The 2025 Ulster Cyclo-cross Championships took place at Windmill Wood in Dungannon, County Tyrone. This was the 11th time a cyclo-cross race has been held in this venue by host club Island Wheelers. Thanks again to the local council for their support. The venue makes good use of the large grass area for the start/finish, has the event village close by with the main course going in through the trees. This year there was some reshaping of the course due to tree fall with the course using the large slope at the back of the park again. The morning set up was done in the dark with the sun just coming up over the horizon as the riders started to arrive. Over 175 had registered for the event. Everyone knew that there was rain coming and it did arrive around 10am. It remained mild all day but the light drizzle did turn to steady rain during the races. The grass soon turned into mud which was thick in places. The youth seemed to enough sliding around in that mud! The rain did cease around 2:30pm for the final race of the day and the clear up at the end.
The first race was for the Under 6s. They started just outside the trees on one side of the park and took in a short course among the trees with their finish line just as they exited the trees back onto the grass. Well done to the 5 boys and 5 girls. All youth from Under 6s to Under 12s received a selection box for finishing!
The Under 8s started on the grass, had a short lap through the 180 degree turns, passed the finish line and then went off into the trees for the rest of the lap. They had 3 laps to do. Charlie McCarter (Un-Attached Connacht) got himself to the front on lap 2 and held this to the line. Second of the boys was Max Beattie (Square Wheels) with Noah Finnegan (Square Wheels) third, Darragh Millar (Square Wheels) fourth and Rory Manogue (Apollo Cycling Team) fifth. Among the girls it was Mara Reihill (Un-Attached Ulster) who was out in front to take the chequered flag. Alice Bell (Shelbourne/Orchard CC) was second with Ava Mowbray (Apollo Cycling Team) third. Sally Mowbray (Apollo Cycling Team) was second at one point but dropped back to fourth. Tessa Corrigan (Island Wheelers) was fifth.
The Under 10s used the same course as the Under 8s but they had 5 laps to complete. Harvey Hume (Dunloy CC) lead the boys’ race from start to finish. James Kavanagh (Lakeland) was only just behind Harvey at the finish. Séan McGahan (Square Wheels) was third with Jack Corey (Apollo Cycling Team) fourth and Toby Heywood (Un-Attached Ulster) fifth. Ríonach Campbell (Square Wheels) was the first girl home and would have been fourth overall. Zara Aiken (Banbridge CC) was second girl with Chloe Eagleson (Omagh Wheelers Cycling Club) third, Elianna Logan (Omagh Wheelers Cycling Club) fourth and Erin Silcock (Island Wheelers) fifth.
The Under 12s course was longer and they had 8 laps to complete. Storming around his lap was Lewis Bell (Shelbourne/Orchard CC) who took the win. Josh Ruddell (Shelbourne/Orchard CC) was second with Logan McAreavey (Bellurgan Wheelers) third and Thomas Crymble (Apollo Cycling Team) fourth. Ruby Millar (Square Wheels) led the girls’ race for the first two laps but Pippa Ruddell (Shelbourne/Orchard CC) came through on lap 3 and held that position to the finish. Ruby was second with Eabha Connolly (Square Wheels) third and Ciara McCool (Square Wheels) fourth.
After the usual break for podium presentations and practice it was time for the first of the championship class races which had the Under 14 boys, Under 16 boys, Under 16 girls and Women lined up. There were no starters in the Under 14 girls’ race.
In the Under 14 boys’ race Daragh Quigley (Foyle CC) finished off his Ulster season with another win. Billy Lord (Breffni Wheelers) was second with Jack McGahan (Square Wheels) third and Nathan Baker (Breffni Wheelers) fourth after 3 laps.
The Under 16 boys’ had 4 laps to complete. Josh McClune (Team Madigan C.C.) has also had a great season and added the Ulster title to his merits. Darragh Murphy (Rostrevor Mountain Bike Club) was second with Rory McCool (Square Wheels) completing the podium in third place.
