan, Josh Daly and Scott.

The first and second groups came together with a lap to go, at this stage the past go very fast in an attempt to keep the scratch away.

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With Ian and D.G. doing a lot of the working at the front to keep the pressure on for most of the last lap the scratch where unable to close the gap. 

On the final 500 yards McKinstry locked on to Walkers wheel for what was the perfect lead out which give McKinstry the first Wheeler home title.