Hill and Dale Results 2006
Race 1
Race 2
Race 3
Race 4
Race 5
Race 6
Race 7
Race 8
Race 9
Race 10
Race 11
Overall
 


Race 1 : The Mc Veigh Classic

6th April 2006

Young Pretender Strikes

The 2006 Blue Lough (www.mountainandwater.com) Hill & Dale Race Series launched last Thursday night at Castlewellan Forest Park with the McVeigh Classic – is it really twelve months since last year?

The organisers of the ever-popular series are trying to keep pace with technological advances and this year runners will keep the same number for the whole series, which will help with the faster electronic compilation of the results (more of that later!) – number 1 was reserved for the winner of both the 2004 & 2005 titles, Newcastle AC’s Alan McKibbin as he sets out for a hat-trick of wins – unfortunately with a slight injury picked up during the week he never made it to the start line and left the way open for a young pretender to take the challenge to the older hands.

Groundhog day is how one described it – a cold and blustery evening, but dry overhead and wet underfoot – the same as last year including 133 starters and 132 finishers. From the gun a threesome of Newcastle’ Deon McNeilly and new signing Ricky Graham with North Belfast’s Neil Carty broke away from the field and when McNeilly stooped over to re-tie his shoelace at the top of the first climb the other two moved away to contest the victory.

In the ladies section, Newcastle’s Martina Hawkins emerged early, close to Omagh’s Michelle Sturm. A competitive tussle ensued, however it was Hawkins who eventually showed the strongest to win in 41 minutes and 12 seconds, nearly two minutes inside her time of last year. Hawkins was also first lady vet35 and takes an early lead in the Series that she missed most of last year because of injury. Sturm meanwhile took first junior in second place with Mourne Runners’ Fiona Maxwell first lady vet45 in 3rd overall.

Meanwhile back with the men, Mourne Runners’ Roy Donaldson saw his run of bad luck continue. There is no doubt that Donaldson is a prodigious (big word) talent but over the years has not managed to string together a long enough period of training to realise his full potential in the mountains. Once again this year is no exception. He reached the end of the winter in best ever shape, leaving many of his club mates in his wake at training. However, bad luck struck on April Fools’ Day at the Slieve Bernagh race when he rolled his ankle and damage ligaments. Watching the race alongside organiser the eponymous (another big word) McVeigh (of the McVeigh Classic!) he watched the leaders through at the back of the Castle with one climb to go and bet that Carty would beat Graham. McVeigh (with the wisdom of age and inside track) bet, however, for Graham and lucky he was in generous mood, for the wager was small.

As the runners exited the forest to climb on the grass to the finish line, Graham opened his legs, showed his class and eased away to win in 32 minutes and 30 seconds, only 8 seconds outside McNeilly’s 2001 record. Carty, pleased with his run, came home only three seconds behind with McNeilly over a minute back. Bad luck again Roy…

Dominic McGreevy of Ballydrain once again set down the gauntlet in the Vet45 category winning in 20th place overall with Team Purple’s Brendan (is he really 50?) O’Hagan in 28th overall and first Vet50. BARF’s Fred Hamond & Denis Rankin were first Vet55 & 60 respectively.

Meanwhile, mention of the week must go to Davy Hughes for making the ‘Last Stand’ as an ACKC runner. Refusing to accept the name change to Mourne Runners, he defied his 22 erstwhile (3rd big word…) colleagues and insisted on being the lone ACKC representative. While the others still wear ACKC on their backs (when will the new vests arrive?), Hughes came home loud and proud in 53 minutes 57 seconds with ACKC etched on his heart.

More club trouble to mention with Angela Beggs holding up registration trying to decide if she was a purple heart BARFer or a Physio & Co – in the end it was Physio & Co that won her vote and she helped them to 11th team place.

Spare a thought for Brian Campbell, who through pressure of work arrives at this Hill & Dale season in almost the worst possible shape. Pictured below, Campbell has been Head of Monthly Weigh-In for the past three years at Newcastle AC. Recently, due to a significant downturn in numbers Campbell has announced an end to the four-weekly measurement of blubber. However, based on the evidence of this race, should the wisdom of this decision be questioned?

Meanwhile back to the results of Thursday evening. Host for the prize giving and weekly miracle of the loaves and fishes was the Fountain Bar in Castlewellan and word soon filtered through that the computer’s battery had failed leaving the results unfinished. Chief Timekeeper & Finishing Funnel Contractor (a closer look at the photographs reveals his expert handiwork) Frank Morgan smiled, no, laughed; “you can’t beat the old pen and paper”.