Another riders having a great season of racing is Ava Baker (Breffni Wheelers) who won the 3 lap Under 16 girls’ race. Aoife Craig (VC Glendale) was second with Aoife Kellett (Dromara Cycling Club) third.
The Women raced over 4 laps and there were 15 riders on the start line. There was a great battle at the front of the race between Elena Wallace (Harps CC) and Emer Heverin (All human/VeloRevolution Racing Team). Elena managed to hold onto the lead to take gold for the Senior women, her third year in a row lifting the Ulster title. Emer was second overall but lifted the gold medal for first junior. Rachel Newell (McConvey Cycles) was third overall, second senior women. Darcey Harkness (Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team) was fourth overall and third senior woman. It was great to see Claire Oakley (Un-Attached Ulster) back racing. The Masters podium was made up of Kathleen McCafferty (Dunloy CC), first, Laura Brown (Bangor City Bike Club), second and Margaret Kearney (Agivey Cycling Club) third.
The next race was for the Junior men, M50s and M60s. They started 30 seconds apart. James Armstrong (VC Glendale) lead the Junior men’s race with Curtis McKee (Spellman-Dublin Port), last year’s Ulster champion, close behind on laps 1 and 2, however Curtis retired due to injury on lap 3. James went on to win the race over the 5 laps. Caleb McGreevy (VC Glendale) was second with visitor Roch Morgan (Un-Attached) third, Mark Molloy (Dunloy CC) fourth and David McClean (Dunloy CC) fifth. Ulster medals went to James, Caleb and Mark.
In the M50s race Barry Convery (Newry Wheelers CC) is continuing his strong season getting his second win in two weeks (Barry won the third round of the National Series in Limerick last weekend). In Dungannon Declan McEntee (Emyvale CC) was second with Jason Henry (Inspired Cycling) third, Peter Morrison (Velo Cafe Magasin) fourth and Niall James Murphy (Lakeland) fifth.
In the M60s race last year’s champion Kevin McDowell (Un-Attached Ulster) was back on the top step of the podium again this year. Fred Macsorley (Apollo Cycling Team) was second with race organiser Aidan Lafferty (Island Wheelers) third and Francis Quigley (Foyle CC) fourth.
The final race of the day was for the Senior men and M40s. They had 6 laps to complete over a very muddy course.
In the Senior men’s race last year’s champion Darnell Moore (Team Caldwell Cycles) was leading at the end of lap 1 but had current national champion Dean Harvey (Martigues Sport Cyclisme) on his wheel. Dean took over the lead on lap 2 but dropped back on lap 3 due to mechanical issues. Darnell lead at the end of laps 3 and 4 but by lap 5 Dean was back on the front pulled away from the chasing Darnell to take the win.
David Montgomery (Spellman-Dublin Port) was third with Graham Boyd (McConvey Cycles) fourth and Travis Harkness (Lyon Sprint Evolution) fifth.
In the M40s race Darragh McCarter (Spellman-Dublin Port) lead from start to finish. Current national champion and Ulster champion over the last 3 year, Glenn Kinning (Kinning Cycles Cycling Club), had some bad luck on lap 1 with a puncture and could only give chase to Daragh. Barry Kellett (Dromara Cycling Club) was third with Glyn O’Brien (Un-Attached Ulster) fourth and Kevin Heywood (Killinchy Cycling Club) fifth.
A huge thanks to Aidan Lafferty and all the hard working team from Island Wheelers for putting on a great event. This concludes the racing in Ulster this side of Christmas but the national championships are coming to County Cavan on 10-11 January 2026 hosted by Breffni Wheelers at Castle Saunderson. Keep an eye out for registration opening and get signed up.
Commissaires: Jim Adams, Martin Grimley
Results
Report by Martin Grimley
Photos
Dany Blondeel (Facebook)- part 1
