Hill and Dale Results 2007
Race 1
Race 2
Race 3
Race 4
Race 5
Race 6
Race 7
Race 8
Race 9
Race 10
Race 11
Overall


Tollymore Mountain Centre

Hill and Dale Race 2

Thursday 12th April 2007

Another record tumbles as Duncan aims to take title back to Omagh and Hawkins lays down the challenge to Maxwell

Is global warming here? Well even after the wet end to the winter, the paths and tracks of Tollymore Forest Park are now as dry as they get, it’s midsummer in April with sunbathing weather greeting the new record of 164 runners (including 50 new runners on top of the 161 from last week) at the Tollymore Mountain Centre for the second race of the Blue Lough (www.mountainandwater.com) Hill & Dale Race Series.

The race route was once again slightly changed due to felling in the forest with nearly half a minute added to the route compared to last year - race statistics being around 5miles with some 900 feet of climbing.

A few years ago Bill & Hazel McCausland of Omagh Harriers started bringing a group of mainly juniors to Hill & Dale forest races. Now the juniors are older and the group that travels includes veterans – don’t they grow up fast these days? Beaten narrowly by Newcastle AC, as they arrived at Tollymore Mountain Centre, Bill declared his desire to finally win the team race this week. It’s a long way from Omagh to the Mournes but it is often worth the trip and the Omagh contingent to an individual, add an extra dimension to the competition.

The start is a cavalry charge with the first three-quarters of a mile being mainly downhill to Parnell’s Bridge. The races are clearly becoming stronger in depth and it was a leading bunch of eight who arrived at the bridge in well under three and a half minutes (under 4 minutes 45 per mile pace). Onto the first climb and Omagh’s Stevie Duncan was to the fore alongside North Belfast’s Neil Carty. Behind the group included Newcastle stalwart Deon McNeilly, club mate but no relation David McNeilly, Omagh’s Martin Cox, Mourne Runners’ Des Woods and Armagh’s Don Travers. Travers is doing the London Marathon on Sunday and is clearly in the best shape of his life.

In the ladies race, Newcastle’s Martina Hawkins had started the Series with a victory in Castlewellan, like last year and was determined to win again this week. This time last year she led to the last 100metres before Omagh’s Michelle Sturm slipped by to take the victory. Hawkins then dropped out of race three and Mourne Runners’ Fiona Maxwell went the rest of the Series unbeaten to take the title.

This week, Hawkins took the lead early on from club mate Alwynne Shannon with Sturm, first junior, in third. Never to be passed, Hawkins pushed on to come home a very comfortable winner, and 1st vet35, in 37 minutes and 17 seconds nearly a minute and a half faster than last year, despite the course being slightly longer. Shannon was second and first vet45 with Sturm a further 14 seconds behind in 3rd. In 4th and just a stride behind Sturm was her club mate Francis Orr, the first open lady. Orr had given her all and collapsed as she crossed the line. She recovered quickly but it does show the effort the runners put in to compete. Anne Sandford came home in 5th and 1st vet40.

There is now a vibrant ladies team competition for the first time and this week was won by Newcastle from Omagh (sorry Bill) with Mourne Runners and BARF filling the next two places.

Back to the men’s race and the pace was frenetic with Duncan testing Carty on every climb. Out over the top of the New Park and the two were inseparable and onto the steep climb of the Long Haul and once again Carty clung on for dear life. It was not until the flatter undulating section on the return towards the Mountain Centre that Duncan finally broke free and stormed home to win in 30 minutes and 17 seconds some 8 seconds clear of Carty. Deon McNeilly was a further half-minute behind and Woods another 23 seconds further back.

Omagh Harriers crowning glory was a resounding victory in the team race with 1st, 6th and 7th in the scoring places and 8th for good measure to beat Newcastle into 2nd place with North Belfast 3rd ahead of Mourne Runners – where is Jim Patterson? – looks like this youthful club needs a bit of experience back.

There are lots of human interest and disinterest stories when a crowd of 164 eccentrics gather in a forest and only some can be recorded in print in a family newspaper. This week’s race organiser was the one-arm-bandit Annadale hockey star, Mark Kendall with his older brother Ian, who ably assisted him at registration. Asking the usual question ‘attached or unattached’ of a virgin Hill & Daler at the entry table the runner replied ‘married with two kids’ – a fair enough answer at times but not really to the question here.

