Woods and Maxwell dominate Donard - Commedagh Race.
Tue 27 May 2008 - Simon Taylor
Des Woods and Fiona Maxwell of Mourne Runners were
convincing winners of the Donard - Commedagh race at Newcastle on
Saturday.
The 6 mile event involved
3,300 feet of climb and was the third race of six in the NI Mountain Running Championship.
Woods, Deon McNeilly (Newcastle AC), Neil Carty (North
Belfast Harriers) and Mourne?s Stephen Cunning lead the field up through Donard
forest and reached the quarry in 9 minutes.Woods and McNeilly had pulled ahead
as they headed into the mist half way up the big Donard climb.
Strong running on the steep upper slopes saw
Woods reach NI?s highest peak in just over 35 minutes with a half minute lead
over NI Champion McNeilly.
Not far behind, Maxwell was in sparkling form following her
excellent 4
th place in the British Championship race in Wales the
previous week.
The NI and All Ireland
Champion had a tremendous climb to reach the summit in 39 minutes with only 6
men ahead of her
Woods was in flying form over Commedagh and came hurtling
down out of the mist to the finish in Donard Park to clock an impressive
63.07.
McNeilly was a clear second two
minutes behind with Cunningham coming through on the descent for third .
Carty was fourth with Edward Hanna and Gary
Bailey making it four in the top six for the Mourne Runners.
Maxwell was a superb eigth overall in 72.46
with Alwynne Shannon (Newcastle AC) runner up in 80.28, three minutes ahead of
clubmate Anne Sandford.
The next round
of the NI Championship is the Flagstaff to Carlingford race promoted by Armagh
AC in two weeks time over a 10 mile course with 3,000 feet climb.
Brian Ervine
Donard Commedagh photos:
Photographer Harry
Marcus was at Donard - Commedagh and race photographs are posted on his website
at http://hmphotographs.fotopic.net/c1516613.html
