Silver lining at Ulster Cyclocross Championships

by Rich · December 4, 2017

With the ulster cyclocross series finished for 2017 the next race up is the Ulster Championships which were hosted by Kinning Cycles at Mallusk Playing fields. It can be a very cold and miserable place at times but when the day came we all had to double check it was December with double digit temperatures. The Ulster Championships are all age categories and there is no A or B race. The first races of the day are the Under 14, Under 16, Junior Men, Junior Women and Senior Women. Dromara CC had representation in the under 16’s with Ben Wilson and in the Senior Womens Diane Wilson would fly the flag. Ben has been in superb form this year but a course that didnt have enough technical challenges was always going to put him at a disadvantage. However he did put in a sterling effort to take 7th place and only 3 seconds from 6th. Diane Wilson would have a great battle with Julie Rea for the third spot on the podium and would be unlucky to not make the catch on the last lap. In the end 8 seconds would separate them with Diane taking 4th place.

Pit Men earning their weight in gold

The next race up was the M40’s and M50/M60 categories which would have plenty of Dromara CC members taking to the start line. With Davy Broome still on the sidelines with an injury it would be Richard Cowan, Neil Armstrong, Brian Wilson & Brian Kellett in the M40’s and Mike Barton, John McGuigan and Paul Mawhirt in the M50/M60’s. In the M40’s everyone would battle hard with Neil taking the first Dromara man home followed by Richard then Brian. On a slippy course with plenty of running the team will lick its wounds and look forward to the Irish Nationals in January.

Jack in the mix

The final race of the day was the Elites and Barry Kellett, Jack Ferguson and Graham Smyth take to the start line. In what would be an epic race Glenn Kinning would take of from the start and not look back but behind him David Montgomery, Graham Boyd and Barry Kellett would trade places every lap on a tough course. The Pits team would have their work cut out keeping the bikes cleaned and ready for the next change and could make all the difference in a tight race. With second from last lap Barry looked to have gapped Montgomery and Boyd but that would be too easy. Graham Boyd would bridge that gap on the last lap leaving it very close at the finish but with a final push Barry would create a winning gap and take the chequered flag for Silver leaving Graham Boyd to claim the last spot on the podium. Glenn Kinning would produce a perfect race and congratulations to him for taking the Ulster Champs jersey for 2017. The race behind would now be for the team prize with Dromara needing all members to get to the finish line ahead of all the other teams. As it turned out Dromara CC would secure the Ulster Cyclocross Championship Team Prize for 2017 with a great effort from Jack and Graham finishing 13th and 15th respectively.

Silver Medalist – Barry Kellett

What a day for Dromara CC and many thanks go the Kinning Cycles team who put on a great event. This leaves the next race to be the Irish Nationals on the 14th January 2018.