Date: Sunday 14 August 2011
Event: Ulster Series Round 6, NPS Round 6
Location: Castlewellan Forest Park
Host club: Xmtb McConvey Cycles
The final round of both the Irish National Point Series (NPS) and the Ulster XC Series took place at Castlewellan Forest Park on Sunday 14 August 2011. The NPS status was only recently awarded to the event when a previous NPS round had to be cancelled and host club Xmtb McConvey Cycles stepped in to complete the NPS for 2011. The NPS status did attract a greater attendance with around 225 riders taking part from a wide spread of clubs across Ireland. The weather was very good on arrival and for the youth races but there was a heavy downpour in the middle of the Senior 4 race which made the course muddy and slippery in isolated areas.
With permission from the Forestry Service, Graham Boyd from the host club had been developing the main senior course across many weeks. Graham used a lot of the familiar sections that had been used in the past but he also added in new sections to keep the flow and challenge of this course. The Under 8s, 10s and 12s courses were designed by Lance McCarthy and Michael Armstrong and each one was longer and more challenging that the previous. These new courses were well received by the young riders.
The Under 8s race got started shortly after 11 am with 26 eager riders lined up 5 wide across the fire road. Their races took place at the top of the fire road which heads out of the forest towards Leitrim. After gridding they waited for Angela Oakley to blow the whistle. They then took off along the fire road to the forest wall where there was an entrance into the trees. They had to climb up through the trees before levelling out and then dropping back down to the fire road. The Under 8s had to complete 3 laps of their course and it made for great spectator viewing as the riders were easily seen through the gaps in the trees and the parents were able to shout encouragement. Still dominating the Under 8s category is Christopher Curry (Banbridge) who finished well clear of Donnacha Desmond (MBCC) who finished just ahead of brother and fellow club mate Fionn Desmond. Fraser Harrower (Dromara CC) was fourth, Ryan Stewart (Phoenix CC) 5th and David McGarr (IMBRC) 6th. First girl was Eva Gordon (Carn Wheelers) with Charley Dunlop (Banbridge CC) second and Kayla Grimley (Dromara CC) third.
The Under 10s covered the majority of the Under 8s course but had an extra section added and the course came out further back down the fire road making for a longer climb back to the start/finish line. The twenty Under 10s had to complete 4 laps of their course and from the ‘off’ there was a great battle between Mark Buller (Banbridge CC) and Drew Armstrong from the host club. For three of the four laps Mark lead with Drew getting ahead on the last lap to take the victory. Adam McGarr (IMBRC) was third with Cathir Doyle (Carn Wheelers) disappointed with his fourth place, Jack Baird (Banbridge CC) in fifth and Andrew Gordon (Carn Wheelers) sixth. First girl was Niamh McKiverigan (Banbridge CC) with Ellie Kelso second and Sarah Elder (Carn Wheelers) third.
The Under 12s started from the same location as the previous two races and had to take on a criss-crossing steep course with some technical descents to appear back onto the fire road further down towards the lake than the Under 10s. The Under 12s had 3 laps to complete and the 15 riders got underway just after 11:30. John Buller (Banbridge CC) lead the race from start to finish but was put under pressure from Leah Maunsell (Team Ballyhoura) who finished second overall, first girl Jamie Grifferty (Boyne MBC) was third with John Quinn (IMBRC) fourth and Craig McCarthy from the host club finishing fifth. Second fastest girl was Rachel McLean (Carn Wheelers) with Katherine Doyle (Carn Wheelers) third girl.
Racing then moved down the hill towards the lake with the next set of riders lining up around noon. First away were the Under 16s who had to complete two laps of the main course. The 10 riders, 9 males and one female got away cleanly and it was David Montgomery (Banbridge CC) who started with a very quick lap, the second fastest of all riders doing the senior course. He maintained his pace to finish almost 6½ minutes ahead of Chris Oakley from the host club with Daniel Runciman (Banbridge CC) in third and Aaron McCann (Cuchulainn CC) fourth, Sean Devlin fifth and the only female, Marlena Drozdzoik (Epic MTB) sixth overall.
