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K-Capital Cup #4 - 2
Castlewellan Forest Park, Ireland, April 22, 2007
Seymour Captures K-Capital Cup Series
By Andy Potts
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The International K-Capital Cup series came to an end at Castlewellan Forest Park, the fourth and final round promoted by the XMTB Club attracting an entry of 190, the highest of the series. Once again the weather was kind with the forecasted rain thankfully staying away and following the recent dry spell, the course was in immaculate condition.
Irish number one Robin Seymour (Team Worc) came to the final round holding a slender two point lead in the overall standings from Dubliner Niall Davis (IMBRC). Seymour had scored one victory to the two of Davis. After suffering mechanical problems at rounds two and three, Irish Champion Seymour arrived at Castlewellan with a new bike provided by his British team Singletrack/Pipedream.
The elite men's race was a seven lap affair and after a first lap skirmish involving visiting riders Adrian Lansley (Pedalon), Gareth Montgomery (Singletrack/Pipdream), Bennjamin Sonntag (Team Fuji Bikes), and Irish riders Niall Davis,Connor McConvey (XMTB) and Peter Buggle (Team Worc), Robin Seymour took control of the race on lap two, launching an attack which paved his way to glory. With each lap that passed, Seymour looked like his old confident self as he continually increased his advantage over a second place battle involving Davis and Montgomery. German rider Sonntag enjoyed a brief duel with 46 year-old Buggle. In the latter stages, the Fuji rider made fourth place his own.
At the end of seven laps, it was a jubilant Seymour that was greeted by the applause of the large crowd as he crossed the finish line to clinch the K-Capital elite title. In the closing stages, Davis had broken clear of Montgomery, the winner of the previous two rounds taking second place and runner up in the overall points standings. Following third placed Montgomery was Sonntag, the ever smiling German professing to having enjoyed his second trip of the year to Ireland, but admitting to having an "off"day. Buggle, the oldest rider in the race, grabbed fifth ahead of the youngest rider in the race, McConvey, although the young Belfast rider scored enough points to take third overall.
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The elite women's race provided Beth McCluskey (U/A) with her fourth win in four starts, giving her the overall series title. Runner up in the race and the series was Tarja Owens (Team Worc); she at last seems to be finding form after struggling with illness at rounds two and three. Scottish rider Ruth McGavigan took third as XMTB's Ciara McManus finished in fourth.
Team Worc's French exile Yvan Sugno wrapped up the expert's title with another runaway success. Dave Barry of IMBRC, one of the most improved riders on the Irish scene, finished second to clinch the runner up slot in the series. Third finisher was the multi-talented Conor Campbell (Newry Wheelers). Third place in the points standings went to Team BHB's Matt Ferguson, though the young Ulster rider retired from the race at half distance.
Joe McCall (Rocky Mountain/K-Capital) was confirmed as Masters champion following his win over the Team Worc trio of Dave King-Smith, Gordon Lucas, and Dave Gill. For McCall, it was his second win of the series. Athough he suffered a DNF at Castlewellan, Damian Mulchrone (Epic) finished runner up in the final points tally, with Lucas third.
The Vets race saw Aidan McDonald notch up his fourth win of the series. The Apollo Club rider from the Cooley peninsula was literally a class above the rest of the "old men" at each round. Runner up in the race and the series was Gerry McCabe (Cuchulainn), for once the "muscles of Dundalk" finished without any blood spewing from his limbs! Andy Burns (Orchard Wheelers) achieved his best ever finish by taking third, yet third overall was awarded to race organizer Robbie Lamont (XMTB) who suffered a retirement in his own race due to a puncture.
The Junior event saw a race long contest between two Banbridge CC riders Sean Downey and Liam McGreevy. The pair circulated together for the entire five laps with Downey grabbing victory by one second. For Downey it meant the overall title, which he adds to his Junior title which he won at the recent Tour of the North road race. McGreevy's second place gave him second in the series. IMBRC's Paul O'Reilly finished a close third to the two Banbridge riders. Fourth finisher on the day, Cuchulainn’s Robert McCabe, won third overall.
