In the fast lane

In the fast lane

20 February 2013 - by BY STUART CAMPBELL

FOUR County Down motocross riders have won honours from the Mourne Motorcycle Club.

With the first championship race to be held next month the Mourne club held their annual prize giving night in the Millbrook Lodge Hotel on Saturday.

The eight trophies were handed out to competitors who had taken part in the Mourne club’s 2012 motocross and cross-country events.

The evening was compered by Roy Neill, from Ballynahinch, who commentates at most motocross events throughout Ireland, and he started by speaking about how the club has raised over £45,000 for charity with annual collections since 2007. When the trophies were being handed out Neill also took the opportunity to interview the winners and congratulate them on their 2012 results.

But before that began the Mourne club’s chairman Billy McLarnin, from Annahilt, thanked everyone for coming to the evening and described the club as a motocross club and a social club for its members, attending meetings, organising events and the club’s annual Mourne Away Day which has become an important part of the club’s calendar.

Award were presented to David Gorman, from Dromore, who won the John Herron Cup, Ballyclare man Paul Atkinson, who won the James Mullan Trophy for Grade C rider and Gary Gibson from Ballygowan, who won the 2012 Grade A motocross championship was presented with the James Mullan trophy for Grade A rider.

The Bertie Campbell Memorial Trophy was awarded to Waringstown rider Steven White and Loughbrickland man Jason Meara took home the James Mullan Trophy for Grade B rider.

Scott Leaney, from Lisburn, was presented with the Harry Palmer Cup and the Seaforde Motocross Parc Trophy.

Coalisland man Donal Teague collected the Harry Palmer Perpetual Trophy, before Neill congratulated him on having won the Ulster and Irish Grade C and Grade B championships in recent years.

The final trophy to be presented was the only one that is not decided by points scored at the Mourne club’s racing events. Each year the Norman Campbell Trophy goes out to a Mourne club rider to honour his results throughout the racing season and this year it was won by Ballynahinch man Terry McCann.