Date: Sunday 13 August 2006
Event: Ulster & NPS Rounds – C2 event
Location: Castlewellan Forest
Host club: XMTB
XMTB XCO C2…Castlewellan Forest Park
Seymour wins at XMTB classic
Castlewellan Forest Park was the venue on Sunday for XMTB’s second XCO C2 event of the year, which also doubled up as rounds of the Irish NPS and Ulster XCO Leagues. In short it was an excellent, well organised day of racing on a superb course. Robin Seymour yet again won the feature Elite race, though this time out he was chased all the way by a mad Scotsman!
As always, racing began with the Youth Classes, all kindly sponsored by Mourne Cycles of Newcastle. The U-8 race, the stars of the future, had a huge entry of 15 riders,including a three year old. In an all Banbridge CC dominated podium, Rachel Mayne scored a narrow win over brothers Richard and Joseph Baird. Three year old Chris Curry from Banbridge,made his Irish debut,having already raced on the British scene, and finished 14th! Big brother to Chris, James, was his usual awesome self as he easily took the U-10 race with fellow Banbridge CC riders Thomas and Patrick Magennis taking the next to places on the podium.
With XMTB still looking a win, up stepped young Robbie Lamont to grab glory in the U-12 class, Robbie leading from start to finish with Banbridge rider Mark Downey in second. Having her first outing since her brilliant showing in the Plymouth NPS race, Claire Oakley finished third with brother Chris a close fourth. William Boyd notched up another win for the promoting Club when he held off arch rival, Michael Runciman (Banbridge CC) to capture the U-14 race. East Antrims Jack Wilson had been an early front runner until he lost ground due to a crash, and then was forced to walk to the finish when his forks broke, the young road ace taking fourth. Third place went to Matthew Adair from Banbridge CC, a great result in his first ever race. Neil McGimpsey took the honours in the U-16 race, winning in comfortable fashion from fellow Xmtb rider Johhny Beers, who just did enough to stay ahead of the brilliant riding of Jess Laird. Bann’s Sean Downey was forced to pull out of the event after practice due to the reoccurrence of an old knee injury.
The keenly contested Sports race saw Epic’s Dammo Duggan score a fine win with Conal Higgins in second and Cuchulannin’s Jarlath Farmer third. The race was led in the early stages by XMTB rider Matt Casey, his first serious outing in more than a year. It was great to see Matt back on the racing scene, he eventually finished in seventh. Mel Spratt took the Sports ladies win. Graham Boyd (XMTB) at last got through a race without any punctures or mechanicals as he completely dominated the Junior race, leading from start to finish. Taking an excellent second place was Andy Sideways Godfrey, the Belfast based ace currently competing in both XCO and DH events with great success, if only he would get his hair cut! Third in the Juniors was Rab McCabe, the Cuchulannin rider just about seeing where he was going in his new sunglasses.
Having missed much of the season due to his university studies, Team Worc rider Phil Roche bounced back to form when he took the Experts race with team mate Yvain Sugno second with Newry Wheeler Peter McConville in third. The one known as the ‘Man Mountain’,Gerry McCabe, scorched to victory in the Masters race, the Cuchulannin ace leading all the way. Gordon Lucas was second with Martin O’Hagan (Newry Wheelers) at last showing some good form to take third.
The Vets race, was as expected a showdown between the usual trio, Mulliagn,Lamont and McCabe. XMTB’s Robbie Lamont held the lead for the opening lap before Banbridge,s William Mulligan took over at the half way point. Johnny McCabe made a slow start, probably due to the fact he had taken part in a triathlon the previous day. Cheered on by a huge fan Club, William Mulligan held his lead until the finish with arch rival Robbie Lamont runner up. Johnny McCabe had to settle for third after having to contend with an on form Jon Runciman. Jon has recently been benefiting from a new coaching regime and on Sunday 4th place was his best ever ‘big race’ result. Best moment of the Vets race came at the start. As the whistle blew for the start, my good friend Les Walpole of IMBRC was just, lets say, finishing off a little job in the portable toilet. Les rushed out and started the race, finishing in 9th. Les also missed the start of the Vets race at Big Wood, he was lying sleeping in the car park!
