Trailquest League -
Round 1 - 2008
 Dromara Football Club
16 November 2008
 


A massive turn out for the start of this years Trailquest League organised by Dromara Cycling Club.  The weather was ideal, blue skies, little wind and mild temperatures.  Organisers Derek Hanna and Gary Gray were overwhelmed by the level of support with 88 riders across 39 teams which was over 50% more than came along to the same venue last year.  There were members from local cycling clubs: Apollo CT, Ards CC, Banbridge CC, Juiced Orchard, La Lanterne Rouge, Newry Wheelers, Phoenix CC, XMTB as well as five teams from Dromara CC.  There were also members of local triathlon clubs but interestingly out of the 88 riders, 30 were not with any club.  

The first team set off at 10:30 with the rest following at one minute intervals (apart from a slight delay for half the teams when the printer decided to not work!).  Teams had three and a half hours to get as many of the 21 markers as possible and then get back to base before the time limit.  Twelve teams arrived after the 3.5 hour limit and lost points ranging from two points to 70 points lost.  Teams were issued with a map, answer sheet and a pen.  There was a slight mix up when a handful of teams were given answer sheets with the answers written on them!!  These teams however got into the spirit of the event and marked only those that they were able to genuinely find.  Derek and Gary had worked hard to place markers in different locations to last year stretching riders further south away from the Dromara Village Football Club which acted as the event headquarters.   There were two 50 point markers, one located at the top of the infamous Slieve Croob and the other was up at the radio masts on Dechomet (Deehommed) Mountain.  The organisers had aimed to provide a more off-road experience this year and certainly some of the public lanes had some challenging mud to get through.  Once back to base and answer sheets handed in, the riders were able to enjoy the hot soup and rolls along with tea and biscuits.  There was a sea of smiling muddy faces.  Next Sunday there is more of the same this time slightly further south and closer to the Mourne mountains.  See the website for more details.


The results of round one were:

Rank
 Team
 Points
 Riders
1
 Lost in Time
 380
 Brian McBurney & Chris McCann
2
 Lost and Found
 375
 Julie Murphy & Paul McArthur
3
 Loch Ness Monster
 368
 Alastair Martin
4
 CCAR 1
 337
 Peter Cole & Peter Crommie
5
 Who the Fox is That
 310
 Paul McMinn & John Ruddell & David McCann
5
 Team Purple 1
 310
 Eddie O'Hagan & Brendan O'Hagan
7
 The Losers
 300
 Stewart Moore & Dennis McMullan & Alan McMullan
8
 The Deliverance Brothers
 290
 Sean Bradley & Conor McMullan
9
 Mountain Muppets 2
 286
 Geoff Brown & Gareth Williams
10
 Muddy Bums
 280
 William Mulligan & Liam McGreevy & Sean Downey
11
 Two Tubes
 277
 Phil O'Neill & Vince Lyman
12
 Hutchy's Best
 260
 Ciaran Hughes & Pearse McKeever & Liam Hutchinson
13
 Mummy's Special Boys
 230
 Alan Richardson & John Richardson
13
 Muttz Nuttz
 230
 Maurice Mayne & William Forsythe & Paul Anderson
15
 Lost and Bewildered
 220
 Stephen Heasley & Niall Cochrane
15
 McBrides On the Square
 220
 Nichola McBride & Jonathan McBride & Stephen Gabbey
17
 Gullion Hallions
 218
 Paul Quinn & Paul Rush
17
 Carol and Graeme
 218
 Graeme Smyth & Carol Wilson
19
 The Barnado Boys
 210
 John Bogues & Paul Magee
19
 CCAR 2
 210
 Shirley Park & Des Fletcher
21
 All Juiced Up
 190
 David Neill
21
 Solo Bid
 190
 Edmund Boyle
23
 A big boy made us do it
 180
 Barry Kellett & Brian Cunningham
23
 Brothers in Arms
 180
 Michael Armstrong & Christopher Armstrong
25
 The Joyriders
 176
 James Gilpin & Chris Magowan
27
 Bonnie and Clyde meets Al Capone
 170
 Alan Reid & David Robb & Caroline Patterson
27
 Team Purple 2
 170
 Cathal McGreevy & Tommy Brown
30
 The Blind Zeppelins
 150
 Ross Galway & Martin Grimley & Paul Smyth
30
 Mountain Muppet 1
 150
 Lee McGready & Adam McGready
30
 Team Purple 3
 150
 John Harty & Pat Dunbarr & Kevin Murdock
33
 Killard
 140
 Brian Smith & Michael Smith
33
 Retro
 140
 Paul Jess & Andrew Wilson
36
 Three Blind Mice
 125
 Stephen Phillips & Jim McMaster & Anne Maguire
37
 Easy Riders
 100
 Sean Mailey & Greg Price
38
 Annadorn Loner
 80
 Marcus Chesney
39
 Up Where?
 75
 Derek King & Alan Richardson & Chris Corey