From a Series Virgin to a Series ‘Veteran of decades’, Mike Barton, founder member of ACKC ‘aka Mourne Runners’ (by the way, where were the Hughes clan of Continuity ACKC this week?) struggled home just inside the top 100 – he is longing for the real mountains to arrive.

And where were the Farmer’s including the Siberian lady who DNF’d last week? Did they return? Yes is the answer, but unfortunately two minutes late for the start of the race. However, reports say that Tatiana made it round the whole course with William, so maybe next week she will record a first finish in Kilbroney?

Sprint finishes are always great to watch for the gathered crowds and there was standing room only (on second thoughts it was all standing room anyway) as the finishers came thick and not so fast up the tortuous incline to the finish. One such battle was between another virgin, local and international lawyer Patrick O’Hagan and veteran of many Hill & Dales and local Forestry Manager and former Ballynahinch rugby star Brian Wilson – the pain on both faces was etched deep as Wilson showed some of a rugby forward’s massive momentum to edge ahead as the line approached – O’Hagan didn’t stand a chance but will no doubt return to fight another day.

And then there is the family element with this week in the spotlight the Knight family. Father Stephen completed the Series last year and is going even better this year but was still beaten by son Sean. Mother Mary dipped her toe in the water, so to speak, for the first time this week (living in Bryansford it is her local race) and had trotted round the course a few days earlier in 70 minutes and had set 69 as her target (Stephen seemed amused by that) but excelled to come home in an excellent first finish in just over 56 minutes. No doubt she must come back for more.

Race three takes the Series to the South Mournes and the beautiful location of Kilbroney Forest in Rostrevor for the Slievemartin race. The race consists of one good climb with some ‘real’ mountain thrown in for the first time this Series and fantastic views over Carlingford Lough for anyone looking around on the way up the climb. Please be there before 7pm.

