Team Youghal Completes The Race Around Ireland For The Third Time – By John Hennessy

TEAM YOUGHAL made history in Navan, Co. Meath on Sunday, September 11th, when they started the Race Around Ireland for the third successive year in a row. Christy McCarthy from Team Youghal left the starting line in Market Square, Navan, at 05:15pm, after playing the National Anthem on the bagpipes for the opening of the race, and then headed North for his first stint in the toughest cycling endurance test in Europe. The Team cycled straight into Hurricane Katia on Sunday night and most of the day Monday which saw them going through Nothern Ireland, over to Donegal and then down to Sligo. One of the cyclists commented that it was the first time he had to cycle down a hill.

Tuesday saw a let up in the weather as the Team headed for Galway and continued down into Limerick and Kerry. In the early hours of Wednesday morning Team Youghal entered their home County of Cork as they continued on their journey in The Race Around Ireland.  Before reaching County Cork they cycled through the Black Valley in Kerry around midnight so did not get to see the beautiful landscape that rural Kerry has to offer. However this was not the case for West Cork as the Team headed into County Cork as the sun rose, in good form, in good weather and going strong.

The Team cycled through West Cork and reached Cork City around 3:00pm, Wednesday, where Christy McCarthy took on the infamous Patrick’s Hill in Cork and won. Team Youghal then continued on to their home town of Youghal and arrived around 5:00pm to a huge welcome. This boosted the spirits of everyone on the Team and gave them energy for the final leg of the journey.

Team Youghal then continued up the East Coast of Ireland into Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow, Dublin and Co.Meath. They completed two major climbs during this journey, namely, Mount Leinster and The Sally Gap.

At 10:40am Thursday morning Team Youghal crossed the finish line in Navan to complete their Race Around Ireland in a time of 89 hrs 25 mins. During the race the Team cycled 2,172 km with an average speed of 24.29 km/h with someone in the saddle at all times.

This year Team Youghal completed The Race Around Ireland for two local charities; Youghal Hospice and Youghal Meals On Wheels.

Click on image to see Team Youghal cycle for local charities in the Race Around Ireland. Pics: John Hennsessy | Ed Guiry | Youghalonline.com

TEAM YOUGHAL made history today (11/09/2011) in Navan, Co. Meath when they started the Race Around Ireland for the third successive year. Christy McCarthy from Team Youghal  left the starting line in Market Square, Navan, at 05:15pm, after playing the National Anthem on the bagpipes for the opening of the race, and then headed North for his first stint in the toughest cycling endurance test in Europe.

Despite a weather warning for the tail end of hurricane Katia, in force for Ireland over the coming days, Team Youghal will have to have a cyclist in the saddle at all times. The Team are looking to improve their time of 88 hours 18 minutes from last year during which they also encountered bad weather during the first night of the race when they were cycling through Northern Ireland.

Ten weeks ago Team Youghal were in America where they competed in the toughest cycling endurance race in the World, The Race Across America, cycling over 3,000 miles across the United States Of America. This year Team Youghal are competing in the 1,350 mile race for two local charities, Youghal Hospice and Youghal Meals On Wheels.

To follow the progress of Team Youghal keep an eye on their website ; www.teamyoughal.com

To follow the progress of The Race Around Ireland keep an eye on their website:
www.racearoundireland.com

Click on image to startslide show: Pics by John Hennessy http://www.jhennessy.net/?ref=youghalonline

TEAM YOUGHAL will create history on Sunday (Sept 11th 2011) when they will compete in the 1,350 mile Race Around Ireland Cycle Race for the third successive year. This year the team will be raising funds for two local charities, Youghal Hospice and Youghal Meals on Wheels.

THE RACE AROUND IRELAND is quite simply the toughest cycling endurance test in Europe covering a massive distance of 1,350 miles travelling through all four Irish Provinces with many steep climbs and sharp descents along the way.

What makes this such a fantastic challenge is the constant flow of the race which runs 24 hours a day from start to finish, with little or no let up and that overwhelming desire not only to complete the race, but to win it!

