Date: Sunday 9 March 2014
Event: Ulster Series Round 1
Location: Kilbroney Park Forest, Rostrevor
Host club: Dromara CC
The 2014 season of cross-country (XC) mountain bike races in Ulster kicked off earlier this year with round 1 starting in the second week in March as part of the Rostrevor Mountain Bike Festival at Kilbroney Park. As per last year, the festival brought together off-road disciplines with the first round of the Irish Downhill Mountainbike Series (IDMS) taking place at the same time in the same park. Dromara Cycling Club put on the XC race with ChainReaction Cycles organising the downhill race and also providing support across both disciplines. The park was busling with bikes, riders and spectators, and the car parks were full with over 400 taking part across both events. The early date in the season allowed the use of the caravan park as the event headquarters and finish lines as per the World Police and Fire Games held last August. Many thanks to Newry and Mourne District Council and to Mourne Heritage Trust for their continued support. Kilbroney has become a mountain biking hub since opening the trail centre last May.
In the cross-country event the day started with the Under 6s race in the Touring of the Trees. They has a short track in which to complete 2 laps on their own. The Under 8s and 10s were the first to use the small clump of trees behind the shower block with their finish line also in the Touring of the Trees section. They had 3 and 5 laps respectively to complete. Reuban Maitland won the Under 8 boys race with Aine Doherty (VC Glendale) first girl and almost overtaking all of the boys. Scott Roberts (Island Wheelers) won the Under 10 boys race which seen 19 riders lined up with Eva Gordon (Carn Wheelers) the first of the six girls. The Under 12s had a new course lay out which made use of the official trails as well as the same clump of trees that the U8 & U10s used. Ben Wilson (Dromara CC) won the four lap race with Ellie Kelso (East Tyrone) winning the girls race which seen both genders having almost equal entries (14 boys and 12 girls).
The action then moved to the caravan park where the Under 14s, 16s, Senior 4 men and Senior 3 women were lined up. The Under 16s set off first for two laps of the main course. They were followed then by the Senior 4 men who had a field of 33 riders and two Senior 3 women who were also doing 2 laps. Finally the Under 14s set off on their loop which avoided both of the fire road climbs and stuck to the lower part of the course. Craig McCarthy (Xmtb McConvey Cycles) won the Under 14 boys race with Kelly Wilson (Dromara CC) winning the girls race. The Under 16s race was won by Cameron McIntyre and Shannon Buller both from Banbridge CC. The Senior 4 men’s race started with controversy when the leading 6 riders took a wrong turn which doubled them back onto the youth course and they ended up down the field. Sean Bleeks (Island Wheelers) took the win with another Island Wheelers rider Janice Hepburn finishing first female.
At final races of the day were for the Senior 1 men, Senior 1 women, Junior men, Senior 2 men and Senior 3 men. They started in this order with 2 minute gaps for the Senior 2 and 3 men. Roger Aiken (Banbridge CC) won the 5 lap Senior 1 race ahead of Gareth McKee (ChainReaction Cycles) and Graham Boyd (Xmtb McConvey Cycles). Claire Oakley (Xmtb McConvey Cycles) won the 4 lap Senior 1 female’s race, James Curry (Banbridge CC) was the first Junior rider home after 4 laps as well. In the 4 lap Senior 2 race Gene Ryan (MAD mtb) finished ahead of local rider Peter McConville (Newry Wheelers) with Clive Caldwell (Caldwell Cycles) in third. The biggest field of the day was the Senior 3 race which saw 58 riders line up for 3 laps. Simon Lennon (Newry Wheelers) took the win ahead of Chris Campbell (Epic MTB) with Raymond Rocks (Island Wheelers) finishing third.
Many thank to the volunteers in Dromara CC for organising the event. Round 2 of the Ulster XC series will be in Ballykelly Forest on 6 April 2014.
Results
here
Photos
Michael Armstrong (Facebook) – here and here
Report by Martin Grimley