BOGBOY

Position Time Name Category Club Percentage Time of Winner
1 30.17 Stephen Duncan O Omagh Harriers 100.00%
2 30.25 Neil Carty V40 North Belfast Harriers 100.27%
3 30.59 Deon McNeilly V40 Newcastle AC 101.39%
4 31.22 Des Woods V40 Mourne Runners 103.48%
5 32.11 Don Travers O Armagh AC 106.43%
6 32.21 Martin Cox O Omagh Harriers 106.76%
7 33.02 Jason Walsh O Omagh Harriers 109.45%
8 33.04 Martin McLaughlin V40 Omagh Harriers 109.51%
9 33.1 Jonny Steede O Ballymena Runners 109.71%
10 33.18 Richard Rodgers V40 Newcastle AC 109.98%
11 33.32 David McNeilly O Newcastle AC 110.44%
12 33.34 Andy Gregg V40 Larne AC 110.51%
13 33.43 Jonathan McCloy O Mid Ulster 110.81%
14 33.58 Raymond Ferguson O North Belfast Harriers 111.30%
15 34.03 Eamon McCrickard V40 Newcastle AC 112.79%
16 34.25 Dominic McGreevy V50 Ballydrain Harriers 113.52%
17 34.27 Mark Alexander V35 Ballymena Runners 113.59%
18 34.32 David Allen V45 Albertville Harriers 113.76%
19 34.47 Gareth Kelly O Newcastle AC 114.25%
20 34.55 David Wright V35 North Belfast Harriers 114.52%
21 35.06 Paul Rodgers V40 Newcastle AC 116.21%
22 35.07 Jim Erskine V40 Newcastle AC 116.24%
23 35.17 Ciaran Collins MJ Omagh Harriers 116.57%
24 35.25 Conor Moore MJ Omagh Harriers 116.84%
25 35.29 Clive Bailey O Mourne Runners 116.97%
26 35.36 Billy McKay V55 Albertville Harriers 117.20%
27 35.4 Sam Herron O Mourne Runners 117.34%
28 35.48 Joe McCann V35 Newcastle AC 117.60%
29 36.23 James McKee O Mourne Runners 120.09%
30 36.38 David Ewart O BARF 120.58%
31 36.42 Ian Gourley V40 BARF 120.72%
32 36.5 Paddy Mallon V40 BARF 120.98%
33 36.54 Vaughan Purnell V35 Mourne Runners 121.11%
34 37.03 Eamon White V35 Mourne Runners 122.74%
35 37.08 Declan McElroy V40 Newcastle AC 122.90%
36 37.12 Eddie Bell V45 Abbey AC 123.04%
37 37.17 Martina Hawkins LV35 Newcastle AC 123.20%
38 37.19 Rowan McMahon O Team Purple 123.27%
39 37.4 Barry Wells V40 Newcastle AC 123.96%
40 37.43 Brendan O'Boyle MJ Larne AC 124.06%
41 37.47 Declan McGrellis V35 LVO 124.20%
42 37.5 Mark Hanna V35 Mourne Runners 124.30%
43 37.58 William Marks O Mourne Runners 124.56%
44 38.02 Jess Anderson O Newcastle AC 126.02%
45 38.11 Jason Shelvin V35 Armagh AC 126.32%
46 38.15 Richard Campbell V35 Mourne Runners 126.45%
47 38.17 Peter Howie V50 Larne AC 126.52%
48 38.19 Gareth McKeown V40 BARF 126.58%
49 38.21 Gerard Morgan O Unattached 126.65%
50 38.26 Peter McClenaghan V45 BARF 126.81%
51 38.32 Alwynne Shannon LV45 Newcastle AC 127.01%
52 38.33 Brendan O'Hagan V50 Team Purple 127.05%
53 38.34 Neville Watson V35 BARF 127.08%
54 38.38 Geoff Howie O Larne AC 127.21%
55 38.45 Tim Wilson O Unattached 127.44%
56 38.46 Michelle Sturm FJ Omagh Harriers 127.48%
57 38.47 Frances Orr FO Omagh Harriers 127.51%
58 38.59 Patrick Higgins O Mourne Runners 127.91%
59 39.02 Gerard Kenny V40 Unattached 129.33%
60 39.16 Christopher McCorry O BARF 129.80%
61 39.18 Anne Sandford LV40 Newcastle AC 129.86%
62 39.24 Kevin Murdock V40 Team Purple 130.06%
63 39.26 Dan Mitchell V35 Unattached 130.13%
64 39.31 Cecil McCullough V45 Mourne Runners 130.29%
65 39.4 Richard Hanna O Mourne Runners 130.59%
66 39.43 Tish McCann LV40 Mourne Runners 130.69%
67 39.5 Peter McGuckian V55 Mourne Runners 130.92%
68 39.56 Ian Lockington O BARF 131.12%
69 39.59 Chris McCann V45 Mourne Runners 131.22%
70 40.01 Phillip McGavock O BARF 132.62%
71 40.17 Gareth Boreland O Unattached 133.15%
72 40.23 Brian Spence V45 Larne AC 133.34%
73 40.26 Fred Hamond V55 BARF 133.44%
74 40.3 Tommy Brannigan V50 Team Purple 133.58%
75 40.39 Julie Murphy FO Lagan Valley 133.87%
76 40.41 Trevor Wilson V45 BARF 133.94%
77 40.46 Paul Duffy V35 Unattached 134.11%
78 40.53 Eddie O'Hagan V45 Team Purple 134.34%
79 40.54 Dessie O'Hagan V50 Physio & Co 134.37%
80 40.56 Kerry Iveston FJ North Down AC 134.44%
81 41.07 David Bell V45 Mourne Runners 136.13%
82 41.13 Claire Prenter FO Abbey AC 136.33%
83 41.14 Mark Pruzina V40 BARF 136.36%
84 41.15 Cormac Muldoon V45 Armagh AC 136.39%
