Glenariff Race
Mon 15 March 2010 - Ian Taylor
Edward Hanna and Karen Alexander dominated the Glenariff Mountain Race at Waterfoot in the Glens o Antrim on Saturday. The Ballymena Runners promotion was sponsored by Glens of Antrim Potatoes and is the first event in the NIMRA Grand Prix Series. Eddie had won the opening race of the Northern Ireland Championship at Slieve Gullion the previous week and he secured a comfortable win at Glenariff last Saturday.
The race started in Waterfoot with 2007 winner Eddie Hanna leading the pack as they turned inland to travel along the riverside section. At this stage Larne Runner Ryan Maxwell set a blistering pace and forged ahead along the river section hotly pursued by Hanna, Cunningham, and O’Flaherty.
The leading pack began the tough 1100 feet climb up the South face of the Glen with Ballymena Runner Alex Brennan close pursuit.
First to the top of the mountain was Hanna with Armagh’s McAnespie climbing superbly to summit second and hold off Mourne men Bailey and Cunningham.
As they came back down off the mountain Hanna had opened a sizeable gap on the rest of the field and went on to win the race comfortably in 43:33. Following fast descents both Bailey and Cunningham had moved up a position and were just ahead of McAnespie as they approached the Glen Road. However, they were unable to hold off the fast finishing Armagh man on the flat run home as he past them both to finish second in 44:21. With Gary Bailey third and Stephen Cunningham fourth that made it 3 in the top four for the Mourne club, with Ballymena Runner Alex Brennan and James Speight of Omagh Harriers completing the top six.
Karen Alexander followed up he win at Binevenagh two weeks previously, clocking an impressive 49.14, just 26 seconds outside her own course record and finishing an excellent 11th overall. The Sperrin Harrier finished over 4 minutes clear of Northern Ireland Champion Charlene Haugh of Mourne Runners, with Hazel McLaughlin of Lagan Valley AC a clear third.
The team prize was won by Mourne Runners with Dale Mathers taking the Master Trophy and male vet 45 category finishing well up the field in eighth overall. Dale Smith in fourteenth place claimed the male vet 40 category with a strong run. Former NIMRA Chairman Jim Patterson won the vet 60 category in 22nd. Stewart Cunningham of Mourne Runners finished 26th claiming the vet 55 category. The female veteran category was won by Denise Mathers of Newry City Runners.
Teams:
1 Mourne Runners 1, 3, 4 8 points
2 Newcastle 7, 10, 12 29
3 Larne 14, 15, 16 45
4 Ballymena R 5, 9, 33 47
5 Newry City 8, 17, 41 66
6 BARF 19, 24, 48 91
Thanks to Mark Alexander & Brian Ervine for race reports & Jonny Steede for results
