Crooked Lake an outstanding success story
By Tony Bagnall
THE Crooked Lake Triathlon, for the second year in a row, was a raging success.
Competitors came from all over Ireland for the Ulster Championship Sprint event and all left with tales of friendship, breath-taking scenery, a tough challenging course and, most importantly, a race that was both well structured and organised.
Take a bow Race director Catherine Murphy, Patricia McParland and over a hundred volunteer marshals, all of whom freely gave up a massive amount of time and effort to make the Crooked Lake Triathlon one of the top draws in the nation.
On a beautiful sunny Saturday over 200 competitors plunged into the picturesque lake for a 750-metre swim, before heading up Sturgeon Brae and onto the Mullabrack Road (and some lung-bursting climbs) into Meigh and back to the lake via Camlough.
Then to finish off there was a two-lap 5,000-metre run.
Amazingly at the finish some of the top guys and girls were scarcely out of breath and looked astonishingly fresh.
The winner, and the only one to break the magic one-hour barrier, was Brian Crinion from Dublin’s Belpark Triathlon Club who had tremendous splits of 11.36 (swim), 28.31 (bike) and 18.03 (run).
Brian had 47 seconds to spare over the second placed Thomas Kelly from the Piranha club while Dublin’s David Corcoran was third in 1-01.27. Incidentally the youthful-looking Corcoran is about to become a grandfather in the next few weeks.
In the Ladies section it Aoife O’Connor, also from the Belpark Triathlon Club, who posted a time of 1.08.11 and trotted home in 38th place.
Though without a doubt the top overall performance of the day came from Dessie McHenry, once a member of the Newry Triathlon Club and also once a member of the Newry Wheelers’ club.
The Drumbo Ironman, who took part in the first Irish triathlon, way back in 1983, shows no sign of slowing down and he clocked 1.06.33 to claim the Super-veterans’ title.
Astonishingly Dessie (in 25th place) was in front of all our local triathletes and indeed the 58-year-old was three times the age of some of his rivals.
However, despite not being able to defeat McHenry, there were some great displays from athletes from the Newry area. The top local was Cathal McGreevey. The Warrenpoint painter, who learned to swim less than two years ago, rocketed home with a 1.08.40 clocking. And particularly impressive was his 16.03 for the swim. Cathal also was the fastest local biker with a super 29.54, the 11th fastest of the day. The superbly fit McGreevey finished off his race with a fine 20.36 run.
Rodney Hanna was the next local and the Mayobridge GAA trainer recorded 1.09.36 with splits of 13.41 (swim), 32.01 (bike) and 21.22 (run).
Third local across the line was Martin Patterson, who two years ago completed the Swiss Ironman race, and his finishing time was 1.10.55 with splits of (14.11 (swim), 33.43 (bike) and 20.55 (run).
Next local home was Mark McElroy (who has been doing a rookie column in the Democrat) and he had a race to remember, recording 1.14.02. The 23-year-old, who sees himself as a swimmer/runner, would have been especially delighted with his blistering 34.56 bike time. His other splits were: 12.49 (swim) and 23.03 (run).
Malachy McAteer is another who has a great future in the triple sport. The former Carnbane footballer has been a breath of fresh air in the running game over the past three years. But he has an even better future as a triathlete. The 38-year-old didn’t do too badly in the water with his 17.58. But he really excelled on the bike (33.25) and finished with 19.08, the fastest local run of the day, in total 1.14.38.
Kevin Murtagh, another Ironman finisher, was just two seconds slower than McAteer and he had splits of 15.02 (swim), 35.31 (bike) and 21.42 (run).
Moving on: Peter Cowan, who had been troubled with injury, and up a few days before the race wasn’t even going to participate. But he did and the Sacred Heart Ulster champion boxer proved he has more than one string to his bow, recording a tremendous 1.15.34. The Camlough lad’s splits were: 15.04 (swim), 34.04 (run) and 23.40 (bike).
Next over the line was Stephen Bagnall, taking part in his first full triathlon. Although he had only been cycling a couple of weeks, the 29-year-old did well with a 1.16.05 overall clocking and indeed recording the fastest local swim time of 11.41. His bike time was 37.41 with a 23.25 run.
Rathfriland’s Michael Lynch too was up with the pace with a 1.16.36 time. His splits: 14.12 (swim), 37.02 (bike) and 20.43 (run).
Meanwhile race sponsor David Johnston (from Prestige Printing) demonstrated his super fitness with a fine 1.18.17 time. His splits: 16.29 (swim), 35.22 (bike) and 23.34 (run).
