Race 5

McKibben & Harty Excel.

Race organiser, Kevin Quinn, is always flying close to the wind, with the crowds of runners flocking to the Hill & Dale this season, the organiser of each race, so far, has ensured that Registration opened by 6.30pm, to minimise the delays. Quinn, though, is a busy man, or something, and his appearance at 6.50pm on Thursday night last was greeted by playful criticism from the very patient crowd of competitors.

Thankfully,the weather was kind with the heavy rain of the preceding four days having cleared to leave a relatively calm and mild night for the Deer’s Meadow, some 1,000 feet above sea level near the Spelga Dam. 117 runners turned up for the first ‘real’ fell race of the series, last week the race finished at the summit of Binnian, this week it climbed Pigeon Rock, descended fast to a col and then climbed the steep flank of Moughanmore, before turning and re-tracing the outward steps. Robbie Bryson’s awesome record time of 27 minutes 49 seconds was unlikely to be under threat in these (or possibly any) conditions, whilst the jointly shared ladies record of 38 minutes and 51 seconds, by Tricia Sloan (1995) and Shileen O’Kane (2002), was also probably out of sight.

Back to Mr Quinn and another mistake – he had arranged no help. On his own he started to distribute the race numbers with his tendency to have a ‘wee chat’ lengthening a process that was already running out of time. The pinnacle of the night came as the official start time approached and Barry Wells made it to the head of the queue. The ever eloquent Quinn asked, ‘age, 40 isn’t it?’ then came the reply from the ever sharp Wells, ‘I was only 39 when I joined the queue, but, yes, I’m 40 now.’

Sacrilege of sacrileges the race started at 8 minutes past the half hour and the action was soon fierce. The top competitors in both the men and women’s series were all present and soon it was Newcastle’s Alan McKibben working hard at the front of the wedge, spread 100 metres across Pigeon Rock.

McKibben is running like a man possessed and in this form will be hard to beat. He turned the screw on North Belfast’s Neil Carty on the first and second climbs and after the summit of Moughanmore he leapt down the steep descent like there was no tomorrow and, at the same time, amusing those still climbing with his roars of self-encouragement. McKibben was not to be caught and came home 15 seconds inside 30 minutes to win by 16 seconds. Behind, Deon McNeilly is starting to show a return to form and came home in 3rd place and first veteran, just over a minute back.

In 1998, the ladies race was won in 45 minutes and 48 seconds by Anne Sandford, in second place was 17-year-old Kerry O’Flaherty, now Harty, some two minutes behind in 47 minutes 39 seconds. Six years on and the protagonists are the same again. Harty had 3 wins out of 4 so far with Sandford winning the other. Therefore, tonight was a bigger race for Sandford than Harty, as she really needed to win to stay in touch for the overall series title.

Harty only knows how to start fast and tonight was no exception. The wet ground of muck and water didn’t seem to hinder as she built up an early lead. Last week on Binnian, Sandford had a very strong second half to win, so would Harty suffer again from the fast start this week? The answer was no. Fast descents follow shorter and sharper climbs in this race and this seemed to suit better.

As Harty splashed down through the muck towards the finish, she was pleased to be winning, but had no sense of how close she might be to the record. A glance around at her admiring fans (or at least her dad), a smile for the camera and a time of 38 minutes and 52 seconds; 9 minutes inside her time of six years ago, but frustratingly 1 second outside the record. Sandford came home in 39 minutes 59 seconds, well inside her best and was closely followed by the improving LVO’s Violet Linton, 17 seconds further back. This gives Harty four victories from five and she is now starting to look difficult to catch, but Sandford will still have other ideas.

Mid-Ulster’s Jonathan McCloy stormed home in 8th place overall to take a second victory to put him slightly ahead of club-mate Shane Doherty and Newcastle’s Adam Mitten in a tight Junior category.

Race six, to take us just past half way in the Series, is this coming Thursday over Hen & Cock mountains in the south Mournes near Hilltown. Race is, as ever, 7.30pm sharp, arrive by 7pm and hope that Frank Morgan is sharper than Mr Quinn.

BOGBOY

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