International Update
Wed 28 July 2010 - Ian Taylor
Snowdon Home International
Last weekend over the classic Snowdon courses of 10 miles we had a men's team and potentially a ladies' team. Congratulations to Des Woods, first of our men, in 19th place overall in a time of 1:16:18. Des took 49:33 to reach the summit in 21st place and gained a couple of places in the descent taking 26:45. David O'Flaherty, late call up for the tream, had an excellent run in 1:20:23 to finish 32nd, made up of a slow climb in 53:35 (44th place) and a much faster descent of26:48. Our third counter was Kris Muldoon in 1:22:07, 41st overall , 55th place at the summit and 22nd place on the descent. Backing up these three, Alex Brennan completed the race in 1:23:23, with more consistent climb and descent times.
Des was ahead of all the Irish team, led home by Jason Kehoe (24th), John Harkin (27th), Aengus Burke (31st), Richard Healy (34th), Kevin English (42nd) and Robbie Bryson (44th). It was noticeable that Robbie still managed an ascent time of 48:10, 13th fastest and well ahead of any other Irish athletes. Readers will be aware that Robbie still holds the record for the quickest ascent in 39:47 with no one anywhere near it this year. This record was set in 1985 in a battle with Kenny Stuart who set the outright record of 1:02:29.
The difference between ascent and descent times suggests that our athletes need to improve the pace of their steady uphill running. Our times compared to the Irish team results suggests that we can fill a number of places in the team for the World Championships.
Our lone remaing female athlete was Diane Wilson, with an overall time of 1:35:50, again slow & steady in ascent and much faster on the return downhill part, with 15th female place overall. The race had 471 starters and was notable in being won by two Scottish juniors, Robbie Simpson in 1:07:59 and Catriona Buchanan in 1:21:19. Race favourite Chemweno Wilson flew in from Kenya for the event, made a fast start but then looked out of depth on a course he did not know, with distinctly non-Kenya weather of rain and heavy mist at the top, followed by a rather laboured descent. While the Kenya was second at the top to Piana Rolando of Italy, he was 32nd on his descent time and finished 7th overall. Meanwhile Piana Rolando took a wrong turn at the summit and Robbie Simpson took the lead, although he did not realise it until near the finish. The battle for second place was fought over the return leg, with Alex Baldaccini having a one minute and 4 places lead over Ian Holmes at the summit. On the steep descent Ian made it into second place with the fastest descent time but was then outsprinted at the finish by Alex, both being given a time of 1:09:11.
World Championship Trials
Since the World Championship is uphill only, so are both trials: The Championships are in Kamnik, Slovenia on 5th September
UK Team - Trial Race Snowdon - Sunday, 8th August
Races start at 11:30 am onwards from Llanberis with :
Men 6.8 miles, 3563 feet of climb
Senior ladies & junior men 4.5 miles, 3210 feet of climb
junior ladies 2.46 miles, 1414 feet.
Selection is based on first two places in the trial with others to be filled from the trial and current form.
Irish Team - Trial Race Crone Wood to Djouce, Saturday, 7th August.
Races start at 12 noon from Crone Wood.
Junior women: 3.9 km with 400m climb and 142m descent.
Junior men and senior women: 5.2 km with 545m climb and 142m descent.
Senior Men 6.0 km, 691 m climb.
Home Internationals
British & Irish Junior Home International on Sunday, September 19th
The Irish team for the British & Irish Junior Home International on Sunday, September 19th will also be selected on 7th August. The Northern Ireland junior teams for the same event will be selected over a short Donard-Commedagh route on August 21st. The Championship itself is being held in Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains.
McCain Challenge Home International, Saturday, 18th September
The Donard - Commedagh race then will be used to select for the new Home International at Fort William on Saturday, 18th September. This again is an uphill race as it will take the same format as the World Championship each year. Teams are for up to 7 male athletes (2 at U23)) and 6 females (2 at U23), with 5 and 4 to count in the team.
You will see from the above that 18th/19th September is a busy weekend for us, as the Mourne Mountain Marathon is also on then, and others of you may be going to the Great North Run in Newcastle on 19th.
