Race 3: Slieve Martin

21st April 2005

McKibben & McCourt take the honours

There was a record turnout for this year's Rostrevor race of 115, greeted this week by beautiful fine spring weather, more traditional for the Hill & Dale Series. This was the 3rd race of the Blue Lough (www.mountainandwater.com) Hill & Dale Race Series.

This week's race organiser, Deon McNeilly, also holds the record for the race from 2003 at 33 minutes and 2 seconds, but with both McKibben brothers in the field again this week, it was possible that it could be beaten. A frantic start was soon curtailed as the field settled down to the tough climb. Overall it is around 1750 feet from the start to the summit of Slievemartin. In between the course first takes in the Cloghmore Stone, then the steep rise alongside the forest fence and onto the summit of Slievemeen before an undulating run to Slievemartin. The descent from there is fast with the fastest getting back to the start in around ten minutes.

Back to the climb and by the Cloghmore Stone it was Alan McKibben and Deon McNeilly who were neck and neck having pulled away from Neil Carty, Davy McKibben and up and coming star in the making Eddie Hanna. As the bulk of the field approached the Stone, McKibben reached the top of the steep fence ride and started to pull away from McNeilly. Behind Hanna was dropped by Carty and Dave McKibben.

The ladies race was also interesting, with winner of the first two races, Harty resting up, City of Derry's Cathy McCourt led Newcastle's Anne Sandford at the Cloghmore Stone with club mate Martina Hawkins in third. Billy McKay was belying his years climbing strongly and well clear in the veteran 50 category.

Once clear, McKibben was not to be caught. He sped home in 33 minutes and 11 seconds, some 14 seconds ahead of McNeilly, but missed McNeilly's record by a mere nine seconds. That won't worry him as he now has three wins out of three and looks unstoppable for the 2005 title. North Belfast's Carty pulled strongly away from Dave McKibben to take third with Hanna finishing strongly in fifth.

McCourt also ran on strongly to win, after her second place in the opening race of the season and she missed Sharon McBurney's 2003 record by 20 seconds, home in 42 minutes and 26 seconds. Sandford took the ladies vet40 category in second overall only 28 seconds down with Hawkins in third in 45 minutes and 52 seconds.

Category winners included Ballydrain's Dominic McGreevy vet45, Albertville's Billy McKay vet50, Willowfield's Des McHenry vet 55, Larne AC's Billy Magee vet60 and Hugh Young vet65 and Barbara Brown in the lady vet45 category.

Special mention of the week goes to Clare Galbraith who celebrated her 42nd birthday with an excellent second in the ladies vet40 category and then trailed her mates on a pub crawl and only arriving back to Belfast in the early hours of the morning, many kisses and licks later apparently, including an impromptu candle lighting ceremony in Doran's Pub.

Special silly boy mention goes to Mark Hopkins who despite his orienteering prowess and the course being well marked from start to finish with sawdust, he managed to get lost on a clear and beautiful summer's evening on his way to 112th place.

Race four is the one many like to hate - all the pain of the climb and none of the exhilaration of the descent. It's the 2,000 feet Binnian ascent finishing among the summit tors. Please try and register before 7pm at the top of Brackenagh East Road.

BOGBOY