‘Team Youghal’s’ winning time in the 2009 ‘Race Around Ireland’ was clocked at 90 hours and 6 minutes and they improved this by almost two hours last year in very poor weather conditions.

The race is part of the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association (UMCA) World Cup Series and the race is organised by the Navan Road Club and is sanctioned by Cycling Ireland.

In the ‘Race Around Ireland’ once the clock starts for ‘Team Youghal’ in Navan on September 11th it won’t stop until they reach the finish line at the end of the 1,350 mile circuit. This is the second most gruelling bike races in the world, the toughest being the Race Across America and Team Youghal became the first Irish 8 Person Team to complete this race in June of this year in seven days and 14 hours.

Team Leader Ger Flanagan said “This is a great group of people and there is a great togetherness about the team both on the bikes and in the support crew. The support crew are the vital cog in our whole race attempt. We are looking forward to taking on this challenge for a 3rd successive year and would like to ask as many people as possible to support the excellent work of Youghal Hospice and Youghal Meals on Wheels”. Sponsorship Cards are in circulation from Youghal Meals and Wheels, Youghal Hospice and from Team Youghal.

Team Youghal held a launch for their chosen charities at Youghal Hospital recently and both charities as really looking forward to the race. The Race will pass through Youghal on Wednesday 14TH September and once again the Walter Raleigh Hotel has been chosen by the Race Organisers as an Official Time Station.

Organising or working on an event such as the ‘Race Around Ireland’ takes massive work hours and ‘Race Around Ireland’ race director Alan Heary and his team deserve tremendous praise for their efforts.

Alan Heary said “Team Youghal’ are a very important part of the ‘Race Around Ireland’ event, because they bring a very professional team and back up crew to the race, with everything in terms of planning and structure as well as pure enthusiasm and effort, plus the age range in the team is so varied it shows that there is no age barrier for ‘Team Youghal’ because of their superb preparation. I think the spirit of the event is defined by ‘Team Youghal’ in their approach to everyone involved in the event. There is nobody they wouldn’t help or give the best advice to, there is always an excellent genuine attitude, I believe ‘Team Youghal’ embodies everything that is good about the ‘Race Around Ireland’ and we are delighted to see them back to defend their title”.

The race route through Cork is incredible, entering the County in Glengarriff, heading on to Bantry, Goleen, Mizen Head, Skull, Ballydehob, Skibbereen, Leap, Ross Carbery, Clonakilty, Timoleague, Ballinspittle, Kinsale, Ballincollig, Kerry Pike, Blarney, Cork City (Including St Patrick’s Hill) Glanmire, Carrigtwohill, Midleton, Castlemartyr, Killeagh and on to Youghal, before heading to Dungarvan and on the Mahon Falls.

To keep up to date with ‘Team Youghal’s’ race progress plus daily reports log into www.teamyoughal.com

Team Youghal gear up for 1,350 mile Race Around Ireland.
Cycling for the Local Charities

TEAM YOUGHAL will create history on Sept 11th when they will compete in the 1,350 mile Race Around Ireland Cycle Race for the third successive year. This year the team will be raising funds for two local charities, Youghal Hospice and Youghal Meals on Wheels.

THE RACE AROUND IRELAND is quite simply the toughest cycling endurance test in Europe covering a massive distance of 1,350 miles travelling through all four Irish Provinces with many steep climbs and sharp descents along the way.

What makes this such a fantastic challenge is the constant flow of the race which runs 24 hours a day from start to finish, with little or no let up and that overwhelming desire not only to complete the race, but to win it!

‘Team Youghal’s’ winning time in the 2009 ‘Race Around Ireland’ was clocked at 90 hours and 6 minutes and they improved this by almost two hours last year in very poor weather conditions.

The race is part of the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association (UMCA) World Cup Series and the race is organised by the Navan Road Club and is sanctioned by Cycling Ireland.

In the ‘Race Around Ireland’ once the clock starts for ‘Team Youghal’ in Navan on September 11th it won’t stop until they reach the finish line at the end of the 1,350 mile circuit. This is the second most gruelling bike races in the world, the toughest being the Race Across America and Team Youghal became the first Irish 8 Person Team to complete this race in June of this year in seven days and 14 hours.