Race two is this coming Thursday at the Tollymore Mountain Centre with an exhilarating run around the small trails of the forest. Anyone is welcome to participate with all abilities represented with times expected between half an hour and the full hour depending on ability. Just arrive in the car park at the Centre by 7pm and enjoy the challenge.

BOGBOY

Position Race Number Names Category Club Time
1 22 Ricky Graham O Newcastle AC 32.30
2 69 Neil Carty O North Belfast Harriers 32.33
3 37 Deon McNeilly V40 Newcastle AC 33.43
4 119 Edward Hanna O Mourne Runners 34.19
5 120 Richard Rodgers V40 Newcastle AC 35.00
6 70 Don Travers O Armagh AC 35.06
7 127 Jonathan McCloy J Mid Ulster 35.13
8 33 Eamon McCrickard V35 Newcastle AC 35.38
9 15 Mark Kendall O Newcastle AC 36.06
10 126 Alex Brennan O Larne AC 36.08
11 92 Kristofer Muldoon O Armagh AC 36.09
12 25 Joe McCann V35 Newcastle AC 36.19
13 23 Stevie Cunningham O Newcastle AC 36.31
14 2 Billy McKay V55 Albertville Harriers 36.35
15 99 Damien Brannigan V35 Newcastle AC 36.39
16 85 Richard Cowan O Willowfield 36.43
17 74 Jason Wilson J Pegasus AC 36.44
18 97 Oliver Harkin O Team Purple 37.08
19 7 Connor Moore J Omagh 37.38
20 41 Dominic McGreevy V45 Ballydrain Harriers 37.39
21 57 Mervyn Chambers V40 Willowfield 38.09
22 102 Derek Fairley V35 Lunchtime Legends 38.28
23 13 Eddie Bell V45 Abbey AC 38.31
24 65 David Wright V35 Lagan Valley 38.32
25 113 Sam Herron O Mourne Runners 38.40
26 103 David Newell O Mourne Runners 38.43
27 44 Bill Maxwell V45 Mourne Runners 38.56
28 90 Brendan O'Hagan V50 Team Purple 39.16
29 54 Ivan Millar V35 LVO 39.23
30 53 Steven Linton V35 NWOC 39.30
31 58 Gareth Kelly O Unattached 39.32
32 89 Charlie McAlinden V50 Newcastle AC 39.56
33 87 Vaughan Purnell V35 Mourne Runners 39.58
34 73 Kevin Murdock O Team Purple 40.02
35 52 Paddy Mallon V40 BARF 40.04
36 91 Patrick Muldoon V40 Armagh AC 40.14
37 5 Gareth McKeown V40 BARF 40.21
38 107 Mael O'Hare O Newcastle AC 40.28
39 27 Declan McElroy V40 Newcastle AC 40.41
40 111 Jim Erskine V40 Unattached 40.47
41 30 Ian Gourley V40 BARF 40.54
42 3 Peter Howie V45 Larne AC 40.59
43 32 Cecil McCullough V45 Mourne Runners 41.09
44 16 Martina Hawkins LV35 Newcastle AC 41.12
45 51 Peter McClenaghan V45 BARF 41.26
46 40 David Bell V45 Mourne Runners 41.35
47 115 Darren Herron O Mourne Runners 41.37
48 100 Vince McAlinden O BARF 41.44
49 8 Michelle Sturm LJ Omagh 41.47
50 9 Bill McCausland V45 Omagh 41.53
51 110 Neville Watson O Unattached 41.53
52 104 Ian Lockington O BARF 41.54
53 98 Jason Shelvin V35 Armagh AC 42.08
54 29 Brian Spence V40 Larne AC 42.10
55 45 Fiona Maxwell LV45 Mourne Runners 42.11
56 39 Shileen O'Kane LV35 BARF 42.31
57 76 Clive Coffey V40 Physio&Co 42.48
58 43 Trevor Wilson V45 BARF 42.53
59 133 Aidan Campbell V40 Unattached 43.04
60 17 Mike Barton V50 Mourne Runners 43.07
61 95 John Taylor O Newcastle AC 43.11
62 49 Francis Boal V55 Ballydrain Harriers 43.16
63 55 Fred Hamond V55 BARF 43.22
64 48 Mark Pruzina V40 BARF 43.36
65 132 Peter Martin MJ Unattached 43.37
