With no easy options for the senior men over the weekend, it was left to the women, juniors and youths to bring home the bacon, and they didn't disappoint! There were fine performances from the Sheridans in youth and junior national champs including a bronze for Fionn, and Rachel Glendon struck gold in the Dublin City Triathlon.

But the results started earlier in the week, in Corkagh Park. For this round of the women's racing, there not one but two Orwellians in the prizes, with Monica Marconi and Charlotte MacDonald both adding to earlier placings in the series, winning 2nd and 4th respectively. The night was hosted by Lucan CC, and ended in a solo win for Roisín Kennedy (Adamstown), and Marconi best of the bunch behind. Also representing Orwell on the night was Lucy Soden, and it was great to see Aideen Collard back in the saddle. Next week is the final round of the Corkagh series, and we hope to see Orwell out in numbers yet again!

Orwell in the bunch (courtesy of Brendan Culleton)

Soden drilling it on the front (courtesy of Brendan Culleton)

The National Junior Track Champs took place on Saturday, with the most successful Orwell rider being Fionn Sheridan, who won bronze in the sprint event. He also also took 4th in the 3km pursuit, and placed joint 6th in the kilo TT. While the performance might not match last year's haul, it's an outstanding one when placed in context - Sheridan raced Wednesday and Thursday, and the night before the Champs attended his Debs, returning home at 05.30, before getting up to race on a very small amount of sleep! That deserves a special chapeau!

Sheridan on the sprint podium (courtesy of Jeni Sheridan)

Jack Rice was also in action and starting to take home placings, coming home 5th and 6th in the sprint and pursuit, while Naoise Sheridan was competing in the National TT Champs. She finished just outside the medals in 4th, but should take comfort in the fact that she was the 2nd U16. She repeated that result of 2nd U16 the following day, taking 6th in the National Crit Champs on a demanding and hilly course.

Sheridan eile in action on Sunday (courtesy of Jeni Sheridan)

Finally, saving the best for last... although it is triathlon, so those of you with a sensitive disposition may want to stop reading now. Rachel Glendon was competing in the latest round of the Triathlon National Series, the Vodafone Dublin City Triathlon in the Phoenix Park. Using Olympic distances, it began with a 1500m swim in the Liffey, a 40km cycle leg, and finished with a 10km run.

Though Glendon was behind as she started her run, she demolished the opposition on the cross-country sections, but tired in the final few miles. In the end she rallied, and finished with 11" to spare over her nearest rival. She credited the "fantastic support" she received for helping her through the last kilometres, and several Orwell members could be spotted around the course. She can add the win to her recent Club Hill Climb Champ title that we know she cherishes dearly!

Update: We have since learned that the DCT was the Irish National Championships for Olympic Distance, and among Glendon's competitors were the Half Ironman National Champ, and the Irish female Ironman record holder - both of whom she beat squarely to claim the crown of National Olympic Distance Triathlon Champ! More kudos to her!

Corkagh Park Ladies Racing - R11

1 Roisin Kennedy (Adamstown Cycling Team)
2 Monica Marconi (DTC Orwell Wheelers)
3 Niamh Stephens (UCD CC)
4 Charlotte MacDonald (DTC Orwell Wheelers)

National Junior Track Championships

Junior Men’s Sprint
1 Hugo Brennan (Sundrive) 11:93
2 Fintan Ryan (NRPT Standard Life) 12:31
3 Fionn Sheridan (DTC Orwell Wheelers) 13:35
4 Mark O’Callaghan (Limerick CC) 13.94
5 Jack Rice (DTC Orwell Wheelers CC) 14.10
6 Conor Halahan (Sundrive Track Team) 14.93

Junior Men’s 3km Pursuit
1 Dylan Foley (NRPT Standard Life) 3:36:27
2 Thomas Fallon (Willebord Wil Vooruit) 3:38:95
3 Mark Downey (NRPT Standard Life) 3:44:51
4 Fionn Sheridan (DTC Orwell Wheelers) 4.17.59
5 Eoin McCahill (Sundrive) 4.31.23
6 Jack Rice (DTC Orwell Wheelers) 4.36.00

Junior Men’s 1km Time Trial
1 Mark Downey (NRPT Standard Life) 1:11:58
2 Dylan Foley (NRPT Standard Life) 1:11:69
3 Fintan Ryan (NRPT Standard Life) 1:11:88
4 Thomas Fallon (Willebord Wil Vooruit) 1.12.04
5 Hugo Brennan (Sundrive) 1.12 26
=6 Mark O’Callaghan (Limerick CC 1.18.78
=6 Fionn Sheridan (DTC Orwell Wheelers) 1.18.78

Results from the youth champs were not available at time of publishing.

Vodafone Dublin City Triathlon

Full results at irishtriathlon.com.