Trailquest League -

Round 4 - 2008
Brennan's Garage, Seaforde
27 December 2008



Saturday 27 December 2008
Dromara Trail Quest League Round 4 [Seaforde]

Round 4 of Dromara Cycling Club's popular Winter Trail Quest League took place today from the event headquarters at Brennan's service station near Seaforde, County Down.  With -4oC on the temperature dial it wasn't a morning for standing around chatting.  Nonetheless, this event attracted 97 riders making up 43 teams from across Northern Ireland all keen to participate in this leisure mountain biking sport.  Ross Galway and Martin Grimley from the club were kept busy administering the many riders with sign on open from 9:30 and the first teams away at 10:31.  Teams had 3½ hours to find as many markers as they could before returning to base.  The markers were laid out as far north as Drumaness and as far south as Dundrum with a mixture of off-road and on-road riding to suit all tastes.  The riders were given a map of the area with circles indicating the location of the markers or reference points.  The weather stayed dry and cool with little wind to trouble the riders which was in stark contrast to this time last year when the cyclists had to deal with a covering of snow and strong winds.  

Once again there were cyclists from nearly all the local cycling clubs including Banbridge, Newry wheelers, Apollo, La Lanterne Rouge, Phoenix, XMTB and Dromara. However, it was the dominant 3 man team from Ards Cycling Club that scored the highest points in this event keeping them at the top of the overall league.  In second place it was lone rider Ivan Millar, from the Lagan Valley Orienteering Club, who was only 15 points behind the winners and 36 points ahead of his nearest rival.  It was also great to see 5 teams with junior riders (aged under 16) out enjoying their day finding markers.  Well done to team JNS for again scoring highly in this event.

After the initial administration was sorted out, Ross and Martin also supplied backup for the riders but thankfully they were not called upon to transport riders back to base.  There were a few punctures reported and a couple of falls including one of the female riders from CCAR who fell heavily.  The club wish her a speedy recovery.

Once all riders returned to base they were given a ticket which allowed them to get some great hot stew and bread from Brennan's café.  This seemed to hit the spot after a cold day adventuring.  

  • Many thanks to the staff at the staff at Brennan's garage for providing the excellent food and use of the portacabin.  
  • Many thanks to the Forde family for the use of their estate (the Forde estate, Seaforde Butterfly house and gardens).  Please note that this land is not available for riding at any other time of the year.
  • And, of course, 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 final round of the Trail Quest League will be held on Sunday 11th January 2009 from Shimna Valley Cancer Care Home for Children, Bryansford Road, Newcastle.  On the same day, Dromara Cycling Club are organising a cycling tour of approximately 35-40 miles for road cyclists to also raise money for this cause.  At the end of both events, the club will be presenting a cheque to the Shimna Valley Cancer Care Home.  


See our website for more details.
 
 

Brennan's Garage


The Lost Boys


Hard 2 beat gang


Chris fixing a puncture (picture taken by Gavin)

More photos below


The results of round four were:

Rank
 Team
 Points
 Riders
1
 Who the fox is that?
 340
 Paul McMinn & John Ruddell & David McCann
2
 Lucky Red Sox
 325
 Ivan Millar
3
 Lost and Found
 289
 Julie Murphy & Paul McArthur
3
 Over achieving
 289
 Gavin Millington
5
 Muddy Bums
 285
 William Mulligan & Peter Lilley
5
 Mountain Muppets 2
 285
 Geoff Brown & Gareth Williams
7
 CCAR 3
 284
 Ivan Park & Steve Curry
7
 McBrides on the Square
 284
 Jonathan McBride & Ricky Watt
9
 Team Purple 1
 280
 Eddie O'Hagan & Brendan O'Hagan
9
 The Losers
 280
 Stewart Moore & Dennis McMullan & Alan McMullan
11
 Two Tubes
 265
 Phil O'Neill
12
 Retro
 255
 Paul Jess & Andrew Wilson & Nigel Jess
13
 Long way from home
 235
 Bobby Smyth
13
 Nocturnal
 235
 Martin McMullan & Laurence Hamilton & Richard Campbell
15
 Not the Sunday Run
 234
 Hugh Suffern & Diarmuid Mac Auley
16
 Lost and Bewildered
 225
 Stephen Heasley & Niall Cochrane
17
 Andy & John
 219
 Andy Beauis & John McKeown
18
 Muttz Nuttz
 215
 Maurice Mayne & William Forsythe & Paul Anderson
18
 Tube and Spoon
 215
 Wilson McAlister & Michael Stevenson
20
 Lazy Breakfast
 200
 Anna Cronin & Kate Cronin & Paddy McMeekin
20
 The X-men
 200
 Graham Boyd & William Boyd
20
 The Smiths
 200
 Michael Smith & Conal Smith & Rory Smith
20
 Big Budha
 200
 Brian Smith & Greg Price
24
 Brothers In Arms
 195
 Michael Armstrong & Christopher Armstrong & Marcus Chesney
24
 The where are we's
 195
 Gary Gibson & Noel Gibson
26
 The Barnardo Boys
 180
 John Bogues & Joe O'Gorman
27
 TBR
 175
 Andrew McAlpin & David McKnight
28
 Team Fat Pie
 170
 Andrew Lyness & Stuart McCord
28
 Should of bought a KTM
 170
 Graeme Smyth & Stephen Wishart
30
 Iron Maidens plus Wee Mud
 164
 Taryn McCoy & Andrea Harrower
31
 The Joyriders
 155
 Gavin Magowan & Chris Magowan
32
 Two Slow
 135
 Michael Colwell
33
 Bonnie and Clyde meet Al Capone
 130
 Alan Reid & David Robb & Caroline Patterson
33
 Up where?
 130
 Alan Richardson & Chris Corey & Derek King
35
 Wooden Spoons
 110
 Ronnie Smyth & Michael Pyper
36
 CCAR 2
 105
 Shirley Park & Anne McFetridge
37
 Three Blind Mice
 100
 Stephen Phillips & Jim McMaster & Anne Maguire
37
 Lone Ranger
 100
 Alan Matchett
* Any questions or queries regarding the scores please feel free to email Martin.

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
 190
 Nichola Oldham & Joanne McCallum & Shenna McKiverigan (J)
1
 McConveys Aloud
 190
 Anne Duffy & Cian McConvey (J) & Eamon McConvey
3
 The Dream Team
 160
 Stephen Prentice & Matthew Adair (J) & Liam McKiverigan
4
 The Hard 2 Beat Gang
 130
 Derek Hanna & Gary Gray & Zak Hanna (J)
5
 The Lost Boys
 10
 Glen Pollock & Chris Pollock (J) & Jacob Pollock (J) & Amanda Pollock

The questions and answers looked like this.

