The launch took place at the Church of the Holy Family Hall, Magnier’s Hill, Youghal
on Wednesday 8th Feb. 2012.

Youghal Cycling Club are pleased to announce that the 3rd Annual Vee Challenge will be held on Sunday, 12th August 2012.  The event has grown in success from year to year with significant monies being raised for local charities.

This year Youghal Cycling Club are delighted to announce, that in 2012, we will be supporting local athlete Amanda Crotty in her preparations for the Paralympic Games later this year.  Amanda, who has been visually impaired since birth, is a member of Youghal Athletic Club and the Irish Paralympic Team.  As a visually impaired runner, she competes while tethered to a guide, who must always remain behind the athlete.

We are also delighted to announce that Cognex Corporation have continued their sponsorship of The Vee Challenge for 2012.  Running a cycling sportiff has significant costs and recurring expenses.  Having a main sponsor is a massive help to the Club and ensures maximum return of funds raised to the chosen recipients.  Cognex Corporation designs, develops, manufactures and markets a range of products that incorporate sophisticated machine vision technology that gives them the ability to “see.”   Cognex products include barcode readers, machine vision sensors and machine vision systems that are used in factories, warehouses and distribution centres around the world to guide, gauge, inspect, identify and assure the quality of items during the manufacturing and distribution process.  Cognex is the world’s leader in the machine vision industry, having shipped more than 700,000 vision-based products, representing over $3 billion in cumulative revenue, since the company’s founding in 1981.  Headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts, USA, Cognex has regional offices and distributors located throughout North America, Japan, Europe, Asia and Latin America.  For details, visit Cognex on-line at http://www.cognex.com

In 2012 we will again offer two routes for riders.  The 130km Vee Challenge which takes in the ascent of the Vee from Lismore and descending into Clogheen before climbing the Vee again through the Sheep’s Pass  From here we head to the food stop on the road to Cappoquin.  Refuelled the route will pass by the Blackwater Valley taking in the beautiful Dromana drive before heading for the coast and the final sting in the tail, at Monatrea, offering fantastic views of Youghal town.

The second option is the 90km Vee Ascent.  This route covers most of the roads that the Vee Challenge incorporates with participants climbing the Vee as far as Glenaknockaun before turning back for the R669 and the welcome food stop along this gentle descent into the town of Cappoquin.  This route is ideal for those looking for a moderate challenge with the scenic climb of the Vee, along with the beautiful Dromana drive part of the route.  A reasonable level of fitness would be required to enjoy your day in the saddle and the fantastic scenery that the area offers.

Please check out website www.youghalcyclingclub.com and our facebook page for regular updates.

Related story click on image below

Amanda Crotty Set To Be Youghal’s First Paralympic Athlete. – By Christy Parker

WHEN does an athletics race/walk become a very personal part of your life?

Martin Drake a very well known Youghal athlete who to this day is a huge character within the sport and still an enthusiastic competitor only knows too well as he sadly lost his wife Caroline nearly a year ago and as a tribute to her and an opportunity to help Marymount Hospice in some way he is organising what could be one of the biggest East Cork road races outside of the Ballycotton ‘10’ in association with Youghal Athletic Club.
By Derek Kiely | Photo: Michael Hussey www.youghalonline.com | Email: news@youghalonline.com

Last week the official launch of this great project took place in Farrell Summerfield Bar and it was apparent that the huge numbers that attended this launch were thrilled to be part of this personal and very worthy event.

Noel Berkley and James McCarthy are just two of many elite and International athletes that will take to the roads in Youghal to help raise funds for this most worthy cause as well as show Martin their supports.

Martin and his co-organiser Tim Twomey got together months ago to see what they could do and since that meeting the names just keep rolling in.

Twomey told YoughalOnline.com Sport “The purpose of this whole event is twofold, one to honour the memory of Caroline and two to raise some funds for Marymount. We now have over a 100 sponsorship cards out there and our very printer sponsor ‘Flanagan Print’ is printing another couple of hundred such is the demand and that is great”.

The race has many sponsors already including Farrell’s Bar and Jack O’ Patsy Pottery and the race will start on Sunday July the 18th at 2pm at Summerfield Cross make its way through Youghal turn at the North end of the town continue back up the quayside and finish by the Front Strand at the old train station covering a distance of four miles.

The race is being measured and organised by ‘Ballycotton Running Promotions’ and has an AAI Permit for both runners and walkers of all levels alike.

Kathy O’Donovan representing Marymount Hospice said “We are building a new hospital and we have the frame of it up, but we still have a way to go and events like these are so important to us. The new hospital would give patients individual rooms and give each person the privacy they deserve, so again we say thank you to everyone involved in this event”.

Youghal Town Council Lady Mayor Sandra Mc Clellan said “When Martin first organised this charity event in aid of Marymount Hospice it started out as a local fundraiser, but it gradually started to gain momentum and has turned into a huge event”.

People from all walks of life are attending and contributing is some shape or form for this race and the fun and entertainment that will follow with the many prizes presented on the day, but the man behind it all was for once really caught for words on the night.

