Bankhead clinches APR series for Tommy Smyth cup.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles – had a turnout of 35 riders for their 18 miles Australian Pursuit Race at Slaght last Wednesday evening.
They were set off in three groups with zero, 2 minutes 30 seconds and 5 minutes handicaps at the start.
Conditions were dry for the race and this seemed to help the front groups as the race didn’t all come back together until late on the second and final lap of the Caddy circuit.
Scratch rider C Grant was first home and he summarises the latter stages of the race "We caught the leaders half way down the Caddy road on the last lap. There was lots of attacking during the last lap from Tommy Wilson, Ryan Connor, Mickey Carroll, Simon Taggart, Jim McConnell, Connor Young and Matthew Brennan. All got gaps but were pulled back.  Martin Robb and Peter Smyth went about 600 meters out from the finish and opened a 100m gap.  I jumped across on my own and then kicked for the finish. I managed to get a good gap and had it won so I was able to ease up near the line.”
Peter Smyth held on for second and Ryan Bankhead took third.
Bankhead’s placing, combined with winning the first round at Broughshane two weeks earlier, gave him overall victory in the two race mini-series for the Tommy Smyth cup.
Results (1) C Grant (2) Peter Smyth (Team Shiny Bikes) (3) Ryan Bankhead (4) Uel Cunningham (Ballymoney) (5) Sean Wright (6) Karl Taylor (7) Richard Reid (8) Connor Young (9) Mike Carroll (10) Andrew Hedley (East Antrim) 
 
 
LADIES 
(1) Emma Smyth (2) Eileen Burns (3) Claire Gillespie
 
 
Youths.
The youth section had a one lap, 10 miles APR on the same circuit. Shaun Byrne (Bann Valley) was first home beating Breandan McCavana by 6 seconds. His brother, Fergus Byrne (Bann Valley) was third at 24 seconds with newcomer Hayden Ritchie fourth at 4 minutes 50 seconds.
 
 
 BRC youth rider, George Graham finished third in the under 16 youth race at the "Waller cup” event in Bohermeen Co. Navan on Sunday.