Teams who had at least one member under 16 are classified separately with the winners of this league getting prizes after the best 4 out of 5 rounds.

Rank
 Team
 Points
 Riders
1
 JNS
 176
 Nichola Oldham & Joanne McCallum & Shenna McKiverigan (J)
2
 The Dream Team
 160
 Stephen Prentice & Matthew Adair (J) & Liam McKiverigan
3
 Two blonds and a bald bloke
 130
 Ronnie Ogilby & Aimee Ogilby (J) & Claire Oakley (J)

The questions and answers looked like this.

Marker
 Location
 Question
 Answer
 Points
28
 On stile beside mast
 Top right number
  7
 50
W 1
 Under seat at view point
 Bottom  letters
 GL
 30
U
 Behind tree at corner
 Top left letter
 J
 20
X
 Below stile
 Bottom right letter
 F
 30
T
 Beside offensive! sign at entrance
 Sum of numbers
 7
 10
Y
 0n 7th post from gate
 Top letters
 HH
 30
W 2
 On fence post before descent
 First number
 5
 40
Q
 Under seat on fire road
 Bottom last letter
 K
 20
F
 On fence behind mast
 Top two numbers
 12
 50
D
 Beside cave entrance
 Bottom number
 6
 10
L
 On fence post beside gate
 Top letters
  DSH
 20
O
 On post beside gate
 Last number
  2
 20
H
 Under seat
 Bottom letters
 GHSUS
 20
G
 On gatepost at top of hill
 Bottom two numbers
  41
 30
Z
 On post at layby
 Top numbers
  57
 20
J
 On post at start of rough lane
 Sum of top two numbers
 5
 30
V
 On pole under bridge
 Bottom two numbers
 45
 10
I
 On stile before field
 First two numbers
 22
 20
S
 Bottom of telegraph pole at corner
 Last letter
 V
 40
P
 On post beside old hall down lane
 Letter in centre
 P
 10
R
 On tree near bend
 Top first letter
 R
 20


Many thanks to Derek Hanna and Gary Gray from Dromara Cycling Club for organising this excellent event.  
Also thanks to the other club members, Maeve, Ross and Martin who assisted on the day and to Gavin for providing the photographs.  
Many thanks to Dromara Village Football Club for letting us use their excellent club house facilities.
And finally many thanks to all the riders who turned up to support both the event and the Children's Cancer Home, Shimna Valley, who are benefiting from the proceeds of the 5 events.  



The Joyriders
Outside the football club

Maeve helping out
Three Blind Mice (+ Davy)

XMTB
Smiling Nicola

Working out the route
Two blonds and a bald bloke

Dromara scenery
Three adventurers striking out

Slieve Croob
Must be great views up there

Wanderers in the hills
Any idea where that marker is?

Just follow the fence
Lone rider

Smiles
From the cave

Maurice relaxing
Stephen, nice bike !!!

Paul on foot
Willy on bike !

Jim suffering up the hills
Anne stops for a rest

Anne charges on
Easy life

Dromara head off downhill
Sunglasses needed today

Another suffering on the hill
Great day !

With views of the Mournes
More skills

Did you get it?
Team: Up Where?

Working together
Organised team with map boards on each bike

Too warm for two gloves
More into Slieve Croob

Keep going
Stopping for repairs

Still got energy left
Hurry back

Lots of Dromara shirts
The organisers

Photos by Stevie Prentice





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