Martin Drake told YoughalOnline Sport “It was emotional, but it was lovely. All of Caroline’s family are here tonight and they are as thrilled as I am about how highly thought of she was. I am delighted and touched by the support I have received and I hope everyone enjoys the day”.

This is a relaxing time to be Paul Curley. The 42 year-old runner has recently finished the Dublin city marathon and his next competitive outing is oh, far, far beyond the horizon into the New Year. “It’ll probably be a Carrigaline five mile race as part of the preparation for the Ballycotton series in March,” he shrugs, “but I can ease off a bit for now.”
Report: Christy Parker Photo: Michael Hussey  Email: news@youghalonline.com

Of course marathon runners find five miles about as demanding as a dash to the fridge for another bottle of Lucozade Supersport with Extra Porridge or whatever. Yet, its not that long since Paul found a 1,000 metre relay at a school’s parent’s day almost life threatening. “I was totally knackered. I could hardly breathe afterwards, let alone walk!” he recalls of that awakening day in 2004.

Around the same time he began experiencing muscular aches and pains. The man was not just ageing, but starting to creak as well. Up to then he had assumed his work as a builder automatically kept him in condition. “It was a different sort of fitness,” he observes now. He decided to take up running, an activity that had departed from his life on the same train as childhood.

Training

So, Paul began pacing the roads around Youghal, gradually building his strength and stamina. The arrival of Aura in town also helped and he still finds the centre’s treadmill a viable alternative to being dodging Youghal’s ever-widening potholes. Either way, he quickly became very focused on being fit. He also found, in one of life’s ironies, that, “the more I trained the less tired I felt generally.”

After a few months his sister Sandra persuaded him to join her and her Youghal Athletic Club colleagues running from Tides and back via Summerfield Cross and the Strand –a route generally known as ‘round the ring.’ At first strenuous, that too became routine eventually.

Within six months the running bug had taken a strong hold. He began participating in Business Houses Athletics Association (BHAA) competitions as part of the Quality Hotel team and was running five & 10 miles on road, cross-country and along beaches in. The BHAA manages inter-business athletic events, with competitors generally over 35. Paul’s mantelpiece holds a Galway vase and a plate -of unknown origin- in lieu of two third place finishes (0ver 40’s) in the five-mile Cork-Cobh runs of 2008 and 2009, by way of which he returned a personal best of 1:32:45 last September.

Marathons

Paul had joined the Youghal Athletic Club in 2005 but resisted suggestions that he attempt the Dublin City marathon for a year, feeling he hadn’t yet enough miles on the clock. In 2006, he ran round Dublin in 3:05:00. In 2007 he opted instead for Amsterdam and clocked 2:57.00. Dublin 2008 brought his time down to 2:53:00 before last month he flashed home in 2:51.00 (about the time it takes most Youghal men to walk up Cork Hill), finishing, coincidentally, in the precise position as the previous year and amongst the top 150 from 10,500 finishers. He feels there is better to come, noting that, “many older runners run faster than that.” He doesn’t dispute that calculations predict that at the current rate of progress he will win it in a world record time when he’s 67. By 80, it’ll take him 10 minutes.

This year, Paul also ran the Ballycotton 10 in under an hour (59.35) for the first time. There is no denying he acquires immense satisfaction in seeing the figures tumble. Perhaps even more so, he is delighted at the over spill of running and fitness into his life generally. “I find my whole approach to things is better. I feel more relaxed. The benefits vary. It’s a bit like going back to how I felt when I was younger; I find even my taste buds are improved.” For all that, Paul doesn’t espouse running as a panacea for the population’s ills. “I don’t think it suits everyone,” he suggests. “Some people just aren’t suited to running for various reasons.”

Sporting family

It must be said that being a Manchester United fan, Paul has an extra impetus to leave his house and hit the road. His wife, Jackie, supports Liverpool. A native of Tallow, Mrs. Curley also clings to the belief that Waterford will eventually win something in hurling, whereas Paul basks in the memory of Cork success while confidently predicting more. Their home represents divided sporting loyalties with eldest son Mark (17) committed to Waterford and Lee (14) and Adam (12) flying the Cork flag. (The cat, Deano, is named after the Cork’s Killeagh Tiger while former companion, Mullane, “has disappeared,” possibly across Youghal bridge in embarrassment following the 2008 All Ireland final.)

Paul’s running career is far from the family’s only sporting achievements. Lee, inspired by his highly acclaimed cousin Sarah Ryan, took up pole-vaulting last year and trains with the adapted facilities in the GAA pavilion and also in Cork. Accumulating achievements at a similar rate to his father, he quickly won County and Munster championships before, earlier this year, vaulting 2.20m to become All-Ireland under 15 champion.

Adam is fast progressing at the javelin, having won and competed across County, Munster and All-Ireland levels. He also boxes with St. Coleman’s Shanagarry. On quiet days he plays rugby. It’s amazing what some families do when they leave the house.

Photo by Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Carol Hankard, Youghal Credit Union, presents The Athlete Of The Month to Nikita Savage
Youghal Athletic Club

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Damien Aherne, Asst. Manager Brookes Super Valu presents a set of High Visibility running vests to members of the Youghal Athletic Club

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