Team Leader Ger Flanagan said “This is a great group of people and there is a great togetherness about the team both on the bikes and in the support crew. The support crew are the vital cog in our whole race attempt. We are looking forward to taking on this challenge for a 3rd successive year and would like to ask as many people as possible to support the excellent work of Youghal Hospice and Youghal Meals on Wheels”. Sponsorship Cards are in circulation from Youghal Meals and Wheels, Youghal Hospice and from Team Youghal.

Team Youghal held a launch for their chosen charities at Youghal Hospital recently and both charities as really looking forward to the race. The Race will pass through Youghal on Wednesday 14TH September and once again the Walter Raleigh Hotel has been chosen by the Race Organisers as an Official Time Station.

Organising or working on an event such as the ‘Race Around Ireland’ takes massive work hours and ‘Race Around Ireland’ race director Alan Heary and his team deserve tremendous praise for their efforts.

Alan Heary said “Team Youghal’ are a very important part of the ‘Race Around Ireland’ event, because they bring a very professional team and back up crew to the race, with everything in terms of planning and structure as well as pure enthusiasm and effort, plus the age range in the team is so varied it shows that there is no age barrier for ‘Team Youghal’ because of their superb preparation. I think the spirit of the event is defined by ‘Team Youghal’ in their approach to everyone involved in the event. There is nobody they wouldn’t help or give the best advice to, there is always an excellent genuine attitude, I believe ‘Team Youghal’ embodies everything that is good about the ‘Race Around Ireland’ and we are delighted to see them back to defend their title”.

The race route through Cork is incredible, entering the County in Glengarriff, heading on to Bantry, Goleen, Mizen Head, Skull, Ballydehob, Skibbereen, Leap, Ross Carbery, Clonakilty, Timoleague, Ballinspittle, Kinsale, Ballincollig, Kerry Pike, Blarney, Cork City (Including St Patrick’s Hill) Glanmire, Carrigtwohill, Midleton, Castlemartyr, Killeagh and on to Youghal, before heading to Dungarvan and on the Mahon Falls.

To keep up to date with ‘Team Youghal’s’ race progress plus daily reports log into www.teamyoughal.com

Team Youghal Return To Heroes’ Welcome. – By Christy Parker

Team Youghal were accorded a heroes’ welcome home last Friday (1st July 2011) on returning from their marvellous and monumental coast-to-coast charity cycle across America. The CRY-organised homecoming that saw locals cheer and applaud as the Youghal Pipe band led the seven cyclists and ten-man support crew through the town centre. For once, the team travelled on foot, their bikes having failed to materialise from their Heathrow connection flight hours earlier.

Under sunny skies, Youghal musician Mark Ansbro entertained the crowd before CRY radio presenter Tommy Collins and Mayor Eoin Coyne formally welcomed the jet-lagged, leg-weary legends in the shadows of the Clock Gate.

Days before, the team had completed a grueling 24/7 relay cycle in the 30th annual Race Across America (RAAM). The first Irish team to complete in what is deemed cycling’s toughest endurance test, they had crossed 12 states from California to Maryland and, on day 3 alone, had climbed to 170,000 ft. (‘That’s three times the height of Mount Carrantuohill- Ireland’s highest mountain,’ as Mr. Collins graphically illustrated it.).Averaging 16.42 mph and sometimes hitting four times that speed on lengthy downhill stretches, they had completed the 3,005 mile trek in one week, 14 hours and five minutes. They finished the race in an immensely impressive 24th position from about 70 competitors.

The cyclists even managed a five-kilometre charity run in Central Park days later, following a reception at the Irish Consulate General’s Office in New York.

The team’s historic achievement was undertaken to raise awareness and funds on behalf of the Emer Casey Foundation. The registered charity, which was established in honour of Emer, who died aged 28 from ovarian/uterine cancer in 2006, funds research into early diagnosis of the disease.’

