Race 9

Rocky

3rd June 2004

Race 9 (of 11)

Harty Wins Hill & Dale Title & Smashes Record

The fantastic summer weather brought a Rocky record 116 runners and millions of midges out to Race 9 of the 11-race Hill & Dale Series. With the men's title having been settled earlier many eyes were on the ladies ding-dong battle between club mates Kerry Harty and Anne Sandford.

Sandford was winning Northern Ireland mountain racing titles a decade ago, whilst Harty had barely left primary school. However, after a few years off through injury and the general feeling of 'been there done that', Sandford joined Newcastle AC last year and put a serious winter's work into the cross-country season. It soon became clear that Sandford returned to the mountains in the best shape of her life.

As for Harty, she was a child protégée, born to race and winner of many 'age-group' titles while she was a teenager. Indeed, six years ago at the tender age of 17 she made a rare early appearance in the Hill & Dale Series and finished in second place at Moughanmore to Sandford some 90 seconds adrift. Harty is in her first year of serious mountain racing and is already gaining honours. Last weekend, Harty and Sandford both got the nod from the selectors to represent Ireland in the European Mountain Racing Championships in Poland at the beginning of July.

There is no doubt that the competition between Sandford and Harty, and latterly their club-mate Tish McCann and LVO's Violet Linton, is great for the sport and is also bringing the best out of the individuals. Previously, the local fell running scene seemed to produce one woman who was head and shoulders above the rest; this season it is very different.

Once again on Thursday night, Harty set off fast from the start at Leitrim Lodge. Sandford tends to start more conservatively and after the first couple of flatter minutes was soon catching Harty on the steep climb of Rocky. This steepest climb on the course takes the athletes to the summit of Rocky, in around 10 minutes. After that, there is a swift descent and shorter climb to Tornamrock, followed by a fast ridge run and medium climb to the summit of Pierces Castle. Less than five minutes takes the runners to the summit of Altataggart, followed by a very fast track run back to the start.

Sandford soon led Harty, but Harty doesn't know how to give up and dug in trying to keep her in touch. Linton led McCann, getting the better of her on the early steep climb, but McCann is in the same category as Harty - very competitive. On the fast descent from Altataggart, Sandford had a twenty- metre gap on Harty. Then came the big decision, turn down the wall, off the track, over rough ground or stay on the track longer, do an extra 50 to 100 metres but over cleaner ground? Sandford turned off - to be fair she was unaware of any alternative route. Harty had made up her mind to follow Sandford, but at the last minute the sight of club mate Mark Kendall staying on the track encouraged her to follow him.

A couple of minutes later as the alternative routes came together, Harty had stolen the lead from Sandford and no one now could steal her title. Sprinting clear, she raced home in 41 minutes 03 seconds, 9 seconds clear of a bitterly disappointed Sandford. McCann had caught and passed Linton and was only 11 seconds adrift of Sandford in third place. This time Harty, who earlier in the Series had missed two records by only one and two seconds, was not to be denied. She was a massive 2 minutes and 31 seconds inside Shileen O'Kane's 1999 mark. The ground is as dry as it gets in the mountains, however, the fact that all the first four ladies were inside the old record mark illustrated how the women have taken their performances to a new level. Incidentally, Sandford's best time before on this course dates back to 1995 when it was a previous record at 44 minutes 03 seconds.

North Belfast's Neil Carty took his first victory of the season over Alan McKibbin, the 2004 champion, coming home in 32 minutes 53 seconds about 90 seconds outside Deon McNeilly's 1999 record; McNeilly, himself was first veteran this time in 4th. Ballydrain's David McNeilly continued his excellent progress in 3rd.

The Hill & Dale is about more than serious racing, the serious racing is important, but it's also about the camaraderie that develops in the very challenge that the mountains throw up. The pub is the cornerstone of the post-race analysis and last Thursday was no exception with the Mourneview Bar near Hilltown (Doran's) full to breaking point with an overflow outside the front door. One particular person was honoured this week, BARF's Trevor Wilson. Wilson was encouraged to the front of the race for the start as it was his 100th Hill & Dale race in a row. For the best part of 10 years now, Wilson has a 100% attendance record and amazing feat of endurance, especially considering that he has also squeezed in the London and Belfast marathons in between two Thursday races. After nearly being trampled to death over the first 50 metres, Wilson settled down to come home a respectable 60th. The photo shows him descending off the summit of Rocky.

On a strange night, there were several reported sightings of Michael Jackson in the Leitrim Lodge area. The photo from the summit of Rocky shows his latest reincarnation, with only the black gloves giving him away. Asked afterwards why he was wearing gloves in the heat of the summer, he explained that he used them to wipe the sweat from his brow, which helps ensure that the great work of the surgeons is not undone during the race. Looking whiter than ever, he came home just ahead of fireman Jess Anderson.

Avid readers of the Series will remember Anderson from all the way back in race one at Castlewellan Forest Park. Having paid his entry fee, he set off for a 'warm-up' jog and got involved in a battle with young Christmas trees - the Christmas trees won. Covered in blood, he turned up at the start just to say he was off home to get patched up. This week Anderson became involved in another battle with himself. For most, the race itself is challenge enough, however, Anderson likes to do things properly. As an experienced rescue service provider, he knows all about planning ahead. Remembering the midges from last year, he sprayed copious amounts of insect repellent all over himself - 'got you' he thought to himself.
The cure is sometimes worse than the disease. In the heat of the summer evening, Anderson's sweat pores were soon in full action with the repellent flooding into his eyes. Hardly able to see he tripped and stumbled his way around the course and, in some pain finally made it to the finish. Next time, he'll just let them bite.

Just as Anderson was washing the stinging from his eyes in the river, word came down from out on the course of a serious tumble for Larne's Andy Gregg. Series ever-present Gregg made the press last week with his wall climbing antics, this week, however, was serious. The well-oiled emergency response plan swung into action led by race organiser Damien Brannigan with the aid of Ed Hanna's Landrover and soon Gregg was recovered and rushed off to hospital to have his gashes stitched.

The penultimate race of the season takes place from the Happy Valley, organised by Mr Happy himself; no complaints this week from his summit marshal checkpoint at Rocky - a good sign for next week? As ever it's a 7.30pm start taking in the summits of, first, Meelbeg and then Meelmore.

BOGBOY

Team Results

Top ...