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

 

McNeilly and Maxwell win 5th race of Championship.

Wed 23 July 2008 - Simon Taylor

Deon McNeilly (Newcastle AC) and Fiona Maxwell (Mourne Runners) were the winners of the 5th race of the NI Mountain Running Championship at Newcastle last Saturday.  Although there is one race in the series still to go, Maxwell comfortably secured her third consecutive NI title.  Maxwell is the British over 40 Champion and has now won the NI title in emphatic style with 4 wins and a maximum score of 400 points.

Newcastle man McNeilly was in top form on home ground as he notched up his second win in the Championship series, clocking 55 minutes for the 6 mile course to the top of Slieve Donard.  Des Woods of Mourne Runners was runner up 42 seconds behind and has 3 wins in the championship series.  The result of the NI Mens Championship depends on the sixth and final race at Slieve Bearnagh on 16 August.

Local lad Eoghan Totten left his older rivals trailing as he scorched round the 5 mile junior race.  The Newcastle AC runner clocked 43.36 for the 2,300 foot climb and finished 3 minutes ahead of Omagh Harrier James Speight.
The races were also the selection trial for the NI team to compete at the World Mountain Running Championship in September.  The courses therefore finished at the top to replicate the uphill races at the World event in Switzerland.