The sports men's race was won by Cathal McCarthy (MBCC) as XMTB's Matt Casey snatched a brilliant second with Seamus Byrne (Cuchulainn) third. Robert Magee (Nomad) had his worst result of the series, finishing fifth, however with two wins and a second from the previous rounds he clinched the overall title. Sadhbh Baxter made the long trip from Galway to score her third win in a row and clinch the Sports Ladies series. Newry’s Ann Duffy was runner up with Inga Doak (M.A.D.) third.
XMTB's Jonny Beers scored a win in the U-16 event and series title. In his best outing in awhile, Chris Cameron took second, as the all XMTB podium was completed by Willam Boyd. The U-14 race was won by Banbridge rider Michael Runciman, though the result could have been different had runaway leader Matt Adair not had to run for much of the last lap after a crank broke off. Adair just lost to Ruciman in the short sprint to the finish. Dubliner Robert Scanlon took third. Banbridge rider Mark Downey took the U-12 race from fellow Bann rider Dan Runciman and XMTB's Chris Oakley.
James Curry completed his domination of the U-10 class with his fourth win in a row. Newry riders Luke Hanna and Cain McConvey were second and third. John Buller won the U-8 series with his third victory, crossing the line just ahead of fellow Banbridge riders Richard Baird and Shannon Buller.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Craig Brady
- Dave Gill raced with the masters.
- Ruth McGavigan finished third.
- Joe McCall wears the leaders jersey in the masters.
- Yvain Sugno won the expert race.
- Tarja Owens was the runner up in the women's race.
- Beth McCloskey wins the day and the series.
- Aidan McDonald wins the vet race.
- Joe McCall wins the day and the series in the Masters.
- Veteran Peter Buggle finished 5th spot in the elites.
- Niall Davies looks focused.
- Robbie Lamont feels the pain.
- Niall Quinlan makes all the right moves!!
- Who put that tree there?
- Team WORC prepares before the race.
- Joe McCall won the masters race.
- Yvain Sugno celebrates his win.
- Niall Davies took the runner up spot.
- Robin Seymour wins the elite race and series.
- Sixth placed elite rider, Conor McConvey rides the trail.
Results
Elite men 1 Robin Seymour (Worc) 1.55.47 2 Niall Davis (IMBRC) 0.44 3 Gareth Montgomery (Singletrack/Pipedream) 2.02 4 Benjamin Sonntag (Fuji) 3.52 5 Peter Buggle (Worc) 5.36 6 Conor McConvey (XMTB) 5.37 7 James Fraiser 9.29 8 Ryan Sherlock (MAD) 17.49 One lap down 9 Simon McConnell 10 David O'Shea Two laps down 11 James McCluskey Elite women 1 Beth McCluskey (UA) 1.42.09 2 Tarja Owens (Worc) 1.41 3 Ruth McGavigan 10.18 4 Ciara McManus (XMTB) 12.38 5 Cait Elliot (UCD) 15.21 6 Judith Maguire (MAD) Expert Men 1 Yvain Sogno (Worc) 1.41.48 2 Dave Barry (IMBRC) 8.23 3 Conor Campbell (Newry) 10.21 4 David O'Neill (IMBRC) 12.08 5 Oisin Boydell (UCD) 13.49 6 Lubo Loropea 15.31 7 Sean Downey (MAD) 16.48 8 Andras Gercynski (Cycleways) 17.47 9 Luke Ireland 20.50 10 Luke Manning (IMBRC) 