& here is the Apollo CT NEWS :

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• Xmas Dinner will be Asburn Hotel Fri 11th Dec deposits of £10 to Ann or Aaron
• all trophies to be returned to Aaron at shop for engraving - now please!  
• we are proposing that November will be an OPEN month for new members - update on this soon - but we will need volunteers for sat and sunday mornings to look after new members on the bun and sunday runs.
•  the Club AGM will be held Sunday 15th Nov at 7pm -
• see sidebar link  for the agenda
• all members must attend - membership forms [ at the 2009 reduced rate ] will be accepted - after this you may be on your own and have to apply to Cycling Ireland at the newer 2010 rate,
• this is your club so it is expected that all members will attend.
• can we have volunteers to help at the open saturday and sundays runs planned for November - this just means that on the runs you will introduce yourself to new members and ensure they have a good run home at the appropriate distance etc- please leave your name at the forum
• at the AGM a new committee will be elected as well as officers for each of our disciplines ...... NB* your club so please attend
•   there will be some spare club clothing brought to the AGM up for sale

Apollo Favourites Preview the Billy Stewart Cup

Sunday 16th August will see Apollo CT host the ‘Billy Stewart’ road race with the coveted Billy Stewart Memorial Trophy up for grabs as well as some excellent prize money. The race will cater for Senior 1 2  3 and Vets  over a 60 mile  course made up of 6 laps of the Derrymacesh circuit. Two of the Apollo riders who are having a fantastic season this year are local men John ‘Junior ‘ McAuley and Dave Quinn.   Junior has justed been awarded Category 2 rider status by the governing body of cycling ‘Cycling Ireland’, after a series of recent wins and runner up places. This Cat 2 status means that he is eligible to ride in those 'elite' level races. Our reporter caught up with local taxi driver Junior as he previewed the Billy Stewart course-  as Apollo’s new Cat 2 rider  Junior McAuley explains “ this is a really challenging course with a good road surface making for very  fast racing. The organisers have introduced  the now infamous Kilvergan Hill Climb and some technical cornering featuring on each lap.”  Junior reflected on his new Cat 2 status having had some excellent results in the early part of the season. “ I had a really good winters training programme putting some thought into the quality of sessions, and I was very pleasantly surprised at how this paid off during races that were very fast and competitive. I had some good results early on and have been steadily building points racing most weekends since the start of the season. This is the first time I have been awarded Cat 2 and I’m hoping to build on this. I would say to club riders who are holding back perhaps afraid of open racing – DON’T – get out there and give it ago and the Billy Stewart is an excellent opportunity for you.  I’m really looking forward to the race  – we had bad luck last year with weather and local flooding closing the course and from chatting to other teams we are expecting a quality turn out of riders.”

Another Apollo rider hoping for success this weekend is vet rider Davy Quinn – he had a number of great results this season with a fantastic win at a very challenging course at Hilltown Co. Down . Davy explained that “ of course I’d love to have a result at the Billy Stewart – it’s hosted by Apollo and ridden on local roads that we do our club racing on. On the day our priority as a club is safety on the course and we may have marshalling duties – however with some luck I’ll be riding and if Junior or I can get in the right break you might see fireworks go off with an Apollo jersey on the finish line.”

Apollo organisers will be catering for all levels of riders on the day and will not be doing a pre entry as numbers will not be restricted. Sign on ****

*****at 1130 to 1230 with roll out to the Derrymacesh – Charlestown road circuit just before 1pm. Spectators are welcome and an excellent place to see the race will be at the Derrymacesh Embankment corner. 

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Apollo will host the annual Traynor Memorial 10mile Time Trial on Tuesday 11th August at the Ballydonaghy  Circuit – While this is part of the Mid Ulster Innterclub League between Orchard Apollo and Clann Linen Green, it is also an open event for any senior riders with an opportunity to squeeze in another 10 before the season ends as well as some excellent prize money up for grabs. Sign on will be at the Ballydonaghy lay by on the Glenavy – Nutts Corner road from 6pm. Time trial starts at 7pm sharp.