Ulster championships comes to Slieve Croob
On Saturday 21 September 2024 Dromara Cycling Club hosted their 8th edition of the Slieve Croob Hill Climb Challenge. This year the club were honoured to double up the event as the Ulster Hill Climb Championships. The climb started in the village of Finnis at the start of Dree Hill. Thanks to the management of Peter Morgan’s cottage for the use of this community facility. The riders then set off in one minute intervals up Dree Hill to the Slieve Croob car park, through the car park and then up the tarmac road to the summit. The 5 kilometres course, with around 355 metres gained in height (1,167 feet), attracted 36 competitors. The weather was cool with good visibility for most of the climb but the last 500 metres was into the low cloud. Sadly there were no views from the top of Slieve Croob this year.
Well done to all the riders for taking part. There were championship categories for Women, Junior men, Seniors and Masters (M40, M50, M60 and M70).
Dominic Drumm (Bann Wheelers CC) was the only entry in the M70 race and made it up the hill in 25:19.
The M60s race had a full podium with John Madden (Inspired Cycling) taking the win (18:40), Alan Watson (Dromara Cycling Club) picking up silver and David Nixon (Shimna Wheelers Cycling Club) the bronze medal.
The best of the 8 riders in the M50s race was Neil McKenna (AHC Racing) (17:02). Carl Lowry (Phoenix CC) was second with Michael Hegarty (Old Bleach Cycle Club) third.
There were only two entries in the M40s race with Stuart McCaughey (Phoenix CC) (16:23) finishing ahead of Kevin Briggs (Ards CC).
Conor Kelly (Team Caldwell Cycles) (19:24) and Anna McArdle (Banbridge CC) (23:48) were the only entries in the Junior men and Women’s race respectively.
The Senior race had 13 entries. Well ahead of his competitors was Gareth O’Neill (Athlete Nutrition Coach HD) (15:45). Stuart Millar (Ards CC) was second with Nathan Mullan (Velo Cafe Magasin) third.
The riders didn’t hang around too long at the summit as it was quite cold up there. They headed back down to the Peter Morgan cottage for some hot drinks and biscuits.
As part of the prize giving Anna McArdle and Gareth O’Neill posed with their polka dot jerseys holding the Slieve Croob trophy which will have their names added to it.
Commissaire: Aaron Wallace
Full results here
Report by Martin Grimley
Photos
Alan Campbell (Facebook) – here
George McNeill – To follow
The Belgian Project (Facebook) – here
