Ayr’s golden girls honoured
The ladies team of Ayr Roads/ Harry Fairbairn Cycling Club were honoured when Scottish Cycling hosted a roll of honour on Saturday.
Since 2014, the ladies has been at the fore in Scottish Time Trialling.
Toni McIntosh and Janet Erskine were awarded team gold in the ‘ 10’ and ‘ 25’ mile National Time Trial Championships.
Toni won the the National ‘ 100’ mile National Championship, as well as silver in the ‘ 50’ mile Championship.
She also broke club and Ayrshire & Dumfriesshire individual records over the ‘ 25’ and ‘ 100’ distances with times of 1 hr 00 19 secs, not quite beating the magic 25 mph barrier for the ‘ 25’. In the ‘ 100’, Toni recorded a fantastic 4.24.53.
The icing on the cake came when she finished second in the Scottish Ladies Best All Rounder Championship, over the ‘ 10’, ‘ 25’ and ‘ 50’ distances, recording 24.562 mph.
In the overall BAR featuring the ‘ 100’ distance and racing against the elite of Scotland’s best men, Toni finished 18th. Toni was fastest lady competitor in the Championship, and only Ayrshire rider in the top 20.
Before her cycling career, Toni was an accomplished athlete and represented Scotland on road and cross country, winning several Scottish Championships.
Highlight of her running career was in 2009, when she won Scottish titles at 10k, half marathon and marathon, in the same year. She was the first and still is the only person to have done so. Her goal to represent Scotland in the Commonwealth Games was cut short through achilles injuries.
Not to be outdone, Janet, who is also a keen cyclo cross rider, won Scottish Cycling’s South West Championship at Irvine and also holds a clutch of golds from time trialling and cyclo cross.
Sunday, had Roads riders Fraser Tait and Iain Fisher in the Raleigh Scottish Cyclo Cross Series at Stirling.
Fraser, in his age related race, finished eighth while Iain, a first year senior, was 22nd senior.
Two separate club runs clocked up over 50 miles each. On Wednesday, it was over by Muirkirk, Cumnock and Skares, and on Sunday with 10 riders, the run was by the Turnberry Hills with cafe stop at Straiton.
Saturday sees Cycle Ayrshire fitting in a special from Ayr’s Belleisle Park to Maybole for lunch at the Carrick Centre. Join them for this ride of just over 22 miles. Details at www. cycleayrshire. co. uk