Stan Finlay Memorial 10 Mile TT

Monday, April 22, 2013
Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles – held their annual Stan Finlay Memorial 10 miles time trial at Woodgreen last Wednesday evening.
Conditions were anything but perfect for time trialling with the stormy gusts slowing performances considerably. Nevertheless twenty three club members and another five visitors lined up for the Northstone sponsored event.
Michael Carroll didn’t seem to be too badly troubled by the conditions and he stormed to a decisive win with a time of 23 minutes 43 seconds, winning the Stan Finlay memorial rose bowl for the fifth time.
Michael’s last win in this event came on boxing day 1998 when, on an absolutely atrocious day, he recorded 24 minutes 45 seconds to beat Stephen Lindsay (West Down) by just one second.
Michael’s winning margin was 17 seconds this time with seventeen year old Connor Young second with 24 minutes 00 seconds. Third place went to Matthew Brennan with 24 minutes 46 seconds. In the ladies section Emma Smyth recorded 31 minutes 21 seconds to beat Claire Gillespie by a mere 2 seconds.
John Shaw recorded 28 minutes 11 seconds which was only 19 seconds slower that his best time last season, John won the handicap section as a result.
Afterwards Michael said "I’m delighted to have won the Stan Finlay memorial for a fifth time. The conditions tonight were very poor for time trialling and the times generally reflected that”
Just for the record – Michael’s first time to win the rose bowl was nearly twenty on Boxing Day 1993 when he recorded 22 minutes 10 seconds. The 1995 Boxing Day event was postponed until January 1996 when Michael won in 22 minutes 28 seconds. Boxing day 1996 saw him notch up win three with 22 minutes 42 seconds.
Results – fastest.
(1) MICHAEL CARROLL 23:43 (2) C. YOUNG 24:00 (3) M. BRENNAN        24:46 (4) RYAN CURRIE 24:48 (5) R. BANKHEAD 25:04 and T. WILSON 25:04 (7) S. WRIGHT 25:24 (8) C. GRANT 25:29 (9) RYAN SHAW 27:08 (10) STEPHEN SMYTH 27:30 (11) M. RUDDY 27:31 (12) JOHN SHAW 28:11 (13) A. KERR 28:13 (14) K. TAYLOR 28:49 (15) D. KENNEDY 29:12 (16) A. WILLS 30:16 (17) JIM BURNS 30:24 (18) J. MAXWELL 30:31 (19) BOBBY CURRIE 31:11 (20) Emma SMYTH 31:21 (21) Claire GILLESPIE 31:23 (22) B. MILLAR 32:44
Visitors (1) J McKendry (Duffin Transport) 24.29 (2) Craig Crawford (Duffin) 25.05 (3) Dominic Drumm (Bann Wheelers) 25.14 (4) Peter Smyth (Shiny bikes) 27.24 (5) S Carley (Muckamore) 28.11.
 
 
 
Handicap Result.
(1) John Shaw 24.19 (2) Michael Carroll 24.44 (3) C Grant 25.10 (4) Stephen Smyth 25.35 (5) Ryan Bankhead 25.41 (6) Connor Young 25.56
 
 
Monday night’s youth section 2.5 miles time trial from Michelin to the Ecos roundabout and back was won by Breandan McCavana in 7 minutes 05 seconds. Emma Gordon was second with 8 minutes 38 seconds and newcomer Hayden Ritchie third with 8.51.