Maria Larkin may have been forced to wait much longer than normal for a shot at a second national title, but when that chance finally came around today in Armagh City she grabbed it with both hands.
The US-based rider, competing for Donkey Label p/b FK Law, was best in the senior women's race today at Palace Demesne.
On a muddy course she emerged the strongest in the field to retain the Irish crown she first took two years ago in Enniscrone in Sligo. Darcey Harkness (VC Glendale) took silver today with Roisin Lally (Scott Quanta) taking bronze and Michelle Geoghegan (VeloRevolution) taking 4th.
Hannah McClorey (RFDA) won the junior women's title; the UK-based rider powering to the gold medal having just declared for Ireland.
The Masters title was won by Judith Russell (Phoenix CC) from Helen White (Stamullen RC) and Heather Foley (Yeats Country Cycling Club).
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Larkin could not defend the elite title last year as the championships were cancelled due to Covid-19. The 34-year-old came back to Ireland last month from her Chicago base and has taken a number of wins on the domestic scene in recent weeks; her victory today going according to the form book.
Her medal today is her sixth time on the podium at the Nationals; two golds in 2022 and 2020, silver in 2019 in Cork, silver in 2017 and bronze in 2016, both in Co Down, and silver in Dublin in 2015.
How it unfolded
Darcey Harkness (VC Glendale), who has experience on this course, got the best start; riding through the first muddy section as Larkin just behind her was forced to run and lost a little ground as a result.
However, Larkin stayed in touch and she soon began to ride at the front, with herself and Harkness detaching themselves from the others; Michelle Geoghegan (VeloRevolution), Grace Young (All human-VeloRevolution) and Rosin Lally (Scott Quanta) just behind them.
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Just as it looked like Harkness and Larkin may begin to ride away on the opening lap, disaster struck for Larkin. She hit the plastic mesh fence at the side of the course and took some time to untangle herself.
While she went from 1st to 4th, she quickly got going again and was back in the lead after a couple of minutes. Larkin was soon building up a gap out front solo; powering clear, but doing so carefully, on what was a very muddy and slippy course.
Behind her, Lally was emerging from the others just behind Larkin and began to establish herself in 2nd place; a battle between herself and Harkness emerging on the opening lap, though Geoghegan was not far behind them.
Larkin had a gap of about 12 seconds over Lally as the opening lap ended and second lap began, with Harkness - now studying medicine at Queens University - in 3rd place a few further seconds back and Geoghegan still close to the podium placings.
While Larkin clipped a fence again on the second lap, she was well clear and this time around her progress was only halted for a brief moment; though the spill only served to underline how tricky the conditions were.
Larkin had opened the gap on the others by the end of the second lap, and 30 minutes of racing. At that point, Harkness had moved into a clear 2nd place and Lally was also well established in the bronze medal position.
However, Geoghegan - based in Europe and returning from injury of late - was not out or the medals fight; still very much with her eyes fixed on winning another National Championships medal to add to her collection.
That's the way it stayed on the final lap; Larkin staying clear and winning it very well from the front. Harkness took the silver medal, a great result for the Ulster elite champion, while Lally won the battle for bronze from Geoghegan.
Junior champion McClorey was 5th and Grace Young took 6th place after a very tough day in the mud and cold.
