Eileen Wins Ladies BAR

Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Eileen Burns has won the Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles – ladies’ time trial best all-rounder competition for the 2013 season.
Eileen had a great season in the Northstone sponsored series of club races, during which she showed steady improvement and finished the year with a haul of three trophies, in what was only her third season with the club.
These trophies included the "Rose bowl” for the BAR; the Combat Cancer 25 miles time trial cup and the season long time trial handicap league trophy.
Eileen’s best all-rounder record came from two impressive late season performances. Eileen clocked 11 minutes 43 seconds, in the 5 miles time trial at Woodgreen on 17th July. One week earlier, on 10th July, Eileen had recorded 24 minutes 09 seconds in a 10 miles TT at Woodgreen and, when the two times were combined, she had established a new record average speed of 25.225mph.
The existing record had been held since 2009 by Louise Fullerton (Eileen’s sister in law) with an average of 25.124mph. Incidentally Louise’s times from 2009 were 11 minutes 50 seconds for the five and 24.06 for the 10 miles. 
Claire Gillespie finished second in the time trial BAR with times of 12 minutes 29 seconds for 5 miles and 25 minutes 51 seconds for 10 miles. This is an average speed of 23.621mph.
Last year’s winner, Emma Smyth, recorded 13 minutes 20 seconds for 5 miles and 24.59 for the 10 miles distance for an overall average of 23.258mph. This represented an overall improvement from her 23.170mph winning average last year, when her times were 12.47 (5 miles) and 26.14 (10 miles)
Handicap league.
Eileen’s first points in the time trial handicap league competition were secured on 1st May in the Combat Cancer cup 25 miles time trial at Woodgreen. Her performance of 69 minutes 19 seconds took her to the top of the handicap result with a net time of 56.44 to pip her father in law, Jim Burns, for the trophy. Jim was second on handicap with 57.15.
Eileen improved her 25 miles time again in the Ernie Mark cup event on 19th June when she recorded 68.24. This earned her one point for her sixth place, on handicap, on the night.
However it was the final two time trials on the 2013 club calendar which were to again prove important and secure the league. Eileen’s best 10 miles performance up until that night on 10th July had been 29 minutes 02 seconds, from 2012, and when she clocked 24 minutes 09 seconds this gave her a net handicap time of 19 minutes 07 seconds and second place – ironically to her father in law, Jim Burns.
Jim’s time of 24.35 was a huge improvement on his 30.24 from earlier in the year and this won him the Gardiner cup.
The final race of the time trial series was a 5 miles time trial from Woodgreen to Ballee and back on 17th July. This saw Eileen improve her 5 miles time from 12.42 to 11.43 and not only gave her the win on handicap on the night but, when the 6 points were added to her total, she had won the league too.
The final league positions are; (1) Eileen Burns 18 points. (2) John Maxwell 16 points. (3) Claire Gillespie 13 points (4) Michael Carroll 12 points. Equal (5) and (6) Jim Burns and Jason Burns 11 points each. 
The ladies racing league which is across all the events – road races, time trials and the hill-climb saw Claire Gillespie on top spot with 90 points. Emma Smyth finished second with 74 and Eileen Burns third on 42 points.
Well done to all the ladies for their achievements during the 2013 season. They and the other prize winners will receive their awards at the club’s annual prize presentation dinner and dance at Eaton Park on Friday 22nd November.