66 64 Michael Harty O Unattached 43.38
67 116 Richard Hanna O Mourne Runners 43.38
68 34 Brian Campbell O Newcastle AC 43.39
69 86 Eddie O'Hagan V45 Team Purple 43.56
70 134 Frank Gorman V40 Unattached 44.09
71 46 Clare Galbraith LV40 Newcastle AC 44.30
72 109 Fergal O'Connor O Unattached 44.37
73 42 Brian Wilson V40 Unattached 44.41
74 21 Dave Goddard V50 Newcastle AC 44.42
75 6 David Nesbitt V45 Unattached 44.44
76 77 Paul Brown V40 Lunchtime Legends 44.51
77 84 Ricky Cowan V55 Willowfield 45.02
78 10 Thomas Brown O Team Purple 45.12
79 12 Paul Fegan O Newcastle AC 45.20
80 75 Murray Cowan V35 LVO 45.21
81 106 Paul Patton O Unattached 45.22
82 66 Seamus Murray V40 Team Purple 45.25
83 26 Andy Bridge V40 BARF 45.29
84 108 Richard Mc Connell V35 BARF 45.39
85 31 Barry Rankin V45 Mourne Runners 45.47
86 129 Gary McLoughlin V35 Newcastle AC 45.51
87 50 Fred Strickland V55 Ballydrain Harriers 45.59
88 130 Francis Nugent V40 Newcastle AC 46.03
89 96 Brian Wilson V35 Lagan Valley 46.04
90 94 Diane Wilson LV35 Lagan Valley 46.05
91 59 Terry McQueen V45 BARF 46.11
92 105 Andrew Mc Murray O Unattached 46.41
93 122 Martin Houlahan V35 Newcastle AC 46.43
94 63 Willie John Brown V50 Mourne Runners 46.47
95 19 Mark Hopkins O North Down 47.01
96 36 Marty McMullan O Newcastle AC 47.08
97 38 Roma McConville LV45 North Down 47.15
98 112 Johnathan Newell O NBH 47.42
99 24 Richard McLean O Unattached 47.47
100 101 Norma Rea LO BARF 47.59
101 78 Greg Lennon V35 Physio&Co 48.17
102 81 Simon Aldred V40 Mourne Runners 48.19
103 123 Paul Watson V40 Newcastle AC 48.21
104 56 Seamus White V45 Newcastle AC 48.21
105 47 Barbara Brown LV45 Mourne Runners 48.26
106 61 Jackie Toal LV35 BARF 48.41
107 79 Angela Beggs LO Physio&Co 49.13
108 60 Gordon Stephens V45 Mourne Runners 49.31
109 80 Bob Cooke V55 Mourne Runners 49.35
110 118 Stephen knight V40 LVO 49.40
111 125 Colin Smith V40 BARF 50.05
112 128 Kristian McCloy FJ Mid Ulster 50.08
113 11 Ian Taylor V55 BARF 50.20
114 124 Brian Peters V40 Unattached 50.27
115 71 Peter Turkington V50 Mourne Runners 50.38
116 62 Denis Rankin V60 BARF 50.45
117 35 Harry Teggarty V55 Mourne Runners 50.48
118 67 Kieran Dinsmore V40 Unattached 50.54
119 93 Nick Patterson O Mourne Runners 51.09
120 121 Kath Maguire LO Unattached 51.10
121 83 Wendy Findlay LV35 Newcastle AC 51.10
122 88 Jamie Cooke O Mourne Runners 51.11
123 82 John Findlay V35 Newcastle AC 51.26
124 4 Andrew McGibbon O BARF 51.33
125 18 Bill Hopkins V55 LVO 52.36
126 28 Elaine Hall LO Larne AC 53.28
127 117 David Hughes V45 ACKC 53.57
128 20 Emer Hopkins LO North Down 54.12
129 131 Conall Nugent V45 Newcastle AC 54.33
130 72 Kevin Quinn V55 Unattached 56.17
131 68 Gerard Jones V40 Unattached 56.34
132 14 Pauline O'Hara LV40 BARF 62.15
133 114 Lorna Fitzpatrick LV35 Mourne Runners DNF

 

1
 Newcastle AC 6
2
 Armagh AC 53
3
 Mourne Runners 55
4
 Team Purple 80
5
 Larne 106
6
 BARF 113
7
 Willowfield 114
8
 Omagh 118
9
 Ballydrain 169
10
 LVO 219
11
 Physio and Co 265
12
 North Down 320

 

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