Date: Sunday 2 October 2005
Event: Final round Ulster MTB League
Location: Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor
Host club: Newry Wheelers
MTB League Finishes in Fine Style
The 2005 Ulster Mountain Bike Cross Country League came to a belated end on Sunday at a sunny Kilbroney Park in Rostrevor. Promoted by Newry Wheelers, the event attracted a good entry to what has to be one of the best local MTB venues in the North, especially with all the facilities on offer.
The Youth events as usual provided excellent entertainment. In the U-8 Class Banbridge CC rider James Curry was a clear winner, clinching the league title to add to his championship crown. James however was lucky to finish as in the closing stages he broke his rear mech, leaving the young starlet to run to the finish to claim his title. Describing the race as torture, Rachel Mayne(Banbridge CC) ended her season in style with a fine second place which was good enough to take runner up in the points table. Completing a Banbridge top three was Jill Curry as newcomer Patrick Magennis (Banbridge CC) took fourth just ahead of Jack Lamont(XMTB) with Team Madigan’s Scott Hylands competing the top six. Mark Downey (Banbridge CC) won the U-10 race to take the league title, Mark finishing well clear of main rival Dan Runciman (Banbridge CC). A close battle for third saw Chris Oakley just edge out Markus Pagels, and subject to confirmation Markus should have finished third overall in the league with young Dan Runciman runner up. Banbridge rider Thomas Magennis was fifth with Ty Mackness (Team Madigan) sixth.
Robbie Lamont (XMTB) continued the fine form that he has found in the latter part of the season to take the U-12 race, however runner up Michael Runciman took the league title to add to his Ulster championship crown. Michael Downey (Banbridge CC) took third to end his first season in racing by taking third in the points table. Claire Oakley(XMTB) was fourth, the talented lady racer followed over the line by fellow club members Matt Corlett, Stuart Ballintine and Kyle McEwan. Johnny Beers overcame the challenge from fellow XMTB rider Michael Gordon to win the U-14 race, and subject to confirmation in a close race for the league title, taking the best five results, Johnny takes the honours from Michael by just ten points. Dromara CC rider Sam Patterson rode a superb last lap to finish third, a fine result at the end of a season that has been plagued with mechanical misfortune. XMTB’s William Boyd had one of his best rides of the season to take fourth with our top lady racer Jessica Laird (XMTB) fifth. Dromara CC rider Mathew Patterson started well by a second lap crash saw him to drop down the field to finish sixth, with Banbridge rider Peter McCartan in seventh despite struggling with a loose crank.
The U-16 race was a repeat of the previous weeks dual at the Leadmines starring Andy Hunter (XMTB) and Sean Downey (Banbridge CC). For three of the four laps the pair circulated together in a tense battle of nerves. However going up the long dragging climb at the start of the last lap Hunter attacked, and by the end of the lap had pulled clear of Downey. Hunter came out top in the points table, and once again subject to confirmation, Downey has taken the runner up spot with third place at Rostrevor good enough to give Neil McGimpsey third in the overall standings. Andy Godfrey had another fine outing to take fourth ahead of fellow XMTB rider Graham Boyd with Newry CC ‘s Ronan Byrne taking sixth ahead of Cuchullian’s Robert McCabe.
The Senior event was divided into two races. First away was a group made up of Masters, Vets, Junior and Pro/Elite riders. The other race was a straight fight amongst the Sports riders. Aiden McDonald(Apollo) was the only Pro/Elite rider to entry and with Connor McConvey(XMTB) the only Junior, the combined race was expected to be a battle between this pair. However it was McDonald who dominated the race, leading throughout the six laps to score a comfortable win over McConvey. Vet riders should note that next season Aiden McDonald becomes a Vet! Connor McConvey may have finished second, but by just competing he took the Junior title. Newry CC rider Peter McConville finished third overall and won the Masters Class, and further bad news for Vets, Peter becomes a Vet next year!!!! Robbie Lamont crossed the line in fourth, to finish leading Vet and take the Vets title.
Carrying a hand injury Cuchullian Vet Johnny McCabe was fifth, giving him second in the Vets Class. Banbridge CC’s Paul Anderson was sixth overall and second Master, but even better for the popular Banbridge rider was the news that he had won the Masters league title, his crown confirmed when Madigan’s Danny Hylands was forced to retire for the second week running with a broken rear mech. Masters winner the previous Sunday, Andy Wallace(Dave Kane) just failed to catch arch rival Paul Anderson, Andy taking seventh overall, third Master and we think runner up in the Masters points table.
Eamon McConvey was eighth overall and third Vet. A notable non-finisher in the Vets Class was Banbridge rider William Mulligan who had his first non finish on record after breaking a rear mech cable, though William takes runner up in the Vets points table. Ninth overall, and fourth Vet was Cuchullian’s Declan McCabe with tenth overall going to another Vet, the ever smiling Andy Burns (U/A).
