Skibbereen 100 Isles Navigation Trial - Jan 31-Feb 1 04

Posted: February 2, 2004 7:39 PM

After building up a clear lead by the petrol halt, their Carina was one of three cars to clean the second half, leaving them ten marks ahead of the Mazda 323 of Ger Gowen and Paul Phelan, with Derek Coleman and Conor Maguire third in an Astra.

Fourth place for Ger O’Connell and Denis O’Donovan was enough to clinch the Munster Championship, of which this was the final round. Both National champions Andy Mackarel/Liam Higgins and points leaders Ray and Stephen O’Neill lost out badly when they became bogged down in two different muddy sections, with Mackarel’s Ascona finally taking sixth place while the Golf mounted brothers languished in tenth, not helping either of their title chances.

Alan and George Shinnors were best of the novices in fifth overall, with Brendan O’Sullivan and Kevin Flynn taking the Beginners’ class. Semi-expert winners were Kevin O’Sullivan and Jeremiah Deasy in eighth overall. Lots of tricky lanes, including several mazes through farmyards, caused havoc for most of the entry, with high scores the order of the day, the dreadful weather not helping.

With two National rounds remaining, six crews are still in strong contention for the title, the most open series for many years.

1 Diarmuid French/Jason O’Mahony (Carina) 11 marks
2 Ger Gowen/Paul Phelan (Mazda 323) 21m
3 Derek Coleman/Conor Maguire (Astra) 25m
4 Ger O’Connell/Denis O’Donovan (Celica) 52m
5 Alan Shinnors/George Shinnors (Astra) 83m
6 Andy Mackarel/Liam Higgins (Ascona) 100m
7 Joseph Shinnors/Adrian Deasy (Nova) 139m
8 Kevin O’Sullivan/Jeremiah Deasy (Primera) 140m
9 Nicholas Doherty/Philip Doherty (Peugeot 205) 204m
10 Ray O’Neill/Stephen O’Neill (Golf) 206m


Semi-experts: 
1 Kevin O’Sullivan/Jeremiah Deasy
2 Conor O’Neill/John Harrington (Vitara) 349m

Novices: 
1 Alan Shinnors/George Shinnors
2 Nicholas Doherty/Philip Doherty
3 Michael Murphy/Pat Cashman (Celica) 515m.

Beginners: 
1 Brendan O’Sullivan/Kevin Flynn (Peugeot 205) 275m
2 Fergus Harrington/Anthony Harrington (Civic) 317m
3 Tadhg O’Shea/Brendan Fahy (Kadett) 320m.

• Full Results in Word Format
• 03/04 National Navigation Trial Championship Positions