Carrick-on-Suir’s renowned cycling club Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers will once again play host the Carrick Wheelers Cup on Ireland’s National Holiday, St. Patrick’s Day. The race, which dates back to 1955, will be the 59th staging of the event and makes it one of the oldest fixtures on the CyclingIreland calendar. Each year, top riders for the southern half of the island of Ireland target the Carrick Wheelers Cup as their first goal of the new season, having participated in what are mainly early season handicap races prior to this. In fact such is the caliber of the race, an amazing five winners from the past decade have been full-time professional athletes, a statistic that is truly evidence of the quality of the field that this Irish cycling classic attracts.
Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers Chairman John Dempsey spoke of his excitement of securing sponsorship for the event, as Thompson Funeral Directors Waterford come on board for what will be their fourth year backing the event. “I was delighted to hear that Thompson Funeral Directors will be sponsoring the event for an amazing fourth year. Thanks to the support of John and Andre our event has had record numbers entering in recent years and 2013 has all the signs of an increased entry on 2012. Cycling is booming in the Sunny South-East.”
This year’s race is on the usual circuit of Carrick – Glenbower – Kilheffernan – Kilsheelan – Carrick, and three laps gives the riders 100 kilometres of testing racing at this early stage of the season. It is a great circuit for spectators as there are many back roads that can be used to cross over and back allowing you to see the cyclists at different points of the circuit, and with the tough uphill finish there is sure to be some great racing. There will be three separate races, with the first and second category riders in the main event; while there will be two support races, one each for both the 3rd and 4th category riders.
All races will start and finish at the top of the hill on Sir John’s Road for safety reasons, and sign on will be at the Carrick United Clubhouse, Coolnamuck Road, Carrickbeg from 9.00am, with racing starting at 11.30am.
Picking a winner of this CyclingIreland Classic provides much debate with former winners such as Waterford local Robin Kelly and Kerryman Sean Lacey, always among the favorites. However, with some of Ireland’s professional riders making surprise appearances at this event in recent years calling a winner is never easy.
Hopes of the promoting club rest with club member with Martin Mizgajski, a polish native who famously came to Ireland with his wife 10 years ago with only a few hundred euro between them, no English and no place to stay. Martin, now in his second year with the club, showed his class in 2012 with impressive performances in top domestic races such as Rás Mumhan and the Suir Valley 3 Day, and would dearly love to add his name to the winners list of this prestigious event.
In the ‘B Race’ the Carrick-on-Suir club will have a strong chance of a home town victory with Irish International Junior rider Sean Hahessy and local postman Ray Cullen among the favorites to win the event.
This makes for an entertaining day in Carrick-on-Suir and with the races due to finish between 1.30pm and 2.00pm; you can easily catch the parade afterwards!
So, best of luck to all the local riders, and hopefully we will have a safe day’s racing, and that all cyclists and spectators visiting Carrick will enjoy yet another cycle race on St. Patrick’s Day in Carrick-on-Suir!
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