The 61th Annual Slieve Donard Classic

Friday 24th June 2005

Mc Neilly makes it 8 wins of Slieve Donard

The words of Race Organiser Martin McVeigh as he addressed the field assembled outside the Newcastle Centre for the 61st Annual Slieve Donard Race now seem almost prophetic: "The course is simple; from here to the summit and back, the route choice is entirely your own." Before the evening was over, many of the runners were to take McVeigh much too literally and range far and wide across large tracts of the slopes of Northern Ireland's highest peak and various adjacent mountains and valleys.

From the gun the usual suspects were to the fore, Alan McKibben the clear favourite fresh from his demolition of the opposition in the Hill and Dale Series, Deon McNeilly now Vet 40 but running as strongly as ever, the sheer power of Edward Hanna and the stealth and strength of Des Woods and Stephen Cunningham.

Prior to the start the debate had been about the route to the top. Thick cloud had shrouded the mountain throughout the day and although the mist had lifted slightly by 7.30 it was obvious that beyond 500m visibility would be a major problem. The elite athletes headed up the Glen River path towards the saddle while the lesser mortals who lacked the ability to run the full distance made for the Black Stairs.

Awaiting the throng was Newcastle AC official photographer Brian McBurney, perched just above the tree line and, following some technical hitches in an earlier Hill& Dale race, the ace lensman was taking no chances this time. Having received dispensation from a senior Forest Service official he motored to the 3rd Glen River bridge lest the arduous climb should upset his creative temperament and had brought with him not one but both of his children to show him which button to press.

Amongst the runners was North Down man George Graham who competed in his first Donard race 50 years ago and on his way to winning the Vet 65 category reached the summit in a highly creditable 64 minutes, one of the select few to receive a special award for reaching the top in a number of minutes lower than their age.

Non-running Newcastle athletes claiming various ailments were prominent at the Start but noteworthy was the fact that once again stalwart grandfather and grandson McNeilly were the only officials in evidence at the summit tower. Indeed, as race leader McKibben appeared, wraith-like and at speed out of the gloom, it was as much as Billy and Wills could do to note his number before he hurtled off the top to commence the blind descent.

The third member of the McNeilly family on the mountain that night was almost 1m 30 secs behind his clubmate at the turn but one of the delights of hill racing is how the weather conditions can wreak havoc with the form book. Deon knows the route off Donard better than most, not surprisingly as he had won the race seven times previously but as he set off in pursuit of McKibben few could have imagined the drama which was about to unfold. Alan became disorientated somewhere below the boulders on the upper slopes allowing McNeilly to glide past unseen in the mist and claim first place in a time of 58.30

It was not just the leaders who were finding the conditions challenging. Larne AC's Billy Magee jovially admitted that he had no idea how he got off the mountain on his way to picking up his Good for Age award and Vet 60 win. A posse of runners including two newcomers to the event, Patrick Muldoon of Armagh AC and US athlete Fred Zalokar (the 3rd) were greatly relieved to see emerging from the fog the local vests of Mark Kendall and David Bell striding purposefully on their direct line to the finish. Thinking that it was better to be safe than sorry the visitors latched onto the Newcastle runners but were probably less than impressed with their choice of guides when the locals emerged from the cloud high on the Eastern slopes of Thomas's Mountain. No doubt the views of the harbour were stunning but it's a long way home via the quarry.

Back at the sharp end ACKC descent specialist Gary Bailey stormed down the mountain and claimed the fastest time from the summit to the Newcastle Centre in a remarkable 16m 45secs in the process rising from 7th place at the Tower to 3rd overall.

Newcastle's Stephen Cunningham and ACKC's Des Woods reached the top together and fought a fierce duel on the descent with Cunningham's strength and speed giving him the second fastest descent and 2nd finisher with Woods 4th. Alan McKibben eventually escaped from the fog to claim 5th place.

Tussles were developing throughout the field, none more so than between the old warhorses Ricky Cowan and Willie John Brown. In his haste to keep Cowan at bay, Brown clattered to the ground on the slippery stones along the Glen River but despite the blood and with the assistance of expletives rarely heard outside Mourne, he headed off in pursuit of his adversary pipping him to the post in a thrilling sprint amongst startled strollers on an otherwise tranquil promenade.

Homing instincts were well utilised by first junior Adam Mitten of Newcastle AC who in an excellent descent gained seven places on his summit position to finish 8th overall. Not far behind him was clubmate Barry Wells whose reconnaissance of the route during the previous week certainly paid off as he won the Vet 40 category in14th overall.

A very fitting Vet45 winner was race newcomer Cormac Muldoon of Armagh AC, one of three members of the family to tackle the course. Not only was he able to plot a direct line to the Black Stairs but he sportingly stopped on his descent to assist a fellow runner in trouble on a cliff ledge.

A small but well formed ladies category was hard fought as usual with Alwynne Shannon and Ann Sandford the main protagonists. Sandford, climbing strongly ahead of her Austrian outing representing Northern Ireland in the European Championships reached the summit first well ahead of Shannon but Alwynne's speed on the descent via the saddle brought her home almost 30 seconds ahead. 3rd lady was Helen Cassidy.

ACKC supremo Mike Barton had a superb descent to claim the Vet50 prize and along with Marty McVeigh also beat his age to the top. A total of 40 runners reached the summit in under 50 minutes including the irrepressible Jim Patterson the Vet 55 winner.

Welcoming the athletes home was Newcastle AC's very own White Van Man, Frank Morgan, illegally parked on footpath and disrupting law abiding pedestrians throughout the race without even a murmur from the local constabulary - such is the prestige of being Official Timekeeper.

An excellent turnout with 85 starters and only one non-finisher, one Ross Higginson last spotted dashing headlong towards Annalong and eventually retrieved some hours later by his elder brother. A welcome return too after many years for Dessie Connolly of Armagh now in the Vet55 category but clearly enjoying the mountains as much as ever.

A magnificent result for Deon McNeilly who first won this race in 1992 and who but for work commitments keeping him out of the country for much of the 1990's would surely have won many more. It is difficult to imagine any athlete having the consistency or talent ever to surpass his record 8th win.

Grateful thanks to Mourne Fresh Foods, Castlewellan Road Newcastle who kindly supplied the very welcome sandwiches after the race and to the staff at the Newcastle Centre for their hospitality.

Your regular correspondent, Bogboy, at present holidaying at an undisclosed European destination should be back with you to report on the Donard Commedagh race on 16th July - provided that is that the A6 satellite navigation system is more reliable than his own sense of direction as displayed in the Donard Forest race.

Report and results from:
Sheugh-hopper and Bogman

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