Skibbereen 100 Isles Navigation Trial - 4-5 Feb 12

Report: Joint Winners on 100 Isles

Posted: February 16, 2012 12:40 PM

There were joint overall winners on round six of the National Night Navigation Championship, based out of Timoleague, Co. Cork. After a 140 mile route, two crews finished on clean sheets. Limerick brothers, Alan & George Shinnors and Monaghan crew Michael Carbin/Evin Hughes both completed the route without a single penalty dropped. Both were Expert crews in 1994cc Subaru Imprezas. With no tie-breaker being applicable, the overall win was shared. It proved to be a very competitive event with only three penalties covering the top five overall finishers at the end of the night.

The event got under way with a 9.10pm start. The opening section visited the Kilbrittain and Ballinspittle areas before heading north towards Bandon. No fewer than 13 crews cleaned the opening timecard with Beginners David Forde/Sean Henehan leading overall. The next section spelt the end of top seeds Chris Kelly/Sam Johnston's run as they retired after bending a front wishbone. The route from TP15 to Via6 incorporated a 'road goes' loop around the side of a corn field. By the end of the second timecard the number of clean sheets had been reduced to 11, with Forde/Henehan remaining in front. A Plot & Bash section followed and a particularly slippy lane into Via8 proved challenging. After negotiating three grassy farm lanes in quick succession, including crossing a very deep water-filled hole at one point, the crews arrived at the petrol halt in Ballinascarty. By now only five crews were still on clean sheets. Novice pairing Darren Quinn/Nigel McCloughry led overall from four expert crews, Michael Carbin/Evin Hughes, Alan Shinnors/George Shinnors, Ger Fitzgerald/Daire Hayes and Richard Cassidy/Paul Phelan. Round 5 winners Pakie Duffy/Colin Duffy had dropped out of contention after receiving the dreaded 50 penalties for an early arrival.

Another Plot & Bash section began the second half of the event. There were no major dramas and by C113, the top five were still on clean sheets. That changed soon after though as leaders, Darren Quinn/Nigel McCloughry punctured and they subsequently dropped three penalties after changing the offending wheel. Then Richard Cassidy/Paul Phelan hit trouble with broken rear suspension forcing them to miss several of the remaining timepoints as they nursed the Vectra back to the finish. The second SRS section involved the use of a clockface tulip diagram and many crews missed the ITC. A technicality eventually resulted in it being cancelled which was of great relief to Alan & George Shinnors who had missed the ITC! By C55, three clean sheets remained, Carbin/Hughes, Shinnors/Shinnors and Fitzgerald/Hayes. Concentration was key as the weary crews arrived back for the 4am finish. Fitzgerald/Hayes dropped 1 penalty after a small lapse of concentration, leaving just two crews on clean sheets by the finish.

So with no tie-breaker able to separate them, Alan Shinnors/George Shinnors & Michael Carbin/Evin Hughes were declared joint overall winners. 3rd overall on 1 penalty went to Ger Fitzgerald/Daire Hayes, with Ger standing in for son Colin who was competing in a stages rally in America. Close behind were David Beamish/Muireann Hayes (2 pens), all of these dropped after a mistake early on. Darren Quinn/Nigel McCloughry (3 pens) were left ruing that puncture as it accounted for their only penalties of the night.

Expert class:
Behind the leading trio, Joe Shinnors/Greg Shinnors (25 pens) bagged some useful points with 4th in class and 8th overall. A missed timepoint cost them dearly. Gerard O'Connell/Denis O'Donovan (82 pens) were 5th after a difficult night by their high standards. Richard Cassidy/Paul Phelan (146 pens) survived to finished 6th, after their suspension problems ended their hopes of an overall win.

Semi-Expert class:
Brian O'Mahony/David Swanton (9 pens) took top class points as well as finishing 6th overall. 3rd overall could have been theirs if only for getting stuck and requiring to be towed out by a fellow competitor. Steven Clarke/Michelle McCarthy (20 pens) took 2nd in class, with a wrong approach their only major mistake of the night. Jason Coulter/Diarmuid O'Donovan (40 pens) were 3rd in their Peugeot 205 ahead of Dermot Whelton/Barry O'Sullivan (47 pens) and Pakie Duffy/Colin Duffy (56 pens).

Novice class:
David Beamish/Muireann Hayes (2 pens) secured class honours and a fine 4th overall. Darren Quinn/Nigel McCloughry (3 pens) had to settle for 2nd on this one, but they still maintain their overall lead of the championship with two rounds remaining. Andrew Beamish/Eoghan McCarthy (29 pens) finished 3rd in class ahead of Alwyn White/Adrian Tobin (34 pens) in 4th. Richard Jennings/Leslie Wolfe (149 pens) were the only other finishers in 5th place.

Beginners class:
David Forde/Sean Henehan (62 pens) led the class throughout to take a well deserved win. Andrew Whelton/Cyril Maguire (74 pens) weren't too far away in 2nd, with Matt Shinnors/Catherine Levis (103 pens) in 3rd. Sean O'Donovan/Chris Kingston (379 pens) and Aaron O'Regan/Chris Hassett (609 pens) were the only other finishers.

Just two rounds remain in this year's series and the championship is still wide open with several crews still mathematically in with a shout of the overall title. Darren Quinn/Nigel McCloughry continue to lead on overall points from Pakie Duffy/Colin Duffy and Michael Carbin/Evin Hughes. However with dropped scores to come into play, the leaderboard is much closer. Round 7 takes the crews back up the country to Cavan on March 3rd/4th.

Results

Posted: February 5, 2012 8:17 PM

1 (tie) Alan Shinnors/George Shinnors (Subaru Impreza) and Michael Carbin/Evin Hughes (Subaru Impreza) 0 marks,
3 Ger Fitzgerald/Daire Hayes (Subaru Impreza) 1m,
4 David Beamish/Muireann Hayes (Toyota Carina) 2m,
5 Darren Quinn/Nigel McCloughry (Subaru Legacy) 3m,
6 Brian O’Mahony/David Swanton (Vauxhall Vectra) 9m,
7 Steven Clarke/Michelle McCarthy (Opel Corsa) 20m,
8 Joseph Shinnors/Greg Shinnors (Subaru Impreza) 25m,
9 Andrew Beamish/Eoghan McCarthy (Nissan Sunny) 29m,
10 Alwyn White/Adrian Tobin (Mazda 626) 34m,
11 Jason Coulter/Diarmuid O’Donovan (Peugeot 205) 40m,
12 Dermot Whelton/Barry O’Sullivan (VW Golf) 47m.

Semi-experts:
1 Brian O’Mahony/David Swanton,
2 Steven Clarke/Michelle McCarthy,
3 Jason Coulter/Diarmuid O’Donovan.
Novices:
1 David Beamish/Muireann Hayes,
2 Darren Quinn/Nigel McCloughry,
3 Andrew Beamish/Eoghan McCarthy.

Beginners:
1 David Forde/Sean Henehan (Subaru Legacy) 62m,
2 Andrew Whelton/Cyril Maguire (Toyota Avensis) 74m,
3 Matt Shinnors/Catherine Levis (Opel Kadett) 103m.

Skibbereen 100 Isles Navigation Trial - 4-5 Feb 12 - RESULTS

Regulations / Entry Form

Posted: January 23, 2012 9:48 PM

Skibbereen 100 Isles Navigation Trial - 4-5 Feb 12 - REGULATIONS / ENTRY FORM

Club Website

Posted: January 23, 2012 9:47 PM

SKIBBEREEN & DISTRICT CAR CLUB