Eoin Healy | Sports Staff
Over the past twelve months Dublin University Cycling Club (DUCC) has gone from strength to strength, experiencing exponential growth in membership and recording more victories than ever before.
While the generous support of one of Ireland’s most professional cycling stores, Cycleways of Parnell Street, has substantially contributed to the club’s recent development, the club has now secured significant endorsement from one of Ireland’s leading investors.
Previously the club focused solely on downhill and cross-country mountain biking, with ex-captain Stephen Scrivener leading the charge here in recording some impressive results in the National Gravity Enduro series. However, last year the club expanded into road cycling and has enjoyed considerable success since.
Among others, Andrew Stanley progressed from an A4 category rider into an A2 rider in just one season, becoming one of only four people in the country to achieve this remarkable feat. While on his meteoric rise, Andrew saw off challenges from numerous high class amateur riders. Andrew is soon travelling to Hong Kong on Erasmus for Hilary term and is looking to take his biking success to an international level. DUCC’s captain, Eoin Healy, also won a silver medal at the Leinster track championships in September, fending off competition from some of Ireland’s top track cyclists including Anthony Walsh, who has just signed a one year contract with pro-team Astellas Oncology.
Confident in this success and the tireless efforts of the club’s committee, Sean Melly, of Powercourt Capital Partners has generously leant his financial support to a club which he sees as a worthwhile investment. The success of the club is clearly telling, and with this backing, is sure to continue.
On October the 13th, DUCC proudly hosted the All Ireland Intervarsity Championship, which was attended by university students from the four corners of Ireland. Speaking to the University Times, the club’s public relations officer, Patrick Smith, was thrilled with the club success, noting that “we are very proud of Ian Richardson who won the men’s Time Trial, a victory which required him to best ex-professional rider Paudi O’Brien formally of Sean Kelly’s An Post team. In a similarly encouraging result, Trinity’s Fiona Guihen powered through the women’s race to claim gold. Particular thanks must go to Cycleways of Parnell Street who provide us with generous prizes for all of our intervarsity events and also to two-time Rás winner, Philip Cassidy, who graciously agreed to award the prizes on the day.”
Having also established a mutually beneficial sponsorship relationship with Spin 11, which provide custom cycle clothing at generous rates, the club is looking firmly to the future.
Building on these relationships, the club is looking forward to the opportunity of hosting another intervarsity event in either January or February aimed those new to racing. On March 17th the club will host the Cross-Country Intervarsities in association with www.biking.ie. The next Irish racing season will begin around May and DUCC looks set to take out at least 15 race licenses. This is an extremely large number for any Irish club and is a powerful reflection of the club’s strong fraternal culture.
When speaking to the University Times DUCC captain Eoin Healy had this to say: “While all of this race success has been key to building the club’s profile, it is our solid relationships, both internal and external, which form the bedrock of our club. Training spins are well attended and club activism is healthy. We welcome riders of any discipline, of any fitness level and those with or without a drive to compete. We aim to foster an inclusive, health conscious and social environment. There is something for everyone within our club.” DUCC, it seems, is much more than just its race team; all involvement is encouraged, and clearly this has paid dividends in terms of results, prestige and college stature.
Sean Melly’s recent support not only substantially subsidised the cost of gear and other expenses, it symbolises the next step for the club on a journey to the heart of Irish cycling.