One has to spare a sympathetic thought or two for Youghal chief fire officer Tommy Roche, who must feel cursed by the gods of RAAM! Having had to withdraw from the race due to a training accident in California, he was even denied attending the homecoming as the fire service received a call-out on its way to greet the team!

Team leader Ger Flanagan thanked all who had supported the venture, including American TV and Home Theatre Installation company Firedog, Magners Cider, Excelsys Technologies, Cork, Emer’s former employers Matheson Ormsby Prentice, Solicitors Dublin, Irish Distillers, Youghal Town Council, Race Around Ireland and a host of Youghal businesses. In America, support was forthcoming from the Irish US Council, Enterprise Ireland’s US division, The American Chamber of Commerce, the Trinity Foundation, the Irish Consulate General in New York and the New York Cork Association.

See: www.teamyoughal.com See also: www.emercaseyfoundation.com

Click on image to enlarge:

 

Team Youghal were guests of the Consulate General of Ireland at the Emer Casey Foundation reception held at 345 Park Avenue on Tuesday June 28th. The event was hosted by the Vice-Consulate General Jackie O’Halloran and the MC for the evening was ESPN Commentator Tommy Smyth.

The attendees included Emer’s parents Juliette and Brendan, Professor John O’Leary and Dr. Sharon O’Toole of the Discovary Consortium,  representatives of Firedog and Magners, two of Team Youghal’s sponsors plus guests from many walks of life both locally and internationally.

The Vice-Consulate General Jackie O’Halloran praised Team Youghal on their wonderful achievement in crossing the American continent in a little over 7 days. She praised the work of the Emer Casey Foundation and said that she was honoured to host the event.

Ray Flanagan, a member of team Youghal crew, produced a short video montage on the Race Across America from the departure in Youghal to the start in Oceanside, California and right through to the finish line in Annapolis, Maryland. It included some breath-taking shots through the wonderful scenery of the United States of America.

Juliette Casey spoke of the heartbreak of losing her daughter a few days after her 28th birthday. She spoke of the setting up of the foundation and how far it has come in the past four years. To date over €500,000 has been raised for ovarian/uterine cancer research. She paid tribute to Matheson Ormsby Prentice Solicitors, whom Emer worked with prior to her death for their excellent support both moral and financial over the past while. She thanked Team Youghal for adopting the Emer Casey Foundation as their chosen charity for the Race Across America. She thanked Jackie and everyone at the Irish Consulate for their help in organising the event.

Professor John O’Leary spoke on behalf of the Discovary Consortium and outlined the work involved with the research carried out on behalf of the Emer Casey Foundation. He said that they have made enormous strides in early detection, testing and in chemoresistences. He thanked everyone present for their support of the work of the emer Casey Foundation. He recalled a meeting in a Dublin Hotel some 18 months previously with Ger Flanagan of Team Youghal when the idea of racing across America was first mentioned and he was very sceptical. He is delighted to say the secpticism was unfounded and here we are tonight celebrating Team Youghal’s Race Across America adventure. He thanked the team for their promotion of the emer Casey Foundation and for putting so much personal time, effort and finance into a truly magnificient cause.

Ger Flanagan spoke on behalf of Team Youghal and thanked everyone of the team members for fulfilling was was initially his dream but expressed the view that it had become their dream now of competing in RAAM. He thanked all the sponsors inlcluding Firedog, Magners Irish Cider, Excelsys, Matheson Ormsby Prentice and Race Around Ireland. He also thanked everyone who made a financial contribution to the team as well as the website advertisers. He confirmed that the website had received over 62,500 hits during the race. He thanked everyone for making the effort to support them and to the Irish Consulate General for hosting the event. He also thanked MC Tommy Smyth.

The evening was rounded off in style with a rendition of tunes from Youghal Pipe Band member Christy McCarthy. Christy, a cyclist with Team Youghal, also played the National Anthem at the start of the race in Oceanside, California.

 

Click on the video below to view Team Youghal’s 2011 Race Across America adventure:

 

Team Youghal Race Across America 2011 from Ray Flanagan on Vimeo.

