News: UK Squads Gear Up for Women’s An Post Rás na mBan

A strong entry of 30 riders from British-based teams is gearing up for An Post Rás na mBan which starts in Sneem on September 9th.

As Friday’s deadline for entry to the event approaches, the organisers have accepted entries from more than 80 riders from Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, The Netherlands, Denmark, Australia, Sweden and Japan with by far the biggest travelling contingent from across the Irish Sea.

Welsh squad Abergavenny Road Club travel with a squad of five riders, two of whom rode last year’s race and their prominence on the British road scene with riders of the calibre of Laura Massey will make last year’s An Post Rás na mBan team classification winners a real force to be reckoned with.

The London-based Look Mum No Hands team made a big impression last year with a final stage win for former overall winner Louise Moriarty to go with the second place for Joanne McRae on the first stage. This year’s squad includes 2004 and 2008 Olympic rowing medallist Elise Sherwell, a formidable competitor on two wheels since she hung up her oars.

The Shutt VR Squadra Donne squad run by Jon Miles returns again with a five-woman line up including triathlete Karen Poole whose impressive cycling results this year include victories in England’s North Eastern Region Road race and Circuit Race championships.

England’s Molly Weaver, Beccy Hunt from Wales and Anna Christian from the Isle of Man make up the Scott Contessa Epic team which has made its mark on the British road scene in its first season and sends three riders of callow youth but no little talent for a first assault on An Post Rás na mBan.

With ten victories to her name this year, Karla Boddy brings an impressive record in regional competition to Ireland where she will head the three rider High Wycombe CC Race Team’s first attack on Rás na mBan.

The five-rider roster representing Geoffrey Butler Cycles includes up and coming junior star Adele Martin and Rás na mBan regulars Iona Sewell and Sarah Maidment.

The Scottish entry for Ireland’s top international stage race numbers four riders including Julie Erskine of Aberdeen CC whose first racing trip to Kerry comes on the back of a recent road race win in Glasgow to go with an array of other top results.

The riders face six stages in five days for over a total of 400km from September 9th to 13th. The event is based at top Ring of Kerry tourist destination Sneem Hotel.

Full details of participating teams will be announced in due course.

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