The Sports race, held over four laps, was a personal triumph for Newry rider, and race sponsor, Connor Campbell of Revolution Bikes. Better known perhaps for his downhill exploits, Condor has always been a force to be reckoned with on the cross country circuit and at Rostrevor he led from start to finish with Irish downhiller Simon Lennon a superb second. Third went to Cuchullian’s Gerry McCabe, the muscular giant taking the Sports crown, and for good measure Gerry completed an extra two laps just to prove he could catch brother Johnny who was riding in the Vets Class, much to his delight Gerry succeeded in his mission. Completing a good day for the downhillers, Glyn O’Brien took fourth with the promoting Club’s Paudi Lynch fifth just ahead of fellow Newry rider Mark McKinley. The unluckiest rider in the Sports Class was Mark McCormick who made the long trip from Cushendall. Mark, making a comeback to the sport, was holding a strong fourth until a puncture on the last lap demoted him to seventh.
A fine end to the MTB season and well done to Drew McKinley of Newry Wheelers for promoting the event, what a pity that Drew did not receive more help from fellow Club members. This weekend the cyclo cross season starts in Lurgan Park, the MTB fraternity taking on their roadie rivals, bring it on!!
Report By Andy Potts
Full Results
RESULTS KILBRONEY PARK ROSTREVOR 02/10/05
NAME CLUB
PRO/ELITE
1 A.McDONALD APOLLO
MASTERS
1 P.McCONVILLE NEWRY WHEELERS
2 P.ANDERSON BANBRIDGE CC
3 A.WALLACE DAVE KANE
4 D.HYLANDS MADIGAN DNF
VETS 3 LAPS
1 R.LAMONT XMTB
2 J.McCABE CUCHULLAIN
3 E.McCONVEY XMTB
4 D.McCABE CUCHULLAIN
5 A.BURNS U/A
6 B.PATTERSON DROMARA CC
7 J.RUNCIMAN BANBRIDGE CC
8 F.McSORLEY APOLLO
9 A.RUCK NEWRY WHEELERS
10 W.MULLIGAN BANBRIDGE CC DNF
SPORTS 3 LAPS
1 C.CAMPBELL NEWRY WHEELERS
2 S.LENNON ?
3 G.McCABE CUCULLIAN
4 G.O’BRIEN ?
5 P.LYNCH NEWRY WHEELERS
6 M.McKINLEY NEWRY WHEELERS
7 M.McKILLOP U/A
8 M.COWAN ?
9 K.MURDOCK NEWRY WHEELERS
10 K.LYNCH NEWRY WHEELERS
11 G.ADAMSON XMTB
12 S.CURRY BANBRIDGE CC
13 J.LAIRD XMTB
14 L.BAXTER NEWRY WHEELERS
15 M.MAYNE BANBRIDGE CC
16 K.McDOWELL NEWRY WHEELERS
17 N.CAUFIELD NEWRY WHEELERS
18 W.FORSYTHE U/A
19 D.JOHNSTON ?
JUNIOR
1 C.McCONVEY XMTB
U-16
1 A.HUNTER XMTB
2 S.DOWNEY BANBRIDGE CC
3 N.McGIMPSEY XMTB
4 A.GODFREY XMTB
5 G.BOYD XMTB
6 P.McKEOWN XMTB
7 R.BYRNE NEWRY WHEELERS
8 R.McCABE CUCHULLIAN
9 L.McGREEVY BANBRIDGE CC DNF
U-14
1 J.BEERS XMTB
2 M.GORDON XMTB
3 S.PATTERSON DROMARA CC
4 W.BOYD XMTB
5 J.LAIRD XMTB
6 M.PATTERSON DROMARA CC
7 P.McCARTAN BANBRIDGE CC
8 H.MAYNE BANBRIDGE CC DNF
U-12
1 R.LAMONT XMTB
2 M.RUNCIMAN BANBRIDGE CC
3 M.DOWNEY BANBRIDGE CC
4 C.OAKLEY XMTB
5 M.CORLETT XMTB
6 S.BALLINTINE XMTB
7 K.McEWAN XMTB
U-10
1 M.DOWNEY BANBRIDGE CC
2 D.RUNCIMAN BANBRIDGE CC
3 C.OAKLEY XMTB
4 M.PAGELS XMTB
5 T.MAGENNIS BANBRIDGE CC
6 T.MACKNESS MADIGAN
U-8
1 J.CURRY BANBRIDGE CC
2 R.MAYNE BANBRIDGE CC
3 JILL CURRY BANBRIDGE CC
4 P.MAGENNIS BANBRIDGE CC
5 J.LAMONT XMTB
6 S.HYLANDS XMTB
Original report location here