Round 2 - Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor
Sunday 5 May 2013
| Ulster XC MTB 2013 Round 2 - Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor Sunday 5 May 2013 | |
| Report by Peter Ritchie Race no. 2 of the season was part of an event aptly named a mountain bike festival, which saw a Cross Country, Downhill and an Enduro event all over the May day bank holiday weekend; with our own club hosting the cross country race. This was a new course for us as a club as our race has usually been held at Dunmore Mountain. And what a course it was! (Even if we do say so ourselves). Many thanks to all concerned who helped with the course preparation, marshalling, food for all those tired and broken bodies and the clear up crew afterwards. Without your help things could not have run as smoothly as they did on the day. So again, thank you. The weather held up for an excellent days racing for all ages and abilities with over 250 riders pre-registered for what was the first event at the new trails around Rostrevor, although the courses were mostly on existing/natural trails. First race of the day saw the under 6s (mum/dad assisted) category with our own Aaron Wilson taking first place. A great start to the day. Next up, the under 8’s with 5 boys and one girl flying the Dromara colours and the first racers of the day to head into the forest with a challenging course through the trees for 4 laps. Another podium for us with Lewis Kennedy taking 2nd place, 4th for Anthony Quinn, 8th for Brett Kelly, 10th for Scott Wilson and 13th for Alex Harrower. Zoe Lindsay took podium with 3rd place for the girls. Then the under 10’s where Fraser Harrower managed a very respectable 9th place. The under 12’s had what I thought was part of my own race up a lovely little climb into some great singletrack and then joining the last part of the main course. This was three laps where the Wilson family had one member in both the boys and girls races. Here we had yet another podium for Ben Wilson with 3rd place, and unfortunately for Kelly a dnf. (I know how this feels) Bad luck Kelly there is always Lady Dixon soon. For the under 14 race we had another podium with Ethan Creighton in 2nd, his brother placed 4th and Max Melville in 6th. With no riders in the under 16 category this was all our junior riders finished for the day. Well done and keep up the good work. So now for the serious stuff because we all know that although mountain biking is usually fun, the words fun and race don’t really belong in the same sentence. The course for the senior races was a mix of fire road climbs, forest singletrack , technical climbs and descents, some of the new trails (which just happened to be on the way back down) a few rooty sections and did I mention fire road climbs? One rider described the course as having put the mountain back into mountain biking. The first lap missed out the first section of forest, straight up onto the tarmac and onto the first climb of the day. Once this beast was tamed it was into the forest for some of the bumpy stuff - a short rooty climb before heading down a steep little section where line choice was crucial to negotiate the tight corner at the bottom. Then up again into some zig-zagging through the forest, before reaching the second main climb of the day. Although this was not a welcome sight, what followed this climb almost made you forget that your lungs were on fire and your legs too ( or maybe that was just me?). The new trails and the natural stuff that followed are why I ride a bike. Line choice was particularly important along one of the last sections of the course, I’m not sure if I ever got it right but thoroughly enjoyable all the same. This eventually brought us out at our start point for another lap. Onwards and upwards as they say. Senior 4 saw 46 riders on the start line and 2 riders from the club with young Nathan Sturrock placing 17th and Robert Davidson in 38th. Well done guys as this was a though one which some think maybe should only have been two laps! Next on the line we had senior 1, 2, 2 juniors and 3 making nearly 90 riders on the track! Senior 3 results are as follows; John Shanks 7th, Zak Hanna 9th, Brian Wilson 11th, Stephen Kelly 16th, Adrian Booth 25th, Peter Ritchie 34th. (I had resigned myself to finishing this race after a poor start to the season in Ballykelly I must try harder in the next one!) Another podium and 1st place for Barry Kellett in senior 2, well done Barry, and Paul Mawhirt in 18th. 5 laps… Really… With no riders from the club in senior 1 (yet) these guys doing 6 laps quicker than I did 4! That was us for the day. I think I could safely speak for us all and say that we have done the club proud with an excellent course and equally well organized day of racing. Hope to see you all at the next race. Report by Peter Ritchie Links to more photographs and full results on www.ulsterxc.com |   Photo by Martin Grimley  Photo by Martin Grimley  Photo by Martin Grimley  |
 Photo by Steven Lindsay |  Photo by Steven Lindsay |
 Photo by Martin Grimley |  Photo by Martin Grimley |
 Photo by Alan Gilkinson |  Photo by Alan Gilkinson |
 Photo by Alan Gilkinson |  Photo by Alan Gilkinson |