Carlingford Lough Endurance Challenge

Saturday July 9. Some 45 teams and just under 200 participants raced either the 49k Mountain bike course or the 36k ‘Tarmac’ Endurance Challenge, aka CLEC around the Cooley Mountains and Carlingford Lough.
The weekend event began on Friday night with registration open at the Carlingford Sailing Club for local and those avoiding an early Saturday morning start. Those who availed themselves of the free camping then went on a free recon of the delights of the village of Carlingford.

Enjoying the early morning sunshine and beautiful Lough scenery racers milled about the Sailing Club and transition finishing their registration forms, rechecking their packs and bikes, heading to the bathroom, and awaiting their race goodie bags. Once maps, instructions, and a race briefing had been delivered teams grabbed a few last things and headed for the village for the traditional walk/parade through the village behind the Carlingford piped band to the start line, for the 10am start.
Starting on foot the individual CLEC Tarmac racers had to follow a 4km trail down around the village around King John’s Castle before returning to T1 to pick up their road bikes. This section was to take them to the ‘Long Woman’s Grave’ to T2 where they faced the very steep but short climb up Fox’s Rock to the first check point. They then hopped back on their bikes for the 15k bike back to Carlingford and T1. They now faced a 1k sea kayak, around the harbour to the ‘Convent Steeps’ for the second CP, before returning to the slipway. Here they headed on the final leg of the challenge, a 2k run around King John’s Castle and back to the finish.

Male 1^st Ross Collins; 2^nd Patrick Carolan; 3rdJohnny Gregg
Female 1^st Michelle Ryan; 2^nd Fiona Fenelly; 3^rd Martina Nolan

Those in the Tarmac who elected to run the 10k as their first run, results were as follows 1^st Declan Forde; 2^nd Ciaran Smith; 3^rd Mark Hudson

In the Mountain bike CLEC it was to start with a 10k run from the centre of the village, through Barnavave (Maeve’s Gap) down from the Golyin Pass to ‘Slate Rock’ and on the forest fire road, and then back to Carlingford. It was tough going in the warm conditions. The first complete team to arrive was Peter O’Farrell , Aaron O’Donoghue and Alan O’Keeffe team.

Onto the mountain bikes and it was up the fire road in Slieve Foy Forest, then following ‘The Táin Way’ to Omeath, on up to the ‘Long Woman’s Grave’ to the bike drop at T2 at the ‘Windy  Gap’ for the 2k summit run up to Fox’s Rock. Then on to T3 for the 4k run up to the lake at Slievenaglogh.

First to arrive and staying in the lead was O’Farrell’s team followed by two man team Alan Bingham and Ciaran Gormley, then the team of Gerry McCabe, Enda Reynolds and Johnny McCabe with Paul Mahon’s mixed team in hot pursuit. A very difficult run in the conditions, but most teams completing it in under 48 minutes. Local two man team of Paul McGee and Declan McCabe not far behind. Back on the bikes and onto the mountain single tracks, along ‘Skull Alley’ to the ‘Windy  Gap’ once again.

From here it was back on the trails, up the ‘Famine Road’ to Golyin Pass once more, this time for the wonderful roller/coaster single track decent into Carlingford and transition zone. With a full tide lapping the shore line and a stiff north westerly blowing up the Lough, the Kayaks awaited the weary competitors. A pair would kayak over to the Convent Steeps below St. John’s Castle one of which would change with the third member who ran around to meet them. Following this a final 2k run to, up and around St John’s Castle through the village and back to the finish.

First male team home Peter O’Farrell Aaron O’Donoghue Alan O’Keeffe (4:27:50); 2^nd Johnny McCabe, Gerry McCabe, Enda Reynolds (4:40:06)

First Female Susie Mitchell, Pauline Brady, Hillary Jenkinstown

First Mixed team home Paul Mahon, Jenny McCaughly, Richard McCaughley (4:38:05) 2^nd Chris Caulfield, Catherine Halpin, Mark Macken

First Male pair Ciaran Gormley, Alan Bingham (4:35:33) 2^nd Kevin Egan Conor McMullen(4:50:14). Bare a thought for the two final competitors of the mixed paring of Sandra O’Hagan and Michael Wilson who put in a superb performance in this their first ever CLEC event together in a time of 8 hours 30 minutes.

A big thank you to all marshals on the day, Carlingford Red Cross, the local Garda, Jade Events, Coillte, Carlingford Sailing Club and its members and staff. The ladies committee who once again put on a superb meal. We were also fortunate in that the surrounding land owners gave permission to use their property so that race the selected route. Thanks also to Tommy the Bike and Outdoor Xchange.

And finally, to all the competitors, who travelled from near and afar and who braved the elements and the challenge they conquered. Hopefully we’ll see you all again in 2012 for another memorable  ’CLEC’.