The first big race of the season had generated lots of predictions, most of which went out the door once the gun sounded. It was Eoin Keith who raced the course from the start aiming to “burn the cycling legs off the triathletes”. The first run from Glendalough up the Spink mountain and back through the miners village had John Caffrey (Belpark) and Nolie Kavanagh (Wicklow Tri) racing with Keith.
On the cycle out to Lough Dan, Caffrey opened up a small lead on Keith, which he extended over the canoe leg, with Roundwood’s Kavanagh following closely in 3rd spot. Keith then caught Caffrey on the 10% climb up to the Lough Tay viewpoint, but the real fireworks opened up on the side of Djouce. Keith put 8minutes into Caffrey and Kavanagh, who had slowed to a walk on the over 1000ft climb of Djouce. This allowed those with a more steady and measured pace; Peter O’Farrell (Rathfarnham WSAF) and the other Rounwood resident Tom Kelly to come through. However there was no hope of closing the gap on Keith, who went on to win by 5mins..
In the women’s race things were much closer, with the lead changing hands several times all the way to the top of Djouce, where there was only 3 minutes between the top three women. Donna Mahon (Belpark) led out the first run, with Suzanne Kenny close behind, but Derval Devaney took the lead on the cycle up to Lough Dan. Mahon’s with the help of Eamonn Hodge (Wild water Canoe Club) in a double kayak reclaimed the lead, while Jenny McCauley moved up into 3rd spot. On the cyle up to Lough Tay, the 10% gradient allowed the stronger bikers Devaney and McCauley to overtake Mahon. Strength were reversed on the Djouce run, where International mountain runner; Mahon was able to overtake McCauley, but decisively Devaney held her lead, which she would retain until the finish. McCauley used her cycling strength to climb into 2nd spot on the Sally Gap climb, while Mahon was happy with 3rd in her first adventure race.
Photos are available on the Marathon Photos website.
Full results in excel are available to download here.
Eoin Keith with a 5min lead coming off Djouce.
Devaney (left) used the 10% gradient to make her decisive break for victory.
Devaney leading at the start of the Lough Dan Kayak.
Peter O'Farrell (Rathfarnham WSAF) moved from 4th to 2nd on the Djouce run.
Lough Dan
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