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The domestic Cyclo-cross season came to a close yesterday as Ballinasloe CC hosted the National Championships on the Fair Green, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway.

Dean Harvey put in another dominant performance to take his third Senior National Championship in a row. Harvey said afterwards “[I’m] Really pleased with that. I think that’s probably my best performance ever on a cross bike. I didn’t really have a plan beforehand and didn’t really know what way I wanted to play it, but as soon as the race started I knew I just wanted to get away, get a big gap and make a statement.”

There was an intense battle for second behind him, with former national champion Darnell Moore battling young guns Travis Harkness and Tadhg Killeen for the duration of the race. Moore eventually got a gap and the Caldwell Cycles rider took second. Harkness and Killeen meanwhile battled all the way to the finish straight, but Lyon Sprint Evolution’s Harkness powered away in the final metres to take third. A tip of the cap must also be given to Newcastle West’s Michael Collins, still managing to finish inside the top 10 after a crash on the fifth lap saw the U23 rider lose his handlebars and run roughly half of the course with the bike on his shoulder back to the pits for a bike change.

The women’s race also saw tight battling for the duration of the race, as Team Hess rider Esther Wong and Team WORC’s Greta Lawless fought hard for the win from the start. Wong, competing in her first Irish National Championships came out on top in the end, leaving it to the penultimate lap to get a gap and take the win. Speaking afterwards Wong said, “It was so nice to win and come across that line first. It was a super hard race against Greta, really wasn’t an easy win at all, [I] had to really push hard for the whole race, but it was a really good battle.”

There was more tight racing behind the top two for third, as a group of four containing Hannah McClorey, Maria Larkin, Doireann Killeen and Roisin Lally stuck together for the majority of the race. Doltcini – Cycle Division’s McClorey eventually managed to find her way into third and held off the others to take the final podium spot.

Second year junior Conor Murphy managed to defend his National Championship title in the Junior Men’s race. Pushed hard from the off by Spellman – Dublin Port’s Curtis McKee and Scott Racing’s Ryan Daly, Murphy managed to shake the chasing pair late on lap two and hold his gap for the win. Murphy said afterwards, “I had a few mishaps on the first lap, getting stuck in the tape, but managed to keep it cool and got back up. [I’m] Really happy with my performance overall. It was a really tough race on a really good course and it was just great to ride.”

EPIC MTB Expert Cycles rider Jean Wilson took the win in the Masters Women category, which ran a combined field with the senior women. Orwell Wheeler’s Aishling O’Connor and Stamullen RC’s Helen White took second and third respectively.

The M40 race saw another three way dogfight as Glenn Kinning managed to defend his title, despite tough opposition from Orwell Wheeler’s Ronan O’Flynn and Dungarvan’s Marcus Flavin, who took second and third respectively.

Saturday’s racing saw Robyn Seymour add another National Championship to his palmares, as the Team WORC rider took the M50 category by over a minute, finishing ahead of L’Equipier Barcelona Cycling Team rider Anthony Doyle in second and Inspired Cycling’s Alan Bingham in third.

Cuchulainn’s Johnny McCabe also added another national title as he took the M60 category. Paul Birchall from Blarney Cycling Club came in second followed closely by Panduit Carrick Wheelers’ Declan Hanrahan in third.

Spectators were treated to another incredibly tight race in the U16 Boys race, where VC Glendale’s Caleb McGreevy just narrowly beat out Fermoy’s Shane O’Brien for the win. The pair were followed closely by Bear Cycling’s Rian McCrystal taking third.

The top two in the U16 Girls race fought right to the end, but Emer Heverin from All human/VeloRevolution came away with the win, beating Orwell’s Katie Turner, with VC Glendale’s Aoife Craig rounding out the podium.

James Cunningham from Team WORC managed to successfully defend his U14 Boys National Championship title, holding off Orwell’s Tomás Connolly and Square Wheels’ Rory McCool for second and third resepectively.

Breffni Wheelers rider Ava Baker stormed away to a big win in the U14 Girls race, beating TC Racing’s Lily McDermott by nearly two and a half minutes, while Orwell’s Laoise Crinion took third.

Saturday also saw non-championship support races for several ages groups.

The U12 Boys race was won by Orwell Wheelers rider Benjamin Cunningham, ahead of Fermoy’s Max McGrath in second and Greenmount’s Nuadha Walsh in third.

Aoife Campbell from Square Wheels took the win in the U12 Girls race. Orwell’s Molly Turner and Sliabh Luachra’s Caroline Collons took third.

Jaxon Jennings from Orwell finished off a very successful cyclo-cross season as he took another win in the U10 Boys race, beating Shelbourne/Orchard’s Josh Ruddell and Square Wheels’ Conor McGahan.

Ríonach Campbell riding for Square Wheels won the U10 Girls race, ahead of Sliabh Luachra’s Marian Mulvey in second, followed by another Square Wheels rider, Ciara McCool in third.

There was another win for Square Wheels in the U8 Boys race, with Séan McGahan taking the top spot ahead of Western Lakes CC rider Evan McTavish and Orwell’s Fiachra Connolly.

The U8 Girls race was won by Alice Rose Devaney, closely followed by Omagh Wheelers’ Elianna Logan in second and Newcastle West’s Aoibhín Collins in third.

Full results from Sunday’s races are available HERE and Saturday’s results can be found HERE.