Date: Sunday 9 December 2018
Event: Ulster Cyclo-cross Championships 2018
Location: Windmill Park, Dungannon
Host club: Island Wheelers
The 2018 Ulster Cyclo-cross Championships took place at Windmill Wood in Dungannon hosted by Island Wheelers. This was the club’s 7th time hosting an event at this venue over the last 6 years. Many thanks to Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council for their support. This year there had been quite a lot of rain in the days leading up to the race which, unlike most of the rest of the season, provided a muddy, slippy course – proper cyclo-cross conditions! The club has developed a ‘course within a course’ at this site. The youth courses, up to Under 12s, were all contained within the senior course which allows the seniors to get more practice time in on the day. The Championship race categories started from Under 14s to the Masters M50s. The club also hosted non-championship support races for the youth – Under 6s up to Under 12s.
The first race of the day was for the Under 6s. There were 11 young riders on the start line (7 boys and 4 girls) and they had one lap to complete. All received a chocolate Santa at the end.
Next up were the Under 8s which was held over two laps of their course. Square Wheels riders Eunan Campbell and Rory McCool took the top two positions in the boys’ race with Eoin Campbell (Unattached) finishing third and Sean Heverin (Kinning Cycles) fourth. Leah Hepburn (Island Wheelers) won the girls’ race as she finished ahead of Aoife Campbell (Square Wheels) with Skye Spence (Shimna Wheelers Cycling Club) third.
The Under 10s race was held over four laps. Jamie Rockett (Ards CC) stormed off from the start line and had over 20 seconds on second place at the finish line. Second place went to Ryan McBride (Banbridge CC) with Daniel Daly (Phoenix CC) just 2 seconds behind him. Emer Heverin (Kinning Cycles) won the girls’ race with over 30 seconds to Maeve McCool (Square Wheels) who finished second with Sarah Jane Rocks (Island Wheelers) third.
The Under 12s had 7 laps to complete. James Armstrong (Dromara Cycling Club) lead from start to finish. Aliyah Rafferty (Island Wheelers) finished second overall, first girl. Conor Murphy (Rostrevor Mountain Bike Club) was the second placed boy with Harry Hobbs (Killinchy Cycling Club) third and Karl Rockett (Ards CC) fourth. Tori Moffitt (Phoenix CC) was the second placed girl with Cara Suckling (Maryland Wheelers) third.
The championship races then took place. Lined up at the start line in this order were the Junior men, Under 16 boys, Under 14 boys, Women, Under 16 girls, Under 14 girls.
Shane Scullion (Island Wheelers) won the 3 lap Under 14 boys’ category with Oisin Ferrity (Island Wheelers) second and Travis Harkness (Carn Wheelers) third. Aine Doherty (VC Glendale) won the Under 14 girls’ race as she finished well ahead of Cara Moffitt (Phoenix CC) with Lucy Brown (Phoenix CC) third and Erin Kelly (Dunloy CC) fourth.
Darren Rafferty (Island Wheelers) has had a great season so far which included competing in the British National Trophy series. Darren took a comfortable win finishing almost 2 minutes ahead of Somhairle Owens Fisher (Omagh Wheelers Cycling Club) with Dean Harvey (VC Glendale) third. Maria McAllister (Island Wheelers) won the Under 16 girls’ race. Erin Creighton (McConvey Cycles) finished second, Katie Neill (Carn Wheelers) third and Grace Kearns (Dunloy CC) fourth.
The Junior men’s race was won by Lee Harvey (VC Glendale) with Ciaran Dixon (McConvey Cycles) second and Donal Walsh (AAA Cycling) third.
The women’s race contained three sub-categories which were the championship categories. Winning overall was Darcey Harkness (Carn Wheelers) with Niamh McKiverigan (Powerhouse Sport) second. These two riders took the medals for the Junior Women’s category. The third placed Junior medal went to Rachel McBride (Omagh Wheelers Cycling Club). Rachel Irvine (The Bike House CC) finished third overall but was first Senior Women. Second Senior Woman was Andra Hamilton (Dromara Cycling Club) with third Senior Woman going to Ellie McArdle (Square Wheels). Diane Wilson (Dromara Cycling Club) was fourth overall but first Masters Women. Second Masters Woman was Gill Smith (Unattached) with third going to Martina Hawkins (Dromara Cycling Club). There wasn’t enough teams of women to award a team prize.
Next up were the Masters M40 and M50 men. Alan Bingham (Newry Wheelers CC) had to work hard to keep ahead of Christian Nachtigall (Phoenix CC) which he did by 9 seconds at the finish line after 5 laps. Drew McKinley (Newry Wheelers CC) was holding third place for laps 2 to 4 but was pipped at the line by Jason Henry (Inspired Cycling).
Barry Convery (Newry Wheelers CC) finished fifth and secured the M40 team prize for Newry Wheelers. Brendan Doherty (VC Glendale) was one of the riders who was out at the Masters Cyclo-cross World Championships the week before. Windmill Park semmed to suit Brendan as he was well out in front from start to finish and had a gap of almost 2.5 minutes on Peter McConville (Newry Wheelers CC) with current national champion Des Woods (Newry Wheelers CC) third. Christopher McCann (Banbridge CC) was fourth with Ian Cochrane (Banbridge CC) fifth. Taking the first unplaced M60 rider was Mike Barton (Dromara Cycling Club).
The final race of the day was for the Senior men and it proved to be a very exciting race. This was held over 6 laps. At the end of lap 1 it was Espoir rider Thomas Creighton (McConvey Cycles) who was out in front followed by Glenn Kinning (Kinning Cycles) who won here on the last 3 years he competed. Graham Boyd (McConvey Cycles) was third, David Montgomery (Unattached) was fourth, Lewis Ferguson (The Bike House CC) was fifth with current national champion Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles Omagh) sixth. Thomas Creighton held the lead over the next two laps with David Montgomery second and Graham Boyd third. On lap 4 it was David Montgomery (Unattached) who passed the timing tent first with Thomas in second place. Thomas returned to lead the race on Lap 5. On the final lap a rider in black kit appeared at the top of the hill and everyone initially thought it was Thomas but, in fact, it was Graham Boyd who took the chequered flag. David Montgomery held onto second. Thomas Creighton had had a fall on the final lap and finished third. Fourth place went to Gareth McKee (Banbridge CC) who had managed to miss the start of the race and was having to chase back up through the pack after being 10 seconds down behind the last rider. Darnell Moore finished fifth with Lewis Ferguson sixth. Glenn had pulled out after lap four. Team prize went to Newry Wheelers when Mark McKinley, Sean Featherstone and Colm Quinn finished.
After the races the riders were able to enjoy the food and drink laid on by the host club. Many thanks to all those in Island Wheelers for putting on a terrific event. The next cyclo-cross race in Ulster will take place at Ecclesville Centre in Fintona on Sunday 6 January 2019 hosted by Omagh Wheelers. See details on www.ulstercyclocross.com.
Commissaires: Mario Arranz, Jim Adams and Martin Grimley
Report by Martin Grimley
Results here
Photos
Belgium Project – here
Philip Blair – here
Toby Watson – here
Video
Philip Blair – here
Glenn Kinning – here