Marker
 Location
 Question
 Answer
 Points
 Found *
A ANNADORN DOLMEN CORNER POST
 LETTERS TOP LEFT
 HJD
 10
 21
B
 ON GATE POST
CENTRE LETTER
 Z
 10
 14
C
 MC MINNS LANE, ON TREE
 NO.S BOTTOM RIGHT
 764
 10
 10
D
 LAST TELEGRAPH POLE AT OLD HOUSE
 NUMBER TOP RIGHT
 6
 15
 14
E
 GATE OPP DERELICT HOUSE
 NO. TOP RIGHT
 49
 10
 25
F
 GATE HALF WAY ALONG FOOTPATH
 CENTRE LETTER
 I
 10
 16
G
 END OF FIRE ROAD, ON TREE
 NO’S BOTTOM RIGHT
 41
 20
 11
H
 BRIDGE ON OLD RAILWAY LINE
 NO’S TOP RIGHT
 147
 10
 12
I
 ON POST NEAR T JUNCTION
 LETTERS TOP LEFT
 KFD
 20
 21
J
 TREE, WHERE LANE OPENS UP
 NUMBER TOP RIGHT
 9
 15
 19
K
 PUBLIC PHONE BOX
 LAST 2 DIGITS OF PHONE NUMBER
 52
 20
 20
L
 ON TREE NEAR T JUNCTION
 NO. TOP LEFT
 5
 15
 17
M
 Y JUNCTION ON LANE
 NO. & LETTER ON POLE
 6A
 10
 13
N
 OLD MILL RUIN
 DATE ERECTED?
 1844
 20
 14
O
 POST AT STONE DITCH TOP OF HILL
 NO’S TOP LEFT
 07
 30
 22
P
 3 ROAD JUNCTION
 LETTERS ON TREE
 TC
 15
 15
Q
 TREE BESIDE PILE OF ROCKS
 NO’S TOP LEFT
 69
 20
 16
R
 TREE, HALF WAY ALONG LANE
 CENTRE NUMBER
 3
 10
 16
S
 TREE AT BEND
 NUMBER TOP LEFT
 7
 20
 15
T
 POST BETWEEN 2 GATES ACROSS LANE
 NUMBER TOP RIGHT
 3
 15
 19
U
 MOST NORTHERN TREE, CORNER OF WOOD
 LETTERS TOP LEFT
 JHBA
 15
 22
V
 ON TREE NW SIDE OF LANE (NO ACCESS FROM NORTH END)
 LETTERS BOTTOM RIGHT
 FH
 20
 20
W
 TREE BEHIND WATER TROUGH
 NO. BOTTOM LEFT
 30
 10
 25
X
 MOST NORTHERN TREE, PATH AROUND CASTLE
 LETTERS BOTTOM RIGHT
 ADF
 30
 11
Y
 ON PICNIC TABLE
 NO’S BOTTOM RIGHT
 84
 20
 19
Z
 POST BESIDE PILLAR
 LETTER & NUMBER
 T9
 15
 14
AA
 ON PICNIC TABLE
NO. TOP LEFT
 5
 30
 14
AB
 ON POST ENT TO FIELD
 NO. BOTTOM LEFT
 2
 10
 14
AC
 CORNER OF WOOD PLANTING
 LETTERS ON TREE
 ST
 15
 14
AD
 TREE BESIDE OUTSIDE TOILET
 CENTRE LETTER
 T
 20
 19
AE
 POST BESIDE FOOTPATH SIGN
 LETTERS TOP LEFT
 MDG
 10
 11
AF
 ON POST  THROUGH HOLE IN HEDGE
 NO. BOTTOM RIGHT
 58
 10
 11
AG
 POST AT RED GATE, EAST SIDE OF ROAD
 CENTRE LETTER
 N
 15
 21
AH
 STILE, LANE REAR OF CASTLE
 NO. BOTTOM RIGHT
 1
 10
 20
* Number of teams who successfully located this marker

    Photos by Martin Grimley

Team: Barnardo Boys
Team: The Dream Team

Team: The Joyriders
Team: Two Tubes

Team: Up where?
Team: Muddy Bums

Team: Brothers in Arms
Team: Lost and Bewildered

Team: The Losers
Team: Lazy Breakfast

Teams: JNS and McConvey Aloud
Team: CCAR 3

Team: Long way from home
Team: Who the fox is that?

Team: Muttz Nuttz
Team: Bonnie and Clyde meet Al Capone

Team: Team Fat Pie
Team: Should of bougtht a KTM

Team: Nocturnal
Team: The where are we's

Team: Three Blind Mice
Team: Lost and Found

Team: Wooden Spoons
Team: Iron Maidens plus Wee Mud

Team: Andy & John
Team: Lucky Red Sox

Team: Big Budha
Team: The Smiths

Team: Two Slow
Team: Tube and Spoon

Team: Not the Sunday Run
Team: McBrides on the Square

Team: TBR

Enjoying the food in Brennan's after





More photos taken by Ross here




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