Trailquest Winter League 2008

Trailquest League 2008/09 -
Round 5 - Final Round
Shimna Valley, Bryansford
11 January 2009

Sunday 11 January 2009
Dromara Trail Quest League Round 5 [Shimna Valley]

The fifth and final round of the 2008 Trail Quest League took place today from the Shimna Valley Cancer Care Home site in Bryansford. Organised by Dromara Cycling Club, these five rounds were set up to raise much needed funds for the Shimna valley centre who are embarking on a capital spending drive this year to expand the excellent facilities at its site. With very strong gusty winds and heavy rain forecast it was testament to the hearty resolve of the cycling community in Ireland to come out today to support the event. With only a couple of cry-offs from the thirty eight teams who had pre-registered for the event, another 7 had shown up to take part taking the total number of teams participating up to 42. As well as the off-road adventure, Dromara CC had organised a leisure cycle which started and returned to the centre. Across both events this day had attracted over 100 riders from as far as field as Dublin and Limavady.

For the leisure mountain biking event, teams were given a map of the area with circles indicating the location of the markers or reference points. Set out by club secretary Trevor Annett, the markers were laid out as far north as Castlewellan and as far south as Newcastle. Teams were given 3½ hours to find as many markers as they could before returning to base. First away at 10:31 was Dubliner Aidan Ryan from Sorrento Cycling Club. The rest of the teams were then set off at one minute intervals.

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, after the first four rounds all eyes were on the top 4 teams who were hoping to finish well and receive cycling vouchers kindly donated by: Mourne Cycles, Cyclo Zone, McConvey cycles and Downey cycles. Points were accumulated across the five events but only the best four out of five would count for the overall score. Leading the league before the start of the fifth round were the 3 man team 'Who the fox is that?' who were closely followed by The Losers and Muddy Bums. However, it was team: Lost and Found, who were just outside the top three going into the event, who proved to be the strongest on the day and just managing to beat the north Down team 'Who the fox is that?' by two points. 'The fox' got the second place slot with a three man team from Dromara cycling club, The Losers, finishing in third. Also awarded was team JNS who were one of five with one member of their team aged under 16.

Once all riders returned to base they were able to squeeze into the canteen for some well deserved soup, rolls, sandwiches and donuts. After all had been eaten there was a short speech from the centre manager before the winners were announced.

Many thanks to the staff at the staff at Shimna Valley for providing the excellent food.
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.

Next week is the start of the XMTB winter mountain biking events in Bangor, County Down. See website for more details.

Shimna Valley

More photos below

The results of round five were:

Rank	Team	Points	Riders
1	Lost and found	418	Julie Murphy & Paul McArthur
2	Long way from home	400	Bobby Smyth
3	The Barnardo Boys	390	John Bogues & Joe O'Gorman
3	The Blind Zeppelins	390	Ross Galway & Martin Grimley
3	The Losers	390	Stewart Moore & Dennis McMullan & Alan McMullan
6	Two Tubes	380	Phil O'Neill
7	Mountain Muppets 2	370	Geoff Brown & Gareth Williams
7	Not the Sunday Run	370	Hugh Suffern & Diarmuid Mac Auley
9	Muttz Nuttz	350	Maurice Mayne & William Forsythe & Paul Anderson
9	Mummy's Special Boys	350	Alan Richardson & John Richardson
9	Over achieving	350	Gavin Millington & Paul Hackett
9	Just Jonny	350	Jonny Gallier
13	CCAR 3	348	Ivan Park & Steve Curry
14	Garyatrix	340	Gary Hamilton & Gary Wilmot
15	Nocturnal	335	Martin McMullan & Richard Campbell
16	Who the fox is that?	330	Paul McMinn & John Ruddell & David McCann
16	The X-Men	330	Graham Boyd & William Boyd
18	Map Schmaps	320	Patrick McMeekin
18	Mullaghdrin Harriers	320	Brian Wilson & Diane Wilson
20	McBrides on the Square	310	Jonathan McBride & Ricky Watt & Stephen Gabbey
21	Muddy Bums	290	William Mulligan & Liam McGreevy & Peter Lilley
21	Lady and the Tramp	290	Mark Teggarty & Katharine Stewart
23	Trouble & Strife	279	Peter Barrett & Kim Barrett
24	Retro	270	Paul Jess & Andrew Wilson & Nigel Jess
25	CCAR 2	260	Shirley Park & Amanda Brogan
25	Iron Maidens plus Wee Mud	260	Taryn McCoy & Catherine Kerr
27	Brothers in Arms	250	Michael Armstrong & Christopher Armstrong & Marcus Chesney
29	Tube & Spoon	246	Wilson McAlister & Joseph Bingham
30	Bell Inc	240	Richard Bell & Jonathan Bell
30	The Punctured Spokesmen	240	David Scott & Kevin Mawhinney & Margaret Magee & Colm McConville
30	The Lone Ranger	240	Alan Matchett
34	The Joyriders	226	Gavin Magowan & Chris Magowan & James Gilpin
35	Bonnie and Clyde meet Al Capone	220	Alan Reid & David Robb & Caroline Patterson
36	Sorrento	210	Aidan Ryan
36	Up where?	210	Campbell Armstrong & Chris Corey & Derek King
38	TBR	200	Andrew McAlpin & Mark Lunney & Jamie McConnell
40	Lost and Bewildered	160	Stephen Heasley & Niall Cochrane
40	The Lizards	160	Norbert Sangard & Claire Lawson & Kerry McMullan
42	Three Blind Mice	140	Stephen Phillips & Val O'Neill & Anne Maguire

* 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	The Dream Team	250	Stephen Prentice & Matthew Adair (J)
2	McConveys Aloud	240	Anne Duffy & Cian McConvey (J) & Eamon McConvey
3	JNS	200	Nichola Oldham & Shenna McKiverigan (J)

The questions and answers looked like this.

Marker	Location	Question	Answer	Points	Found *
1	Fence post on corner	Top L/H number	5	20	23
2	Last tree top of climb	Top R/H number	69	40	24
5	Tree near rear gate	Base R/H number	82	20	17
6	Gate at mast	Padlock manufacturer	Alboy	40	13
7	Telegraph pole	Centre number	30	20	27
8	Telegraph pole	Centre number	22	10	28
9	On way post	Top R/H number	77	10	31
10	Post near bridge	Base R/H number	53	20	30
11	Telegraph pole	Top L/H number	3	10	33
12	On fence post by wall	Centre number	7	10	32
13	Tree over river near quarry	Base R/H number	4	40	12
14	Post by water sign	Top R/H number	65	10	26
15	Tree on corner	Brand of bottled water	Deep River Rock	20	28
16	Tree beside downhill run	Base R/H number	55	20	0
17	Telegraph pole	Top L/H number	89	10	19
18	Tree opposite green gate	Base R/H number	00	20	36
19	On way post	Base L/H number	833	10	38
21	Information board	Date of first Rath	1152	10	33
22	Tree on bend	Top R/H number	77	10	23
23	Telegraph pole on lane	Top R/H number	6	10	21
24	Fence post	Base L/H number	2	20	16
25	Tree by Forde	Base L/H number	77	40	15
26	Last tree in forest	Base L/H number	44	30	10
27	Third tree in above path junction	Base R/H number	12	20	14
28	Telegraph pole	Centre number	11	20	36
29	Fence post at corner	Base L/H number	288	30	37
Bonus	3575 x 3265 on fence post	Base L/H number	60	30	29

* Number of teams who successfully located this marker

Photos by Martin Grimley and Trevor Annett

Ross with Brothers in Arms	Team: Puntured Spokesmen
Team: TBR	Who the fox is that? out on a mission
Aidan from Sorrento
The Dream Team	McBrides on the Square
Iron Maidens	Mullaghdrin Harriers
McBride's fixing a puncture	The Blind Zeppelins
	Gavin

Retro	Bell Inc
Muttz Nuttz
Iron Maidens