Local cyclists in good form

Navan Road Club cyclists made big impressions in different events over the past week. Fiona Guiheen won the silver medal in the Junior National Road Race Championships in Sligo. Guiheen was in contention for the title until the last lap and in the end she just narrowly missed out on first place. She can still look back on a fine display which ended with her picking up her first individual championship award after 80 kilometres of a testing circuit. Guiheen's team-mate Heather Beirne, who won a bronze last year in the same category, also rode well in the event despite having just completed the Leaving Certificate. Well-known race organiser Hazel Hall achieved two remarkable long distance achievements in recent weeks. Hall, who is the driving force behind the very successful Navan Club League every Tuesday evening, finished the 400 kilometre South East Randonee in less than 27 hours. She has now qualified for the 1200 km Paris-Brest-Paris Randonee to be held next year. Hall followed this achievement up with a 1,400km trek through the 32 counties of Ireland in just seven days as part of National Bike Week. This achievement was all the more remarkable as it was completed without any support. Hall was one of three Navan Road Club cyclists who took part in the 3,000km Rally Around Ireland. David McLoughlin headed south, Paul O'Donoghue went west while Hall, cycling just two years, took the northern route to complete a distance of 1114km over eight days in an average speed of 27.1km/h in this major cycling challenge. Lakeland Wheelers held a reception for the three cyclists in Mullingar at the finish. Earlier this summer Hall finished the Dublin City marathon in three hours, 44 minutes. Hall has also completed other long distance challenges which include the Mick Byrne 200km and the REK 400-Audax cycle. Other Navan Road Club cyclists who featured prominently in events included Colm Farrell who was fifith in the Stephen Roche Grand Prix. James Lynch and Aidan Wall were second and fourth respectively in the u-16 race, Megan Lynch was fourth and Laura Wall eighth in the u-12 event in Sligo. As part of their preparation for the Martin Lynch-sponsored event in aid of the Irish Heart and Lung Transplant Association to be held later this summer, members of the Moynalty Cycling Club embarked on a cycle of the same route. The journey took the riders from Moynalty to Kells, Athboy, Trim, Navan and back to Kells and Moynalty. The riders maintained a fast pace despite the humid conditions. As is the tradition by now, there was a sprint to the finish with Tommy Barrett emerging as the victor. The Moynalty cyclists continue to increase their level of fitness and they were delighted to welcome back Fiona Gilsenan to their ranks.