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LinksBirr Navigation Trial - 8-9 Oct 11
Posted: October 21, 2011 9:50 AM - 5435 Hits
Round 1 - 2011/12 National Night Navigation Championship
Round 1 - 2011/12 Munster Night Navigation Championship
Beamish and Hayes Best in Birr
Posted: October 21, 2011 9:50 AM
Novice crew David Beamish/Muireann Hayes took a surprise but fully deserved victory on the opening round of the 2011/2012 National Night Navigation Championship. Their win was all the more remarkable given that it was only Muireann's 6th ever event and it came in a 140 mile event in neutral territory and in conditions that put fear into even the most competent of navigators. In the end the car in front was a Toyota with the little 2wd Carina holding off the 4wd opposition. Making it a family affair at the top were Colin Fitzgerald/Daire Hayes who finished 2nd just holding off hard-charging Semi-Experts Pakie & Colin Duffy who were continuing to show the form which saw them win the Novice class last season.
Last year's winners Joe & Greg Shinnors led the field away into the short first half which took crews West of Dunkeerin and South of Moneygall. The event began with the dreaded Speed Regulation Section. Starting at 22.5 mph, then changing to 25.2mph, then 30mph and finally 20mph, this was the COC making use of his retro experience. It should have taken 17 minutes to complete this section on schedule but penalties appear to have been applied based on 15 minutes to the ITC. As a result, crews who thought they completed this section on schedule incurred in the region of 12 penalties. Everyone was relieved when the real action began with farm lanes between TP4 to TP7 keeping crews on their toes. Another SRS with speeds of 20mph, 24mph and 23.1 mph was successfully negotiated by most crews. Following another farm lane it was into the petrol halt and a chance for competitors to gather themselves before the long, 80 mile second half. Colin Fitzgerald/Daire Hayes lead overall on 11 penalties from Michael Carbin/Evin Hughes (12 pens), David Beamish/Muireann Hayes (13 pens) and Joe Shinnors/Greg Shinnors (15 pens). Each of these crews dropped their penalties on ITC1. The event remained fairly straight forward until TP19, which was Plot & Bash. The leading crews all safely negotiated this timepoint and the leaderboard remained static until TP23 where an uncharacteristic mistake from Carbin/Hughes resulted in them missing the timepoint and dropping out of contention.
By TP33 it was still Fitzgerald/Hayes, Beamish/Hayes and Shinnors/Shinnors in the top three overall. But the sting in the tail was the infamous Devil's Bit Mountain. Forest tracks, unmapped roads, dead ends, fog, wild horses, wild sheep, wild goats and some very lost and confused navigators are normally associated with this mountain and this year it didn't disappoint. Six timepoints were on the mountain, four of which were Plot & Bash. It was pandemonium with cars going this way and that in different directions all looking for these timepoints. TP34 & TP38 were cancelled which was lucky for some crews who couldn't find them! Only one crew managed to find all the timepoints and they were David Beamish & Muireann Hayes who kept the coolest heads when everyone else lost theirs and this justified their win. Even a wrong approach at TP37 couldn't upset their surge for victory. Brother Daire & driver Colin Fitzgerald were also caught with a wrong approach at TP37 but they missed TP36 and slipped to 2nd place. Pakie & Colin Duffy moved into 3rd. The final track was an intricate loop around a kart track which challenged a few crews but the top positions remained unchanged. So David Beamish/Muireann Hayes took a brilliant first overall win with Fitzgerald/Hayes in 2nd place and Duffy/Duffy 3rd. Chris Kelly/Sam Johnston recovered from an earlier missed timepoint to claim 4th place, with Darren Quinn./Nigel McCloughry inheriting Novice class honours in 5th place overall to cap a good event for Midland MC crews.
Expert:
Top points went to Colin Fitzgerald/Daire Hayes who were the leading experts throughout the night and got their championship off to a superb start. Alan & George Shinnors had a bad start to the night after getting lost on the SRS but they recovered well and climbed to 2nd in class by the finish. The Mountain proved the biggest problem for Joe & Greg Shinnors who finished 3rd in class. Michael Carbin/Evin Hughes suffered more than most on the mountain and only just made the penultimate control to claim a finish such was their time loss. James Fitzgerald/Pat Cashman completed the class finishers.
S/Expert:
Top points went to Pakie & Colin Duffy who held off Midland MC rivals, Chris Kelly/Sam Johnston by a fourteen penalty margin. Ted Gaffney/Karen Gaffney completed the top three finishers. Matt & Enda Hume, making a long overdue return to the night nav scene, were the only other finishers.
Novice:
With Beamish/Hayes taking overall honours, Darren Quinn/Nigel McCloughry, the beginner class champions from last season, took the class win as well as a fine 5th place overall. Sean Duggan/Stephen Quinn were next home with Alwyn White/Adrian Tobin finishing 4th and John Helen/Eoghan McCarthy in 5th place.
Beginners:
David Forde/Sean Henehan took the class victory and were a creditable 8th overall as well. Shane Dalton/Micheal Reilly finished in 2nd place ahead of Matt Shinnors/Catherine Levis. Andrew Whelton/Cyril Maguire finished in 4th place with Aaron O'Regan/Chris Hassett completing the top five.
Well done to Eoin Longworth and his team for a well-run and challenging event with all timepoints manned. The Championship moves further south to the Star-Trek Navigation Trial in four weeks time. Michael Carbin/Evin Hughes won this event last year and will be looking for a similar result after a disappointing start to the season. However the competition will be fierce against the local crews and the travelling Midland MC crews, who will all be looking to continue their good start to the championship.
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