BY RYAN FERRY
IT’S been a memorable year for Annabelle O’Neill who has just completed her first season in the Irish Minibike Championship.
The St Mary’s NS student has had a passion for road racing from an early age.
Her father Rodney hails from Dunloy in County Antrim and as a young man, he raced short circuits and some road races. He competed for about 10 years until it got too costly.
Indeed as a child, Rodney spent a lot of time with the legendary Joey Dunlop in his garage watching him work.
Annabelle (12) has grown up around motorbikes and she has travelled to England and to Spa Fracochamps in Belgium to watch her father race in a classic event.
Spectating along wasn’t going to cut it, and the Ardara youngster was keen to get on a bike herself, and has been all over the country competing this year.
“I never thought that Annabelle would follow her Dad into racing but she was always interested from a young age,” her mother, Teresa told the Donegal News this week.
“Annabelle never minds the travelling and really enjoys meeting all her friends in the paddock. They have very busy days and evenings filled with fun and cycling around the paddock.
“She has competed at Nutt’s Corner in Antrim, Watergrasshill in Cork and Athboy in Meath in the Irish Minibike Championship.
“She competed this season in the Junior Gearbox and was the only girl. She is now joined by another girl. She came fifth overall in that class.”
There are challenges for Annabelle as she sets off on this sporting journey.
It can be expensive, and there’s plenty of competition when starting out while it isn’t always easy to get practise in.
However so far, she is determined not to allow any of these obstacles to hold her back.
“Though Enlighten Promotions she can do practice throughout the winter months to prepare for the season.
“She also likes to keep fit doing athletics with Tir Chonaill AC and rowing.”
Teresa is very proud of her daughter’s achievements and says that she is fearless when on a bike.
The future is certainly bright for Annabelle as she looks ahead and plots her next step.
“Annabelle is a very brave girl and has never hesitated on the track from the first day she got on a bike.
“It must be in the blood as the Dunlops say.”
