A FOGGY, cold morning dawned for the first round of the 2012 Dromara CC Winter Trailquest League on the shores on Lough Neagh, at The Gawley’s Gate Inn, near Aghalee on Sunday.
The weather improved over the next hour providing the 57 people who took part, a perfect, crisp, sunny winter’s day to enjoy the local countryside.
This was a new venue, providing a challenge for organiser Trevor Annett, as he set out the course of 28 orienteering markers and clues in an area stretching between Moira, Lower Ballinderry, Aghalee and Aghagallon.
Dromara Cycling Club our once again raising funds from the five-round league for the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund For Children, based at Shimna Valley, Bryansford Road Newcastle. An impressive £2,700 was raised during last winter’s events and the club wish to improve on the total this year.
Twenty-five teams chose to pre-enter on the Dromara Cycling Club website, therefore guaranteeing at starting time just after 10.30am, with a further four teams signing on at the start.
Each of the 29 teams taking part were supplied with a laminated map of the area, along with a blank question/answer sheet and pen. It is best for a team at the start of a trailquest event to take a few minutes to look over the map and select the best route to locate as many checkpoints as possible within the time limit.
The relatively flat Aghalee area helped many of the teams to reach more of the points, further away locations had a greater points value, than would normally be the case in an area of hillier terrain.
Chaos takes over as the first team went away at 10.30, French Tony from Newtownards, Mutt Nutts from Banbridge, second and third away was father and son team Paddy and Frazer Harrower from Dromara, who were first back just before 1pm.
Team Goodfellas, with Davey Robb of Dromara leading the charge, back just before 2pm. Suddenly, the car park of the start location was full of bikes, the sound of squealing tyres and answer sheets thrust at the organiser, with all demanding to get the finish time recorded (points are deducted if a team is over their time limit).
The total amount of points available was over 500, but only five teams, Go To Sleep, Team Purple, Notthe SundayRun, Star Fangled Nuts and Average Joe were able to pass the 400 mark.
Full details on teams who took part and their scores, please check out our club website www.dromaracc.co.uk
A great day was had by all, a couple of small mistakes on the map, a stolen checkpoint and an unhappy landowner, were all quickly forgotten as everyone was provided with soup and refreshments kindly supplied by The Gawley’s Gate Inn.
Dromara Cycling Club would like to thank all those who took part, the staff and owners of The Gawley’s Gate Inn and all those who kindly gave permission for the event to take place.
The next event will be held at the Dolly’s Brae Inn, Ballyward, Castlewellan, on Sunday, December 30, Please remember to pre enter, as this helps greatly with administration on the day. Spread the word, bring along a friend and help support the NICFC.