Northern Ireland Mountain Running Association
www.nimra.org.uk

The second race of the Grand Prix series takes place next Saturday, 15^th March starting at 1 pm, from Waterfoot. Registration takes place at St Patrick?s Primary School on the coast road. Registration fees are set at ?5 and ?6 for attached / unattached runners respectively. For any further information contact Mark Alexander 028 25639025.   Alternatively entry forms can be downloaded from the official race website www.glenariffmountainrace.co.uk

 

In previous years, Neil Carty has been prominent, winning all the races up until 2006 when Alan Bogle pushed him into second place and set a new record of 42:11.  Last year it was the Mourne men who dominated with Eddie Hanna, Steve Cunningham and Gary Bailey taking the honours. Judging by Binevenagh & Sl Gullion, 2008 the Mourne men look set to dominate once more.

Anne Sanford won the ladies category last year with Karen Alexander claiming second but neither was near to the ladies? record of 53:13 set in 2003 by Sharon McBurney.

Generous sponsorship is provided by Glens of Antrim potatoes with the race competently organised by Ballymena Runners. Further details of the event are on web or below in a press release supplied by Ballymena Runners.

If travelling from the Belfast direction, take the Cushendall road off the Ballymena bypass.  When descending after the climb through Cargan & within sight of Glenariff Forest, take the right fork past the Forest Park entrance and continue down Glenariff  to the coast road at Waterfoot.  Turn right and in a few hundred yards you will see the school on your right where registration takes place.

North Antrim Food Suppliers, Glens of Antrim Potatoes were only too happy to announce their continued sponsorship of Ballymena Runners Glenariff Mountain Race this month. This is the seventh year in a row the local running club has been lucky enough to clinch the deal with the local company.

This year the sponsorship continues with category winners receiving small cash prizes and all those entering will have the added bonus of a complimentary bag of Glens of Antrim potatoes! On line information on the firm can be found at www.goapotatoes.co.uk

The event is the second of four that Ballymena Runners promote throughout the season and is growing in popularity each year. The race itself takes place on Saturday 15^th March, starting in Waterfoot where the action starts off in the North Antrim Village and heads inland along the Glena riff riverside for approximately 2 miles before starting a 1100ft climb up the southern face of a section of Glenariff Glen. Once at the turn at the top competitors will retrace their steps back to the finish back in Waterfoot. The race covers around six miles in total. The majority of the course uses sections of the Ulster Way and will be well marked and marshalled throughout.