Next away was the Senior 4 mens race which had attracted an entry of 39 riders to complete two laps of the main course. Darren Hughes (Harps CC) lead up the fire road to the forest entrance at the wall but it wasn’t long before stronger riders came through. With Ryan Walsh moving up to the Senior 3 race it was fellow club member Stephen Law (Carn Wheelers) who took the win finishing just ahead of Richard Stewart with Dromara CC’s Stephen Kelly in third. Patrick Kelly (Carn Wheelers) was fourth with Darren finishing fifth and Martin Grimley (Dromara CC) 6th.
Going a minute behind the Senior 4 men were the six Senior 3 women who also had to complete 2 laps of the main course. Caroline Murphy (Epic MTB) won this event comfortably ahead of Kerry Ann Hughes (Harps CC) with Claire Breslin (MAD Mtb) third and Dianne Keys fourth.
The Under 14s then got underway and they had to complete 2 laps of a reduced course. Conor Kavanagh (Boyne MBC) was the strongest of the 12 riders and took the win just ahead Joseph Baird (Banbridge CC). Anthony Quinn (IMBRC) was third with James Curry (Banbridge CC) fourth, Gareth Kerr from the host club and Richard Baird (Banbridge CC) where neck and neck before crossing the line but crashed before reaching the line. Gareth reacted first to finish ahead of Richard. Shannon Buller (Banbridge CC) was the first girl with Shenna McKiverigan (Banbridge CC) second girl.
After a short break the next set of riders then took to the starting area. First up where the Senior 1 men’s race which had attracted 20 competitors for their 5 laps of the course. Next away were the Juniors and Senior 1 women. Behind them came the Senior 2 men (27 riders) with the Senior 3 men the biggest group on the day (41 riders). The Senior 2 women tagged into the back of the Senior 3 men.
Gareth McKee (Banbridge CC), the leader of both the NPS and Ulster XC series took the lead early on and maintained it despite the best efforts of Ritchie Felle (Thinkbike) who kept the pressure on for all 5 laps. Roger Aiken (Banbridge CC) finished a strong 3rd place showing he is still a rider to watch out for. Sebastian Rakos (Thinkbike) was fourth with Matt Slattery (Killarney CC) 5th and Aiden McDonald (Cuchulainn CC) sixth.
Ciara MacManus was the only entrant for the Senior 1 women’s race but retired after completing her second lap. Matthew Adair, sponsored by Vitus cycles, took the win ahead of Robert Scalon (Team Worc) and Stuart Ballantine from the host club. Claire Oakley (Wxc MTB Team) was the only entry for the Junior female’s race.
In the Senior 2 race Sean Donnelly (Team Vision Racing), who had dropped back to Senior 2’s after being unsuccessful at the one Senior 1 race he did at the start of the year, finished strongly to take the win. Michael Dardis (Epic MTB) continues to impress us all with his now famous solid forks. Third was Simon Curry (Banbridge CC) who came in just before Colin McGarvey (Epic MTB). Jim Haide (IMBRC) was 5th, Colm Mullen (Team WORC) was 6th and course designer Graham Boyd, from the host club, finishing 7th.
The Senior 3 race went within minutes of the Senior 2 riders. In another close cycle race it was Andrew Codfrey who took the win just a few seconds before Marc Potts (PlushMTB), with Barry Kellett (Dromara CC) third. Fourth was David Neill (Shelbournemotors / Orchard Wheelers) with Daire McCaughtry (Cuchulainn CC) fifth and Terry McDonagh (Epic MTB) sixth.
There were just 2 riders for the Senior 2 women’s race with Orla McClean (Epic MTB) finishing well ahead of Julie Rea (ChainReaction Cycles).
Overall another excellent event by Xmtb McConvey Cycles. Well done to all those who helped put the event together especially to Graham Boyd for his design, the sign-on team, the timekeepers and the marshals. There was a great spread of tea, coffee, sandwiches, cakes and buns available for the riders.
The next race will be the Ulster Championships which will be held on Saturday 3 September 2011. See www.ulsterxc.com for details.
Commissaire: Martin Grimley and Ciara MacManus
Full results here
Report by Martin Grimley
Photographs by Michael Armstrong and Martin Grimley
More photographs here