Date: Sunday 26 October 2014
Event: Ulster Cyclo-cross Round 4
Location: Castle Park. Bangor
Host club: North Down Cycling Club
In 2013 North Down Cycling Club revived off-road racing at Castle Park in Bangor, a location that has seen many races over generations of cyclists. On Sunday 26 October 2014 the club then hosted Round 4 of the 2014 Ulster Cyclo-cross series building on their experience from 2013. The race timing had been moved up onto the hill above the Aurora Leisure Centre close to the trees. The course was mostly set within the trees but with finish area out on the exposed grass where a spiral had been put in to test the riders and make them a little dizzy! As per 2013 the weather had remained mostly dry all day but there was a strong south-westerly which was playing havoc with the course marking tape. Sign on took place in a room within the Aurora leisure centre where the catering and prize giving also took place. The centre naturally had great changing facilities as well.
First race of the day was for the Under 6s with 24 lined up to complete 2 laps of a short circuit on the grass which took in the spiral. Darren Rafferty (Island Wheeles) volunteered to be the lead out rider for this age group. Beth Campbell (Xmtb McConvey Cycles) took the win ahead of Rhys Hepburn (Island Wheelers) with Josh Parker (Killinchy CC) taking third. Next up were the Under 8s who had to complete 3 laps of a circuit which took in a section through the trees as well as a tricky section up and down a steep bank. Darren Rafferty was again the lead out rider. 14 boys and 10 girls were gridded and set off. In the boys race there was another close battle between Harry Hobbs (VC Glendale) and Calum Hepburn (Island Wheelers) with Harry making it 3 wins out of 4 rounds. Curtis McKee (Maryland Wheelers) finished third. Among the girls Aliyah Rafferty (Island Wheelers) continued her dominance of the Under 8s race by making it 4 wins out of 4 rounds. Keela Smyth (Apollo CT) was second with Tori Moffitt (Phoenix CC) making it onto the podium again this time in third.
The Under 10s gathered up at the start line for their 5 lap race of the same course as the Under 8s. There were twenty riders in total, 12 boys and 8 girls. The lead out rider was changed to Ian Blayney from the host club. However, Ian had not had a chance to try out the spiral and managed to get himself stuck in the middle of it as the Under 10s sped past!! Poor Ian. The Under 10s didn’t need a lead out rider as they had their own in the form of Adam Rafferty (Island Wheelers) who made it 4 wins out of 4 fiinishing clear of Oisin Ferrity (Island Wheelers) who has finished behind Adam in all the rounds this season. Lewis Kennedy (Team Madigan) made his first appearance of the season with a great race to get third place. VC Glendale were expected to dominate the Under 10 girls race and they didn’t disappoint with another strong performance by Aine Doherty, with Clodagh Doherty getting to the podium for the first time this season and Sophie Osbourne completing the all-pink podium.
The Under 12s had 7 laps of the same course for their race. Darren Rafferty swapped lead out rider duties to racing duties and impressed the spectators again with his incredible speed around the course to take the win. Scott Roberts (Island Wheelers) finished again strongly in second place with a close race between Rowan Montgomery (Ballymoney CC) and Ryan Skelly (Carn Wheelers) for third which was awarded to both when Rowan had forgotten to dismount and run through the designated zone. In the girls race Louise Watson took the win ahead of the McKees, Cara and Ciara to make it a full podium for VC Glendale. Prize giving took place then in the Aurora centre while the next categories went out to practice the main course.
The start line for the next races was set away from the timing tents. First away on the next races were the Under 16s, followed by the mountain bike males, mountain bike females then the Under 14s. The Under 14s had 3 laps to do while all others had 6 laps to complete. Adam Duff (Xmtb McConvey Cycles) took the win in the Under 16s race, his 3rd of the season, ahead of Thomas Creighton (Xmtb McConvey Cycles) with Shea Kelly (Island Wheelers) taking third. Emma Elder (Carn Wheelers) took her second win of the season with Niamh Skelly (Carn Wheelers) second and Dáire McCartan third. The mountain bike men’s race attracted over 60 riders with Johnny Reid (Kinning Cycles) back on this mountain bike for this round and back onto the top of the podium for this 3rd win of the series. David McKee (Maryland Wheelers) finished second with Joe Penny (Banbridge CC) third. There were 10 riders in the MTB females race, the biggest of the season, which was won by Trudy Brown (VC Glendale) her third win of the series. Janice Hepburn (Island Wheelers) celebrated her birthday today with second place with Alison McMullan from the host club taking third. Caolan McKee continued his winning streak with his 4th win out of 4 in the Under 14s race with Lee Harvey (Xmtb McConvey Cycles) second and Ben Wilson (Dromara Cycling Club) third. In the girls race it was a repeat podium from Round 3 with Ellie Kelso (East Tyrone CC) taking first, Sarah Elder (Carn Wheelers) second and Summer McGibbon (Apollo CT) third.
Next up were the Cyclo-cross women’s race and the Cyclo-cross men’s B’ race who had to complete 6 laps of the course. There were 9 females on the start line including Diane Nelson from St. Kilda Cycling Club in Australia. Claire Oakley (Xmtb McConvey Cycles) had only entered 2 of the previous rounds but, as in those rounds, Claire won this event. Diane was holding onto a podium position for much of her race before the Phoenix CC riders Gill Smith and Val O’Neill managed to get past her to secure 2nd and 3rd respectively. In the B’ race David Hamilton (Curran Racing) made a welcome return to cyclo-cross for this season and showed he had not missed out on the previous rounds too much by taking the win. Derek Finnegan (Keevan CC) had already been on the podium twice before and again stepped up to the second spot. Keith Hooks (North Down) had been well down the field in rounds 1 and 2, missed round 3 but on home turf pulled it out of the bag to finish third.
The final race of the day was for the Cyclo-cross men’s A’ race which was a 7 lap event (but should have been more laps as the leaders were flying around the course!!). Series leader Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles) strengthened his position at the top of the league table by winning here at Bangor. Junior rider James Curry (Banbridge CC) finished second with Espoir rider Matthew Adair (Xmtb McConvey Cycles) back on the podium again to take third. Lewis Ferguson from the host club was fourth with Graham Boyd (Xmtb McConvey Cycles) finishing fifth. First unplaced veteran rider was again Brendan Doherty (VC Glendale) who finished 6th overall, first unplaced supervet was John Bogues (Phoenix CC) and first unplaced junior was Calvin Moore (Caldwell Cycles).
Once all the races were over the riders headed down the hill to the Aurora centre for grub and prize giving. This week’s raffle winner was Niall Skelly (Carn Wheelers) who won a nice set of glasses. Many thanks to all the hardworking volunteers from North Down CC for setting up, running the course and catering. Thanks as well to North Down Council for the use of the park. The next round will be at Moira Demesne in Moira on Sunday 2 November hosted by Dromara Cycling Club.
Commissaire: Martin Grimley
Results here (ver 2)
Report by Martin Grimley
Photos
David McVeigh (FlickR) – here
Bronagh Kirk (own website with report) – here and here
Toby Watson (Facebook) here, here and here
