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

 

NI Mountain Runners compete in World Championships

Thu 11 September 2008 - Simon Taylor

Top local mountain runners head out to the Alps this week to compete in the World Mountain Running Championship.  The 24th edition of the World event takes place at Crans Montana in Switzerland this weekend and athletes from 35 countries will be competing in the prestigious event. 

Northern Ireland will be represented by teams in the senior mens, senior womens and junior mens races.  The course are "uphill only" climbing from the Rhone valley to finish in the resort of Crans Montana at an altitude of 5,000 feet. The senior men race over an 8 mile course with 3,400 feet climb while the women and junior men tackle a 5 mile course with a climb of 2,400 feet.

The mens team includes All Ireland Champion Stephen Duncan NI Champion Des Woods, and Neil Carty who will be competing in his 17th consecutive World Championship.  Edward Hanna has two World appearances to date, while David OFlaherty and Andrew Niblock make their debut.

Fiona Maxwell, NI Champion and British over 40Champion heads the womens team which includes All Ireland Champion Angela Speight and Hill & Dale Champions Alwynne Shannon and Shalene Ward.  Shannon and Maxwell have regularly competed in the World event while Speight ran last year as a junior and Ward makes her debut.  The Omagh trio of James Speight, Andrew Fisher and Conor Moore are joined by Jason Wilson on the junior mens squad with Moore and Wilson making their second appearance in the event.  Marty McVeigh is the team manager for the squad of 14 athletes.
 
 
Senior Men                          
Des Woods               Mourne Runners
David OFlaherty                Newcaslte AC
Edward Hanna            Mourne Runners
Stephen Duncan  Omagh Harriers
Neil Carty              North Belfast Harriers
Andrew Niblock          Mourne Runners

Senior Women                         
Fiona Maxwell           Mourne Runners
Alwynne Shannon Mourne Runners
Shalene Ward            Mourne Runners
Angela Speight          Omagh Harriers

Junior Men                             
James Speight           Omagh Harriers
Andrew  Fisher          Omagh Harriers
Conor  Moore            Omagh Harriers
Jason Wilson            Pegasus AC

Team Managers Martin McVeigh, Barbara Brown & Ian Taylor.