Date: Sunday 25 January 2015
Event: Lakeland MTB XC Race
Location: Colebrooke Estate, Fermanagh
Host club: Lakeland Cycling Club
The beautiful surroundings of Colebrooke Estate was the location for the first cross-country (XC) mountain bike event of 2015. Host club Lakeland CC had been busy over the winter days developing the course that was run on this 1000 acre site last year by reversing the course and opening up new sections. The venue boasts a spa, gym, accommodation as well as outdoor sports like 4×4 driving, clay pigeon shooting and fishing. A week previous had seen the whole estate covered in snow with the last of the snow only disappearing two days before race day. Race day was mild with temperatures starting around 6o but gradually warming up to double figures. As per last year the sign on took place inside a large barn which provided great shelter from the cold winds outside. The barn also housed the prize giving, food and toilet block. The youth races took place in the same part of the wood as last year but this time the course went in reverse. There were different courses set up for the Under 6s, Under 8s and 10s and for the Under 12s and 14s. For the Under 16s, juniors and seniors the race started on the tarmac road in front of the barn. There were two senior men’s races. The A race had to complete 3 laps and the B race 2 laps. The Juniors did 3 laps, the Senior women did 2 and the Under 16s did 2 as well.
First race of the day was for the Under 6s which was a 2 lap race. Jenson Alexander took the win ahead of Aoife Craig (VC Glendale) and Ben Egerton (Lakeland CC). The Under 8s race was a closer fought affair over 2 laps of their course with Calum Hepburn (Island Wheelers) taking the win ahead of Curtis Mc Kee (Maryland Wheelers) with Rhys Hepburn (Island Wheelers) third. In the girls race Aliyah Rafferty (Island Wheelers) took a comfortable win ahead of Ella Kerr (Lakeland CC) with Cairenn Mc Grath in third.
In the Under 10s race Adam Rafferty (Island Wheelers) stormed to a great win ahead of fellow club members Oisin Ferrity and Daniel Scott. Clodagh Doherty (VC Glendale) took the win in the girls U10 race with Eimer Skelly (Carn Wheelers) second and third place going to Zoe Lindsay (Dromore CC). The Under 12s took off to a blistering start with a tight battle between Darren Rafferty (Island Wheelers) and Ryan Skelly (Carn Wheelers) with Darren pulling away from Ryan in the latter half of the race. James Campbell (Xmtb McConvey Cycles) made the trip down from Belfast and took third. Katie Neill (Carn Wheelers) had to keep her nerve to win the girls U12 race as Amber Young was right on her wheel. Sara Doyle (Carn Wheelers) took the final place on the podium. The Under 14s boys race was won by Niall Skelly (Carn Wheelers). Second was Patrick Curran (Lakeland CC) with fellow club member Shea Mc Grory taking third place. In the girls race Karla Wiggins took the win ahead of Anna Kerr from the host club. Niamh Skelly (Carn Wheelers) was offered the choice of race tracks for her Under 16s race but chose to race after the Under 14s girls after a delayed start.
At 1pm the main races took place with the Senior men’s A race going off first, followed by the juniors then the Senior men’s B race, then the Under 16s and finally the Senior women with one minute gaps. In the Under 16s race Adam Duff (Xmtb McConvey Cycles) lead from start to finish with an impressive display of speed. Xeno Young was second with Shea Kelly (Island Wheelers) third. In the Senior B race Kieron Egerton took the win with Stuart Suckling (Maryland Wheelers) second and John Scott (Island Wheelers) third. Lisa Millar (Dromara Cycling Club) was well clear of her rivals in the Senior women’s race with the remaining podium places going to Sharon Mitten (Omagh Wheelers) and Hilary Henderson (Phoenix CC). Junior rider James Curry (Banbridge CC) continues to impress with some very quick times as he finished ahead of Sean Bradley (Carn Wheelers) who has had a great season at the recent MTB support races of the cyclo-cross series. In the men’s A race Lindsay Watson (PLUSHmtb) lead from start to finish with a closer battle behind him between Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles Omagh) and Glenn Kinning (Kinning Cycles) who had chosen to ride the event on his cyclo-cross bike.
After the races the riders enjoyed some hot soup and rolls while watching the prize giving. Many thanks to the Landowner for the use of the estate and to the hard working volunteers from Lakeland CC for hosting the event. We look forward to returning to Colebrooke in the future.
Commissaire: Martin Grimley
Full results: here (v3)
Photos
Steven Lindsay (Google) – here
Paul Carron (own website) – here
Lakeland CC (Facebook) – here
Eymard Brennan (Facebook) – here
Report by Martin Grimley