At 12:45pm this afternoon, Sunday 26th of June, Irish Time, Team Youghal completed the toughest endurance in the world, The Race Across America, for the Emer Casey Foundation. The Team spent 7 days 14 hours and 5 mins cycling across America, with an average speed of 16.42 mph, going through the Arizona Desert , The Rocky Mountains and the Kansas Plains, to name but a few. They covered 3,000 miles, with someone in the saddle, supported by crew, at all times, both day and night. All the cyclists and crew from Team Youghal crossed the finish line in Annapolis, Maryland, to a huge reception, getting cheers and applause from family and friends who travelled there to be with them in their hour of glory.

Ger Flanagan said at the finish line today: “This is a very emotional day for all of us in achieving the finish of this race. We had ups and downs but we got here in the end. This was due in no small measure to all the help and support we received from everyone at home, everyone in America, and all our sponsors. We also were given a great boost throughout the race by all our friends on Facebook and we couldn’t believe it when we had over 1,000 followers towards the end of the race.”

Tired and saddle sore the Team Youghal are now going to replenish their energy and take a well earned rest for a day or so before travelling on a fundraiser tour to New York for the Emer Casey Foundation.

Team Youghal are a group of amateur cyclists based in the East Cork Town of Youghal and have already completed The Race Around Ireland in 2009 and 2010. The Race Across America is their greatest achievement so far with the people of Youghal immensely proud of both the cyclists and crew. For more information check their website; www.teamyoughal.com

Team Youghal continues their epic journey in the Race Across America. The Team cut through the Rocky Mountains on Tuesday the 21st of June when the Blue Team of Ger Christy and Alan climbed the Cuchara Pass, which was once an old Indian trail, used as early as 1779. Long before the road appeared, the Indians gathered at the top of Cuchara Pass each month to share stories of brave deeds. They would have a feast and dance around the campfire. The Red Team of Michael, Kieran, the two Brians, Gordon and Ray cycled through the night, scaling the highest point in this year’s RAAM at 10,857ft.

The Team reached an important milestone in the race when they passed through Alamosa CO, a former rail centre for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, at 12:48pm, Irish Time, Tuesday the 21st. At this stage of RAAM they had cycled over one third of the final distance, having covered 1,006 miles with 1,983 miles to go. This was a welcome boost to all the team as the heat of the day and the cold of the night was taking its toll.

Team Youghal descended through the Rocky Mountains and entered Kansas passing through Ulysses KS, located in the Southwest corner of Kansas, 40 miles from both the Colorado and Oklahoma borders, Time Station 23, on Wednesday 22nd, at 7:37am, Irish Time. The weather in Kansas was hot and humid with harvest time in full swing as could be seen by the many combine harvesters out in the fields.

Kansas also produced another milestone for Team Youghal as they passed the half way stage of the toughest endurance race in the world at 7:09pm, Irish Time, through a suburb of Wichita called Maize KS . All the team felt a huge sense of achievement when they reached this stage but were still very conscious of what is ahead. 1548.3 miles cycled with 1441.18 miles to go.

The sense of achievement progressed when the Team crossed the Mississippi River at 10:27pm, Irish Time. They have now cycled over two thirds of the Race Across America which is going to be a huge boost to their physiological well being……Go Team Youghal..

Team Youghal started their Race across America on June 18th at 10:40pm, Irish Time, leaving Oceanside, California, for a three thousand mile journey across the continent of the USA. All eight team members were on the start line and were applauded by spectators and some ex pats who turned up to cheer them on. Christy McCarthy from Youghal Pipe Band, and also a member of Team Youghal, played the National Anthem on the bagpipes to a huge reception which boosted the spirit of all the Team and anyone with Irish connections that were there for the start.

The Blue Team of Alan Sheehan, Christy McCarthy and Ger Flanagan cycled the first 142 miles to Brawley CA which included the Palomar Mountain which was 2,000ft high. They were supported by Ray Flanagan and Gordon Nicholson. The weather was very hot and humid but the scenery was breath taking especially from the top of the glass elevator at 4,227ft. The team made excellent time reaching Brawley a little after 6am, Irish Time.