85 41.24 Andy Bridge V40 BARF 136.69%
86 41.3 Jason Hughes O Blaney Rockets 136.89%
87 41.34 Ed Smith V55 Lunchtime Legends 137.02%
88 41.45 Harry Teggarty V55 Mourne Runners 137.39%
89 41.48 Stephanie Hambling LV35 North Down AC 137.49%
90 41.53 Wes Kettyle V55 Mourne Runners 137.65%
91 42 Fred Strickland V60 Ballydrain Harriers 139.21%
92 42.03 Kevin Lavery V40 North Belfast Harriers 139.31%
93 42.06 Dave Fulcher V45 Unattached 139.41%
94 42.07 William Howard V50 Lagan Valley 139.44%
95 42.1 Seamus White V45 Newcastle AC 139.54%
96 42.11 Michael Henry V45 Pegasus AC 139.58%
97 42.12 John Taylor O Newcastle AC 139.61%
98 42.16 Francis Nugent V40 Newcastle AC 139.74%
99 42.17 Mike Barton V50 Mourne Runners 139.77%
100 42.19 Neal O'Boyle O Larne AC 139.84%
101 42.33 Joanne Curran LV35 BARF 140.30%
102 42.38 WJ Brown V50 Mourne Runners 140.47%
103 42.43 Charlene Haugh FO Mourne Runners 140.64%
104 42.46 Peter Grant V40 Unattached 140.74%
105 42.5 Mike Thompson V45 Unattached 140.87%
106 42.58 Richard Cowan O Willowfield 141.13%
107 43.04 Colm Kelly O Unattached 142.66%
108 43.05 Michael Harty O Mourne Runners 142.69%
109 43.08 Paul Fegan O Newcastle AC 142.79%
110 43.1 Gregory Lennon V35 Physio & Co 142.86%
111 43.12 Francis Boal V55 Ballydrain Harriers 142.92%
112 43.13 Norma Rea FO BARF 142.96%
113 43.16 Simon Fell O Unattached 143.06%
114 43.25 Sean Knight MJ LVO 143.35%
115 43.28 Neil McAllister O Unattached 143.45%
116 43.34 Brian Wilson V35 Lagan Valley 143.65%
117 43.35 Patrick O'Hagan O Unattached 143.69%
118 44 Brian Hughes V45 Uttoxeter Road Runners 145.84%
119 44.15 Donal Rogan V40 Unattached 146.34%
120 44.17 Helen Cassidy FO Physio & Co 146.40%
121 44.22 Paul Watson V40 Newcastle AC 146.57%
122 44.28 Stewart Magill O Unattached 146.77%
123 44.3 Clare Galbraith LV40 Newcastle AC 146.83%
124 44.39 Paul McCormac V40 Physio & Co 147.13%
125 44.44 Barry Rankin V45 Mourne Runners 147.30%
126 44.49 Niall McCrory MJ Unattached 147.46%
127 44.56 John Adgey V60 Mourne Runners 147.70%
128 45.02 Darren Herron O Mourne Runners 149.22%
129 45.03 Frankie Gorman V40 Unattached 149.25%
130 45.05 Sue Middleton LV40 Unattached 149.32%
131 45.15 Stephen Knight V40 LVO 149.65%
132 45.2 Declan McCrory V40 Unattached 149.82%
133 45.24 Ian Taylor V55 BARF 149.95%
134 45.27 Mark Gray O Omagh Harriers 150.05%
135 45.34 Guiomar Garcia FO Unattached 150.28%
136 45.41 Richard Dugan V45 Unattached 150.51%
137 45.55 Brian Peters V40 Unattached 150.98%
138 45.59 William Cargo V45 Unattached 151.11%
139 46.14 AL McCavery V35 Unattached 152.93%
140 46.21 Dave Wilson V55 Unattached 153.17%
141 46.31 Peter Turkington V50 Mourne Runners 153.50%
142 46.45 Paddy McCrickard V40 Unattached 153.96%
143 46.55 Michael Quinn V35 Unattached 154.29%
144 47.09 Hazel McCausland LV45 Omagh Harriers 156.08%
145 47.14 Leo McGrath V35 LVO 156.25%
146 47.27 Brian Campbell V40 Newcastle AC 156.68%
147 48.03 Bill Hopkins V55 LVO 159.20%
148 48.1 Barbara Brown LV45 Mourne Runners 159.43%
149 48.29 John Sloan V60 Newcastle AC 160.06%
150 48.54 Christine Hill FO Unattached 160.89%
151 49.57 Elaine Hall FO Larne AC 164.30%
152 50.01 Jackie Toal LV35 BARF 165.76%
153 50.09 Barbara Carey LV35 Unattached 166.03%
154 52.24 Martin Breen O Unattached 173.15%
155 54.35 Angeline McCann LV45 Omagh Harriers 180.15%
156 55.02 Andy Wilkinson V35 Unattached 182.37%
157 55.03 Ciaran Shelvin O Armagh AC 182.40%
158 55.48 Richard Daniels O Unattached 183.89%
159 55.49 Jeff McGuinness O Unattached 183.92%
160 56.05 Pauline O'Hara LV40 BARF 185.78%
161 56.12 Mary Knight V40 LVO 186.01%
162 58.31 Conall Nugent V40 Newcastle AC 193.27%
163 64.17 Greg McCann V40 Mourne Runners 212.69%
164 65.17 Meabh McCann FJ Mourne Runners 216.01%

Teams

TEAMS 3 to count  
1 Omagh 14
2 Newcastle 34
3 North Belfast 36
4 Mourne Runners 56
5 BARF 93
6 Larne AC 99
7 Armagh AC 134
8 Team Purple 152

 

 

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