21.05 11 Chris Birmingham (IMBRC) 36.32 12 David Askin (IMBRC) Masters Men 1 Joseph McCall (Rocky Mtn/KCapital) 1.43.22 2 Dave King Smith (Worc) 3.57 3 Gordon Lucas (Worc) 6.00 4 David Gill (Worc) 6.21 5 Noel Carr (MAD) 9.57 6 Nial Quinlan (Cycleways) 10.19 7 Alexandre Mesquita 12.22 8 John Pennefather (Worc) 12.42 9 Stuart Galloway (Worc) 13.21 10 Andrew Walace (Northern) 15.14 11 Robert Crommen 17.49 12 Brian Stewart 18.20 13 Paul Anderson (Banbridge) 21.49 14 Morgan O'Connell (MAD) 22.38 15 Rory Walsh (Epic) 24.12 16 Feargal Kilkenny (MAD) 26.17 17 Danny Hylands 27.12 18 Derek Hanna 27.24 19 Vinnie Fitzsimons (Worc) 29.08 One lap down 20 Gareth Adamson 21 Jim Laird (XMTB) 22 Steven Coogan Veteran Men 1 Aidan McDonald (Apollo) 1.24.34 2 Gerry McCabe (Cuchalainn) 1.31 3 Andrew Burns (Orchard Wheelers) 7.06 4 William Mulligan (Banbridge) 8.14 5 Paul McMenamin (Banbridge) 8.57 6 Gary Willson (East Antrim) 9.41 7 Jon Runciman (Banbridge) 12.35 8 Justin May (Epic) 12.44 9 Declan McCabe (Cuchalainn) 14.06 10 Johnny McCabe (Cuchalainn) 14.43 11 Simon Curry (Banbridge CC) 17.45 12 Eamon McConvey (Newry) 19.45 13 Eamon McConvey (XMTB) 21.56 14 Steve Nicholson (Worc) 22.28 15 Richie Byrne (Epic) 26.34 16 William Forsythe (Banbridge CC) 28.53 17 Maurice Mayne (Banbridge CC) Junior Men 1 Sean Downey (Banbridge) 1.39.16 2 Liam McGreevy (Banbridge) 0.01 3 Paul O'Reilly (IMBRC) 3.32 4 Robert McCabe (Cuchalainn) 10.46 5 Stephen Scrivener (MAD) 17.53 6 Graham Boyd (XMTB) 18.22 DNF Neil McGimpsey (XMTB) Sport Men 1 Cathal McCarthy 2 Matt Casey 3 Seamus Byrne 4 Oisin Fitzgearald 5 Ronan Corrigan 6 Robert Magee 7 Colm Keane 8 Ross Galway 9 Jon Marshall 10 Tom Heavney 11 Earl McClennaghan 12 Gareth Maguire 13 Paul Bell 14 Daragh Maloney 15 Joeseph Jackman 16 Ashley Metcalfe 17 Liam Baxter 18 Cameron Burns 19 Arkadiuz Gogojewicicz 20 Martin Grimley 21 Chris Tyndall 22 Ronan Byrne 23 Jer Price 24 Mark McCormack 25 Unknown 26 David Neill 27 Niall Clarke 28 Stephen Prentice 29 Vincent Price 30 Cormac Ahern 31 Ronnie Ogilby 32 Conor Graham 33 Oliver Cripps 34 Peter Collins 35 Cornelius Duffy 36 Nigel McConnell 37 Peter Chadwick Sport Women 1 Sadbh Baxter 2 Anne Duffy 3 Inga Doak 4 Natalie Jedda 5 Norita Casey 6 Joanne McCallum Under 16 1 Jonny Beers (XMTB) 2 Chris Cameron 3 William Boyd (XMTB) 4 Jessica Laird (XMTB) 5 Shane Geoghan (MAD) 6 Ciaran Corson (MAD) Under 14 1 Micael Runciman 2 Mathew Adair 3 Robert Scanlon 4 Robbie Lamont 5 Chris Millar 6 Claire Oakley 7 Kyle McEwan 8 William Heslip 9 Stuart Ballantyne Under 12 1 Mark Downey 2 Don Runciman 3 Chris Oakley 4 Zak Hanna 5 Dylan Byrne 6 Ty Mackness 7 Aimee Ogilby 8 Andrew McCabe Under 10 1 James Curry 2 Cian McConvey 3 Luke Hanna 4 Rachel Mayne 5 Joeseph Baird 6 Conor Nairn 7 Jill Curry Under 10 1 John Buller 2 Richard Baird 3 Shannon Buller 4 Stuart Dunlop 5 Shenna McGiverigan 6 Feargal McConvey 7 Shane Burns 8 Ben Hanna 9 Rebekah Ogilby 10 Calum Stewart 11 Darragh Collins 12 Eva Hanna 13 Naimh McGiverigan 14 Matthew Halligan
