Juniors brave the clag on Croob

On Saturday 18^th March, 22 talented junior athletes travelled to Slieve Croob for the U18 Trial, to select the team for the International in Annecy, France on the 27^th May. 

This race has for the last couple of years incorporated a Time Trial, with the benefit of allowing travelling athletes the opportunity to recce the course at pace, thus to some degree negating the ‘Home advantage’, an important consideration in a selection race. 

As Tracy Savage (Newcastle AC) and myself marked out the course, it quickly became apparent, that the weather was dictating some radical changes to the days racing. 

A second set of waterproofs later, the course had received minor adjustments, and lots of additional markers – in excess of 400! To ensure no athlete would get lost in the fog and rain coating the hillside. 

A quick phonecall to John Rogan, member of the Junior Mountain running subcommittee, to hold athletes in the carpark, rather than bring them up into the weather! 

Numbers and pins were brought to the cars, and registration was completed there, with the instruction for runners to gather beside the cars before embarking on a group recce of the course rather than an individual Time Trial. 

Once complete, after a pre race briefing, the rain slowed sufficiently for a start 15 mins later, with one single race. 

Despite the steepest descent being modified, the course was still extremely slippy, which played to the advantage of the more experienced mountain runners. 

Joshua Muckian, showed why he has been awarded U17 Athlete of the year (twice) to win again, with Ciaran McCarroll hot on his heels. Third placed Tiarnan McManus, 4^th Oliver Playfair and 5^th Krzysztof Sokol were only separated by 8 seconds, all new faces which bode well for the future of Junior Mountain Running. Patrick McDaid of Newcastle AC was 16 seconds back in 6^th, before a tightly packed group of Luke O’Doherty, Philip McGee and William McCauseland crossing the line 7^th – 9^th, with Charlie Fleck from the Glens of Antrim rounding out the top 10. 

Meanwhile in the girls race, newcomer and talented XC racer, Anna Russell, lead the way in a fantastic 14:11 with Jessica Blaney back to flying form in 2^nd in 14:40. Two of last year’s NIMRA athletes Eve Welsh and Niamh Campbell came in next 3^rd and 4^th, with first mountain race for Alannarose Farley in 5^th. 

A big thankyou to all the parents, coaches and helpers who marshalled, marked out and cleared the course, to make it such a success – even more appreciated in such challenging conditions. 

The selected athletes will now embark on a series of training events, also incorporating the first couple of Hill and Dales races in their preparation for France on the 25^th May. 

We wish them every success in their preparations. 

Position	Number	First Name	Last Name	TIME
1	1311	Joshua	Muckian	11:42
2	1310	Ciaran	McCarroll	11:47
3	1304	Tiarnan	McManus	12:02
4	1303	Oliver	Playfair	12:08
5	1314	Krzysztof	Sokol	12:10
6	1308	Patrick	McDaid	12:26
7	1322	Luke	O Doherty	12:52
8	1302	Philip	McGee	12:55
9	1309	William	Mc Causland	13:04
10	1315	Charlie	Fleck	13:21
11	1301	Yasin	Brannigan	13:33
12	1306	Oliver	Robinson	13:42
13	1312	Jacob	Crawford	13:52
14	1324	Euan	McIntosh	14:04
15	1300	Rhys	McManus	14:08
16	1323	Anna	Russell	14:11
17	1320	Jessica	Blaney	14:40
18	1305	Eoin	McConnell	14:52
19	1318	Eve	Welsh	14:57
20	1316	Niamh	Campbell	15:31
21	1319	Alannarose	Farley	15:54
22	1313	Caelan	McCracken