Also improving vastly on last year’s performance was Shane King. The Armagh Road 30-year-old, who competes the colours of the Dublin-based club Pulse, recorded 1.18.17 with splits of 15.50 (swim), 37.46 (bike) and 21.46 (run).
There were some other memorable performances, especially from Rory Loughran (who recently starred in the Belfast marathon), Super veteran (and Bessbrook legend) Mickey Mallon, our Democrat roving reporter Gerry Patton and Jim Belton who won the over-60 category. The less said the better about another Democrat man who punctured, failed to finish and according to Patton was ‘tyred.’
Local placing:
Tom Morgan: overall 1.20.11 (splits: 16.05 (swim), 35.51 (bike) and 24.29 (run),
David O’Prey: overall 1.20.41 (splits: 17.30 (swim), 34.10 (bike) and 25.34 (run),
Kevin O’Callaghan: overall 1.21.07 (splits: 14.58 (swim), 37.57 (bike) and 25.05 (run),
Rory Loughran: overall 1.21.08 (splits: 19.16 (swim), 36.32 (bike) and 20.47 (run),
Alwynne Shannon: overall 1.22.19 (splits: 17.20 (swim), 38.43 (bike) and 22.39 (run),
Mickey Mallon: overall 1.22.26 (splits: 17.14 (swim), 36.49 (bike) and 25.20 (run),
Tommy Brown: overall 1.22.31 (splits: 16.19 (swim), 37.20 (bike) and 26.12 (run),
Anthony Cowan: overall 1.22.56 (splits: 19.13 (swim), 33.44 (bike) and 25.23 (run),
Neil McDonald: overall 1.23.08 (splits: 12.47 (swim), 41.41 (bike) and 25.25 (run),
Kevin McAleavey: overall 1.24.31 (splits: 19.51 (swim), 39.02 (bike) and 21.41 (run),
Sinead Murphy: overall 1.26.40 (splits: 14.23 (swim), 38.46 (bike) and 30.39 (run),
Anthony Morgan: overall 1.1.28.12 (splits: 16.19 (swim), 40.22 (bike) and 28.12 (run),
Aaron McCourt: overall 1.28.33 (splits: 12.51 (swim), 38.14 (bike) and 33.36 (run),
Colleen Mallon: overall 1.28.52 (splits: 12.02 (swim), 39.28 (bike) and 34.48 (run),
Neil Boyle: overall 1.28.58 (splits: 18.01 (swim), 39.49 (bike) and 26.22 (run),
Brendan Morgan: overall 1.29.45 (splits: 20.35 (swim), 40.26 (bike) and 24.41 (run),
Tony McQuade: overall 1.29.52 (splits: 19.23 (swim), 39.21 (bike) and 27.36 (run),
Laurence McCabe: his overall recorded time was quite right but the Camlough man did 36.38 on the bike and 21.11 on the run.
Myles McCourt: overall 1.32.48 (splits: 14.07 (swim), 42.38 (bike) and 31.07 (run),
Gerry Patton: overall 1.35.13 (splits: 17.46 (swim), 43.00 (bike) and 29.42 (run),
Colum McCann: overall 1.36.34 (splits: 24.31 (swim), 41.45 (bike) and 26.29 (run),
Eugene McCullough: overall 1.37.08 (splits: 19.54 (swim), 45.43 (bike) and 25.45 (run),
Ciaran McDonnell: overall 1.37.11 (splits: 22.06 (swim), 44.26 (bike) and 27.34 (run),
Johnny Murray: overall 1.31.47 (splits: 18.59 (swim), 43.22 (bike) and 25.23 (run),
Mark Lynch: overall 1.38.17 (splits: 20.57 (swim), 42.35 (bike) and 29.54 (run),
Pat Murtagh: overall 1.41.15 (splits: 25.21 (swim), 40.52 (bike) and 30.13 (run),
Hugh Murray: overall 1.41.31 (splits: 21.05 (swim), 43.49 (bike) and 28.31 (run),
Larry McCabe: overall 1.45.38 (splits: 17.20 (swim), 43.14 (bike) and 39.59 (run),
Jim Belton: overall 1.45.54 (splits: 26.01 (swim), 42.26 (bike) and 32.34 (run),
Dan McKevitt: overall 1.48.33 (splits: 24.22 (swim), 47.14 (bike) and 32.29 (run),
Damian Jennings: overall 1.49.44 (splits: 22.48 (swim), 46.09 (bike) and 36.25 (run).