Marrey wins National adventure race league

The penultimate round was crucial for Padraig Marrey overall league win, held on the beautiful grounds of Powerscourt in Wicklow the third race promoted by the WAR organisers.

This race was one of the longest in the series covering 72kms with four bike sections using the Sally Gap and Djouce mountains and two mountain runs up the Sugar Loaf and Maulina Mtn and a kayak section.

A win was the only result that would guarantee Marrey the Overall league winner, with 10 rounds held all over the country and the who’s who of adventure racing on the start line for round nine, Marrey’s chances looked slim as Peter O Farrell Dublin (Winner of the Gael Force ) Noelie Kavanagh Wicklow(Winner of War 1) and Adrian Hennessy Limerick (Winner in Dingle Kerry) on the start line, add to the mix World Champion Mountain biker Niall Davies and Irish international mountain runner James Mc Fadden both who defiantly have the attributes to up set the odds and the receipt was set for real cracker of a race.

From the gun Mayo’s Padraig Marrey started out as he meant to finish with a powerful attack up the first climb and dragged Niall Davies and James Mc Fadden with him, these three built a lead to the first mountain run, where Mc Fadden turned the screw dropping Marrey and Davies on the steep slopes of the Sugar Loaf.

On the second bike section Marrey used his cycling Power to catch Mc Fadden by the Kayak section, At the Kayak section Marrey not a known Kayaker powered ahead on this section to open a good lead, with 2 biking sections and a Mountain run to go, the Ballinrobe man needed at least three minutes if he was to hold of the strong mountain running of Mc Fadden.

 By the time Marrey got to the last mountain run (Maulina)of 9k he had increased his lead to 5 minutes baring cramp or a bike mechanical the race win looked like Marrey’s.

At the Finish line in the beautiful grounds of Powercourt Western Lakes CC Marrey held on to win by 2minutes from Dublin’s James Mc Fadden with Gael Force winner Peter O Farrell 3rd at 11 minutes.

The National Adventure race league was the icing on the cake for a season that included a Guinness World record on Croagh Patrick, Qualification for Half Iron man World Champs in Las Vegas and a podium place on all 10 adventure races entered in 2011. The Marrey bikes Planet X sponsored man seems to be getting better with age.

Mary Mulchrone Ballinrobe and of Western Lakes CC also performed with distinction having a great battle with Emma Donlon Roscommon who she beat 2 weeks earlier at the Achill Roar race but this time Mary had to settle for second finishing 16th overall, this result guaranteed her second place in the National league capping a great year for her.