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

 

Recent Race Results I

Mon 23 June 2008 - Ian Taylor

All Ireland Championships and European Trial

This event held today, Saturday, 21 June, from Crone Wood, Wicklow was the selection race for the all-Ireland European team, the All Ireland Championship and the Irish Club Championship. NIMRA members gained success in each of these areas. The surprise of the event was the performance of Angela Speight, finishing first in the ladies two lap race, 16 seconds ahead of second placed Fiona Maxwell. The Omagh ladies packed well, with Angela supported by Frances Orr and sister (?) Kelly-Ann to take first place in the club championship.

In the mens three lap race, Stephen Duncan claimed the second all-Ireland Championship title for Omagh when he finished first, well clear of Barry Minnock and Ronan Guirey, with Des Woods of Mourne Runners in fourth place. In the Club results, Rathfarnham were first with Mourne in second place, with Des supported by Eddie Hanna and Gary Bailey.

Results
Senior Ladies:
1. Angela Speight Omagh 42:27
2. Fiona Maxwell Mourne 42:43
6. Alwynne Shannon Newcastle 44:48
8. Frances Orr Omagh 46:06
10. Kelly-Ann Speight Omagh 47:30
19. Marie Therese Speight Omagh 55:36

Senior Men
1. Stephen Duncan Omagh 51:45
4. Des Woods Mourne 54:24
8. Eddie Hanna Mourne 57:43
10. Gary Bailey Mourne 58:58

Junior Men
1. Eoin Rowan (IMRA) 40:35
2. Conor Moore Omagh 41:06
4. Jason Wilson Pegasus 44:11

Report Added by Brian Ervine:

Omagh Harriers Stephen Duncan and Angela Speight won the All Ireland Mountain Running Championships in County Wicklow on Saturday. It was a tremendous double for the Omagh club as Duncan and Speight took the Senior Men?s and Women?s titles and secured their places on the Irish team for the European Mountain Running Championships.

 

Duncan was always in control and romped round the paths of the Crone Wood course to win by 1 minute 23 seconds from leading Dublin runner Barry Minnock of Rathfarnham AC.  The Omagh man clocked an impressive 51.45 for the 8 miles course with 2400 feet of climb and will now lead the Irish team for the European Championship in Germany on 13 July.  Des Woods of Mourne Runners was 4^th and with Edward Hanna 8^th and Gary Bailey 10^th the Mourne club secured the silver medals in the All Ireland club Championship behind Rathfarnham AC.

 

In her first year as a senior Angela Speight caused a major surprise by defeating double All Ireland Champion Fiona Maxwell of Mourne Runners in the 5 1/2 mile women?s race.  The 20 year old Omagh Harrier finished 16 seconds ahead of Maxwell, the current British over 40 Champion, to take the All Ireland title and secure her place on the senior team for Germany.  There was further success with Speight backed up by Frances Orr in 8^th and Kelly-Ann Speight in 10^th, the Omagh women secured the All Ireland club title on countback from Clonliffe Harriers.

Durisdeer Br Championship, 14 June
The previous weekend, six NIMRA athletes travelled to Scotland for the third round of the Br Championship series. The overall winner was Rob Jebb in 1:21:53 with Angela Mudge the first female, in 1:35:22, both setting course records, with Angela knocking a mere 20 minutes off the female record time! First home for NIMRA was Gary Bailey in 36th place (1:35:22) , - just behind Angela. Our second finisher was Fiona Maxwell in 53rd place overall (1:39:36), fourth female and first female vet40. Other finishers included Alwynne Shannon (1:50:17), Jim Patterson (1:50:44), Bill Maxwell (1:55:42) and Anne Sandford (2:07:55).

Fiona Maxwell is currently in first place with a maximum of 66 points from three races in the female vet40 category of the British Championship. She is also in second place in the open category, although some lower placed athletes have races to make up. Alwynne Shannon is in sixth place in the vet40 category. Des Woods is in 12th place in the male vet40 category but has only two counting races while Jim Patterson is in fourth place in the vet60 age group. The next Br Championship race is a mere 3.5 miles at Blackstone Edge in the Pennines next Saturday, 28th June.

Other Events
Earlier in June, John McBride was second in the Irish version of "70 Wild Miles", based at the Share Centre, Fermanagh. This event, and others with the same name, raises money for Childrens Cancer Charities and is basically a triathlon style event, with 47 miles cycling, 10 miles kayaking and 13 miles running. In the Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon Trevor Wilson and Fred Hammond struggled with injuries to finish the B class while Norma Rea and Stephanie were second female team and 36th overall in the C category. The event was based at Glenfinnan, Scotland on 7th/8th June. A fortnight earlier Trevor had also been in Scotland with Denis Rankin for the classic Jura race. Trevor took 5:44 with Denis just ahead in 5:39. Congratulations to Denis - this is his tenth Jura race. The same weekend this writer took part in the Long Distance Walkers 100 mile challenge, held this year in the Yorkshire Dales. This annual event is held in different areas each year with the 2009 event over the south Downs on 23/24 and perhaps 25th May.

This set of race results will be updated when the Junior results from Susa this weekend are known. If you have done an event that you don mind others knowing about. please let us known and it can be added to this or later result pages.