Cycling Ireland Off Road Commission-2008 Report by Andy Potts.

The 2008 Off Road Cycling season has had its share of ups and downs yet the numbers taking part in Off Road events continues to rise. This report mainly concentrates on domestic activity as in April the Board removed the responsibility for International affairs from the Commission. The Commission Chairman stressed to the Board that following the ways of the High Performance Director would be detrimental to International XC, the Board however stressed that they had given him the position and stood by him. It was also at this meeting that the Commission discovered that their rules had been swept under the carpet by the Board.

In the following weeks Irish International XC suffered. The HP Director targeted a 6 week season, included no women on the squad when the riders returned from the ‘worlds’ that was it, their season with Cycling Ireland was over. Inspite of the protest from the Commission Chairman and former Irish XC Manager to the fact that qualifying for London started in Jan 2008, no ranking events were targeted, the result being that Ireland has fallen down the rankings. To date the Board have not thanked the former International Manager for his planning and commitment that saw Ireland qualify for the last three Olympic Games. Instead the Board put their faith in a HP Director who had no idea about MTB. The HP Director put a disjointed set up in place where MTB XC was concerned, yet at the same time did not interfere in DH matters. In October came the news that the Board had told the HP Director that his contract would not be rewnewed. After being told by the Board back in April that they backed the HP Director to the hilt, the commission was awaiting the resignation of those Board members who had appointed the HP Director.

This report contains very little International news as to date the commission has yet to be told the teams for the World and Euros in both XC and DH. There will of course be those who will say that there is more to Irish Off Road Cycling than International matters, they are correct of course, but when selling the sport to young riders, they need a target, a dream, whether it be the Olympics, World Champs of taste of European racing. These targets and dreams have been severely damaged by the HP Director and Board of CI.

Irish MTB received a tremendous boost in 2008 with the opening of the three Coilte purpose built trails. In the North the situation is still being stifled by the draconian attitude of the Forest Service. The commission congratulates those Ulster Clubs that have sought alternatives to Forest courses.

The 2008 Off Road season began at a sunny Tymon Park in Dublin as IMBRC hosted the National Cyclo Cross Championships. Following an epic dual, Banbridge Cycling Club’s Roger Aiken took the title for the second time in three years from 15 times National Champion Robin Seymour. Successful winter XC leagues were run in both Ulster and Connacht with the Winter Downhill league once again attracting excellent entries. The International K-Capital Cup dominated the early XC season with 2008 entries up on those of 2007, the four races attracting almost 1000 entries. The series attracted riders from Europe and Canada with two rounds being attended by the BCF XC Squad. Many congratulations to the promoting Clubs.

Both XC and DH enjoyed successful National Points Series and equally successful National Championships. Both MTB national Champs events took place on the same weekend in July. Promoted by 021 Racing, the DH Champs took place in Cahir, County Tipperary. In the absence of reigning Champ, Belfast rider Colin Ross took the Elite title while Ewan Doherty successfully defended his Junior title. Team Worc promoted the XC Champs at the splendid Kilruddery course. Robin Seymour secured the Elite title for a 15th time in a row as Liam McGreevy(Banbridge CC) once again lifted the Junior title. In August a large number of Irish riders attended the MTB Masters World Champs at Par Loup in France. The Commission congratulates all who took part-without any help from CI- especially to medal winners Maeve Baxter and Beth McCuskey. The month of August also brought the Olympic Games in China. Robin Seymour rode in his third Olympics and after reaching 15th place in the Beijing event, the Wicklow rider was forced to retire with illness. IMBRC held the National Marathon Champs in County Wicklow, a most successful event, Ryan Sherlock (MAD) taking the Elite title. The Epic Club staged their ever popular ‘Blast’ in September, this entertaining action packed affair attracting an entry of almost 250 riders.

The Commission would like to thank the office staff of CI for all their hard work throughout the last year and former Board member Sean Herlihy for his work on the Board over the last two years. Many thanks to all Clubs who promoted events and the Commission would wish everyone a successful 2009.