The red team of Brian Hehir, Brian Fitzgerald, Kieran Groeger, Michael Hines and Tommy Roche, supported by Jill Kinahan and Peter Roche then took the night shift to Parker Arizona. On the way they followed the Colorado River northward towards Arizona and entered the Colorado River Indian Reservation. They battled on through the night and met with the Blue Team outside Parker AZ, between a town called Bouse AZ and Hope AZ, at 1:00pm, Irish Time.

The Blue Team then set off for Prescott AZ via Skull Valley in the sizzling Arizona heat. They reached Prescott at 10:26pm, Irish Time. At this stage Team Youghal covered 440 miles during their Race Across America. Red Team then took over and went down the Prescott Valley and up through the Hickey Mountains with Cottonwood AZ in sight. The Red Team blasted through Verde Valley and reached Flagstaff AZ on Monday at 05:44am Irish Time and handed back to the Blue Team.

The Blue Team, Ger Flanagan, Christy McCarthy and Alan Sheehan, supported by Peter Roche and John Sanders, then headed for Tuba City AZ, entering the Navajo Indian Reservation on the way and skirting the edge of the Grand Canyon. They continued on to Kayenta AZ where they met up with the Red Team of Brian Hehir, Brian Fitzgerald, Kieran Groeger and Michael Hines at 3:06pm, Irish Time.

The Red Team then left Kayenta and continued on to Cortez CO seeing spectacular scenery through monument valley and when passing Mexican Hat UT and the tombstones. During this stage the Red Team interacted with another, Californian based, eight man team, called Team Learning 4 Life. The Red Team were tussling back and forth with the American team throughout the stage but Michael Hines got the better of them and pulled away. The Red Team then handed over to the Blue Team in Cortez CO at 11:15pm, Irish Time after Team Youghal cycled 813 miles across America for The Emer Casey Foundation.

For the Team there were two things that stood out for every one of the team members.

The first was the helpfulness and friendliness of everyone that they met at the start of the race and through all the different stages that they cycled through. Ger Flanagan said; “Without the support from the American people and the Irish this endeavour would be twice as difficult as it is. We would like to thank everyone who helped or gave advice in any way as it meant a great deal to everyone involved. We would also like to thank all the followers on facebook, whose comments are a great boost to us when we need a little push.”

The second was the unbelievable scenery that they encountered going through Arizona and on to Utah. Crew Chief, Aonghus O’Broin, said; “When you see the sights in reality that nature has created it lifts the spirit and helps you to continue with a renewed energy.”

813.7 miles done, 2175.81 miles to go, next stop Durango CO.

Click on image to enlarge

Team Youghal met up with one of their main sponsors on Wednesday afternoon (15th June) at the start line of the Race Across America in Oceanside California to make a presentation.

The sponsor in question was Magner’s Irish Cider who greatly helped Team Youghal with their kind sponsorship to compete in the Race Across America.

Magner’s have also made sure the team’s celebrations after the race will go well by donating several cases of cider, to the joy of team members.

Magner’s were represented by their West Coast Marketing Executive Molly Stokas, Marketing Manager for Magners in San Diego to hand over the Irish Cider.

After completing the race, the team will host a function at The Consulate General of Ireland Offices on Park Avenue, Manhattan.

This will be held on June 28th to raise funds for their chosen charity, The Emer Casey Foundation.

The Emer Casey Foundation was established in June 2006 following Emer’s untimely death from ovarian cancer. The aim of the foundation is to raise awareness and to raise funds to secure the best independent advice possible in the area of ovarian and uterine cancer.

Team Youghal will begin their toughest challenge yet, The Race Across America on Saturday 18th June. This is a 3,005 mile race from Oceanside California on the West coast of America, to Annapolis, Maryland on the East Coast.

The team will cycle 24 hours a day in a non-stop relay until they reach the finish line.

Follow the team by logging on to www.teamyoughal.com and on Facebook, where there will be regular updates during the race. For more information on the Emer Casey Foundation please log on to www.emercaseyfoundation.com