The six lap Elite Mens race was dominated throughout by Robin Seymour, however for once he had to keep looking over his shoulder as a flying Scotsman chased him all the way. Team Massi’s James Ouchterlony, chased the 13 times Irish Champ all the way, with only one minute between them at the finish. With both Seymour and Auchterloney in their thirties, the best youngster to finish was IMBRC’s Niall Davis in third. Another Scots visitor, James Fraser Moodie, whom I am told is a brain surgeon in his spare time, was fourth. Lewis Ferguson was more like his old self as he rode to fifth with Team Worc’s James McCluskey in sixth. Terry Dolan rider Roger Aiken saw any chance of a good result thwarted when the bearings in his rear wheel gave up, Roger having to settle for second. Following the race, James Auchterloney heaped praise on the Castlewellan race, and paid a special tribute to the Youth racing set up, and, invited everyone over to race in all the Scottish races next year. James then jumped on his race bike, now adorned with panniers, and set off to cycle to Dublin! Tarja Owens won the Ladies Elite race, with XMTB’s Ciara MacManus having another battle with asthma to take second.
Well done to all at XMTB,to the marshals,course builders, and a special word of thanks to the Ladies who operated the lap scoring service, many thanks for all your help.
U-8
1 Rachel Mayne
2 Richard Baird
3 Joseph Baird
4 Cain McConvey
5 John Buller
6 Matthew Jameson
7 Stuart Dunlop
8 Shannon Buller
9 Shenna McKiverigan
10 Jack Lamont
11 James Graham
12 Fergal McConvey
13 Rebekah Ogilby
14 Chris Curry
15 Ethen Layhe
U-10
1 James Curry
2 Thomas Magennis
3 Patrick Magennis
4 Dylan Byrne
5 Jill Curry
6 Zoe Jamison
7 Aimee Ogilby
U-12
1 Robbie Lamont
2 Mark Downey
3 Claire Oakley
4 Chris Oakley
5 Dan Runciman
6 William Heslip
7 Markus Pagels
8 Kyle McEwan
9 Stuart Ballantine
U-14
1 William Boyd
2 Michael Runciman
3 Matthew Adair
4 Jack Wilson
5 Matthew Patterson
6 Andrew Wilson
7 Chris Millar
8 Harriet Mayne
U-16
1 Neil McGimpsey
2 Johnny Beers
3 Jess Laird
4 Conal Higgins
5 Chris Cameron
SPORTS
1 Damien Duggan
2 Conal Higgins
3 Jarlath Farmer
4 Aidan Ryan
5 Stephen Scrivener
6 Nigel Skelton
7 Matt Casey
8 Fergal Kilkenny
9 Ross Galway
10 Liam Baxter
11 Christy Brown
12 Melanie Spatt
13 Aidan McManus
14 Stephen Prentice
15 Martin Grimley
16 Ben Marchant
17 Christian Ariehaus
18 Shane Geoghan
JUNIORS
1 Graham Boyd
2 Andy Godfrey
3 Rab McCabe
EXPERTS
1 Phillip Roche
2 Yvain Sugno
3 Peter McConville
4 Ryan Sherlock
5 Chris Bermingham
6 Brian Conway
7 Ray O’Shaughnessy
8 Simon McConnell
9 Connor Campbell
10 Richard Felle
11 Myles McCrory
12 Alfie Wallace
13 Daniel Morrogh
14 David O’Neill
15 Gareth Adamson
VETS
1 William Mulligan
2 Robbie Lamont
3 Johnny McCabe
4 Jon Runciman
5 Gary Wilson
6 John O’Reilly
7 Declan McCabe
8 Andy Burns
9 Les Walpole
10 Eamon McConvey
11 Andy Ruck
12 Willy Forsythe
13 Maurice Mayne
MASTERS
1 Gerry McCabe
2 Gordon Lucas
3 Martin O’Hagan
4 Andy Wallace
5 Morgan O’Connell
6 Simon Curry
7 Jim Laird
ELITE LADIES
1 Tarja Owens
2 Ciara MacManus
ELITE MEN
1 Robin Seymour
2 James Ouchterlony
3 Nial Davis
4 James Fraser Moodie
5 Lewis Ferguson
6 James McCluskey
7 Roger Aiken
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