Newcastle AC Cross Country 2005

Castlewellan Forest Park

Saturday 30th October 2005

Saturday saw the revival of the Newcastle AC promoted cross-country races, support by Blue Lough at Castlewellan Forest Park after a ten-year break. Although quantity of runners were lacking, quality was not, with excellent performances from U-13 through to Masters over-55. In all 20 different clubs and schools were represented.

The course in Castlewellan is pure and traditional cross-country – undulating, varied ground underfoot and a jump part way round. Most of all the torrential rain set in and the going, which had been reasonably firm at the beginning of the day, soon became quite soft.

First up over one mile were the Girls U-13 one mile over part of the big lap course. Another advantage of the location is the fantastic vantage of the whole race unfolding that the spectators get. Local girl, running for East Down AC, Aine McCann led out from the start to win in 6 minutes 46 seconds with Natasha Miskelly of Willowfield digging in but eventually dropping off the pace to come home a fine second. Shimna College took the team prize.

Girls U13

The Boys U-13 race saw Shimna College’s Phillip Tracy win in 6 minutes 19 seconds from a close second Caolan King only six seconds behind. King led home East Down to the team victory.

Boys U13

In the Girls U-15, another local star in the making, Joanne Mills, winner the previous week of the Ulster U-15 Championship in Monaghan, showed what brilliant potential she has to take the race in 10 minutes and 51 seconds. Chasing her all the way, but unable to hold on to the relentless pace was Dromore AC’s Emma Mills. East Down again took the team prize.

Girls U15

The Boys U-15 was another tight race over one and a half big laps of the course and covering just over two miles. In the end it was East Down’s James O’Hare who finally broke the spirit of Dromore’s Simon Thompson to win by six seconds.

Boys U15

In the Girls U-17 race again it was a close run thing with Willowfield’s Helen Dalzell coming home the victor in 16 minutes and 14 seconds, seven seconds ahead of North Down pair of Jessica Craig and Lauren Scott.

Girls U17

The Boys U-17 race saw a runaway winner in the shape of Willowfield’s Andrew Gourley in 18 minutes and 20 seconds nearly a minute clear of East Down’s Aaron McGrady with Gourley’s club mate Andy Jordan taking the bronze.

Boys U17

With the torrential rain becoming even heavier, the Ladies, U-20 Ladies and Lady Masters lined up together for the 3 miles race over two laps of the now muddier course. As the siren sounded the field set off to find that one of the favourites Maria Skelton of Lagan Valley had missed the start by half a minute – running like a scalded whippet she scythed through the field to reach third by half way but then dropped out.

Northern Ireland Cross-Country Champion, another Lagan Valley runner, Jill Shannon, took out the pace from the start followed by local Newcastle AC runner, Kerry Harty. Behind, the rest of the field was led by Martina Hawkins also of the hosts ahead of club-mates Alwynne Shannon and Anne Sandford.

By the end of lap one, Shannon was nearly half a minute clear and went on to win in 20 minutes and 30 seconds with Harty second 49 seconds behind by the end. Alwynne Shannon came home third and first Vet-40 in 22 minutes and 31 seconds.

Sarah Quee of Lagan Valley took the U-20 gold in 25 minutes and 16 seconds with Debbie Matchett of North Down taking the vet-35 first place. Mary Mackin
Of Dromore was first vet-50 in 26 minutes and 7 seconds.

U20/Senior/Vets Ladies

The Men’s, U-20 and Masters race was the final race of the day over three laps, making up the tortuous 4.5miles in, by now, the toughest underfoot conditions of the day combined with the developing gale force wind. From the gun a group of five led the race out, made up of David Simpson and John Treacy of Willowfield, Ciaran Kavanagh of Annadale, Des Woods of ACKC and Richard Rodgers of the host club.

Simpson, coming back to excellent form now after a lean spell, tried to make a break a couple of times and then made the decisive one just at the end of the first lap. Two more solid laps saw him home for victory in 28 minutes and 5 seconds. Following two international vests during the summer in Wales and New Zealand on the mountains, ACKC’s Des Woods is a formidable potential and he is already showing that on the country. He pulled clear to take an excellent second place in only his second cross-country race in 28 minutes and 45 seconds.

Rodgers was third and first Vet-40 in 29 minutes and 07 second. Lagan Valley’s Terry Eakin was first vet-55 home in 6th overall in 30 minutes and 42 seconds, 11 seconds clear of another evergreen performer Des McHenry claiming second vet-55 in 7th overall. Jimmy Gillespie from Armagh was first vet-50 in 31 minutes and 14 seconds.

Newcastle’s Adam Mitten edged out Willowfield’s Stephen Fullerton for the Under-20 gold in 12th place overall in 31 minutes and 42 seconds. Kookie O’Hagan made a welcome return to racing and claimed the vet-45 prize in 18th overall. North Down’s Davy Seaton claimed the vet-60 prize in 34 minutes and 30 seconds with club mate Hugh Young claiming the vet-65 gold.

U20/Senior/Vets Men

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