Quigley is Ulster Triathlon Champion

The next club man to finish was Paul McConnellogue in a time of 1.06.07.  Paul placed 6th overall and won the M40-44 age group.  James Beattie was next home for the club with Joe Doherty chasing.  Beattie clocked 1.09.33, placing him 3rd in the M35-39 age group while Doherty romped home in 1.10.04.  Birthday boy Frankie Dunlop showed no signs of aging as he crossed the line in 1.12.11 and had another reason to celebrate as he took the M50-54 age group prize.  Darren Deehan and Seamus Martin were close at the finish with Deehan clocking 1.18.16 and Martin clocking 1.18.28.  Philip Hasson was next to cross the line in 1.18.50 while Peter McLaughlin came home in 1.19.15.  Peter’s time was good enough for 3rd in the M50-54 age group.  Brian McCallion, Frank Roche and Eamon Harkin were fighting it out at the finish with McCallion stopping the clock on 1.20 flat, Roche in on 1.20.09 and Harkin finishing on 1.20.23.  Packy Deehan finished on 1.25.22 and Tony Morrison, in only his second triathlon, came home on 1.28.40.  In the women’s race Aoife Logan and Liza Jane Jorque represented the North West.  Logan was one on the first swimmers out of her heat and made up good ground on the bike leg to take the lead.  However the chasing pack contained some strong runners who eventually made up the deficit and Logan held on for 4th place in 1.19.46.  This time saw her take the F25-29 age group.  Unfortunately Liza Jane had to retire from the race with a calf strain suffered on the bike.  Meanwhile in Dublin Joanne Doran was flying the flag for the North West and University of Ulster at the Final Triathlon.  This was also the Irish Intervarsity race.  Despite some tough weather conditions Doran raced well to finish 2nd in the Intervarsity race and placed 4th overall. 

The North West’s Aileen Morrison recently made her debut in the first ITU World Championship Series (WCS) race of the season in Tongyeong, South Korea.  Entry to the series is open to the top tier of athletes, ensuring that the world’s triathlon stars regularly compete head to head.  The field contained 22 qualifiers for the Beijing Olympic triathlon with a total of 48 women making up the start list.  Aileen had a great swim which placed her well for the bike leg and she stuck it out with the third pack on the bike as they worked hard to chase down the leaders managing to close the gap.  On to the run and a hard effort on the bike it was taking its toll.  However Morrison showed true determination once she settled into her stride and began to pick off some of the other runners and out-sprinted 10th place Beijing Olympian, Debbie Tanner.  This finish placed Morrison 22nd in a time of 2hrs 6mins 45 secs and saw her beat eight Beijing qualifies and the Athens Olympic gold medallist Kate Allen.

This weekend the club turns its attention to its own race - the North West Sprint incorporation the Liam Ball Triathlon.  The race takes place on Sunday morning at Templemore Sports Complex at 9.30am.  It is part of the National Series League and is a complete sell out with over 150 triathletes competing.  Good luck to all!