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Ythan Cycle Club plans ‘golden year’
On track: Ythan Cycle CLub members Fiona Duncan (pilot) and Lora Turnham are pictured during a training session at Newport. Picture: Eamonn Deane
THe Ythan Cycle Club is looking for 2012 to be a ‘golden year’ in more ways than one, as it celebrates its 25th anniversary along with addition of a current World Champion to their ranks.
With long serving club member Fiona Duncan riding full time with British Cycling as a tandem pilot for the British Para-cycling Team, her racing partner Lora Turnham, who hails from Liverpool has also joined the Ellon club. And if the talented duo were not enough the girl’s international teammate and fellow Aberdonian Neil Fachie, the four time Paralympic World Champion at the Kilo and Sprint disciplines, will also join Ythan for the Para-cycling World Cycling Championships in Los Angeles in early February.
Speaking ahead of travelling to the US, Fiona said: “Since becoming a full time rider with British Cycling last year it has been an incredible time.
“Partnering Lora at races on the road and track around the world has been fantastic and despite a bad crash last year we have been working really hard on the track in Manchester and Newport and are aiming to do the best we can at the World Championships and also to qualify for the Paralympics in August. Los Angeles is the last opportunity to score team qualification points for the Paralympics but we are riding well and getting to London would be a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Fiona, Lora and Neil travel to Los Angeles as part of a 14 strong team for the championships that run between 9-12 February with Neil looking to defend the titles he secured in Montichiari, Italy in March last year.
“At Ythan we have retained our core purpose of being a cycling club that meets the needs of cycling enthusiasts in the Ellon area and that has been vital to our success”, said Club President Colin Allanach. “That core membership has been on hand to help with events and races, running training sessions for our youth section and creating the great atmosphere that surrounds everything we do as a club. The recent achievements of our racing members and the addition of Lora and Neil are great for the club as it shows the younger members that success in competitive cycling is possible despite any obstacles they may have to overcome.”
The club’s youth section, Ythan QL (Quines and Loons) had the honour of becoming an official Go Ride club last year having met all the requirements for providing a safe and progressive environment for young cyclists to learn the sport. Scottish Cycling’s Regional Development Officer for Grampian, Ythan member Peter Clark, has been tutoring several North East youngsters with a focus on developing an Aberdeen and District team to race in the 3 day Youth Tour of Scotland in Perthshire this April. With several QL riders in contention for the Easter weekend event, the race will provide an opportunity for the riders to compete under the watchful eyes of Scottish and British coaches and secure racing opportunities across the UK.
The club’s website can be found at www.ythancc.org.uk
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Monday 21 May 2012
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Temperature: 6 C to 13 C
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Wind direction: East
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