Busy Irish Times
Tristian Drute
The usually quiet mountain running month of August has seen a flurry of activity this year. In the North, the super-long Seven Sevens race was taken to a new level while Wednesday events were held in the South in support of Mountain Rescue and The Bubblegum Club charity.
Record-beater at the Seven Sevens
Long-time fans of Moire O’Sullivan’s exploits would have been pleased a few weekend’s ago as the hardy Derry-woman set a new course record in the Seven Sevens race in the Mourne Mountains of 5:19:37.
Moire O'Sullivan
Not to be outdone, Stephen Cunningham lowered the men’s record to 3:38:34 winning by a canter as Clive Bailey arrived in 4:46 and Dale Mathers in 4:47.
The course was run in a slightly different order than in previous years, Brian Ervine reports:
Slieve Donard and Commedagh were first as before, but then runners headed to Lamagan, Binnian, across Ben Crom Dam to Meelbeg, Meelmore, Bernagh and back to Newcastle…
Only two runners had previously broken the 4 hour mark in the eighteen year history of the event, but Cunningham smashed the 4 hour barrier in spectacular fashion. He clocked 3 hours 38 minutes 34 seconds to knock a massive 15 minutes 36 seconds off his clubmate Gary Bailey’s 2004 course record…
Moire O’Sullivan (Setanta OC) was also in record breaking form in the women’s race. The long distance specialist … was well inside Anne Sandford’s 2007 mark as she recorded 5.19.25, taking 30 minutes off the record.
For Stephen Cunningham and Shileen O’Kane could later celebrate as both had their names engraved on this year’s Championship trophy.
Also, in the North, the Lurig Challenge up Lurigeadan Mountain, Co. Antrim was won by Joe McAlister, St. Malachy’s, with the women’s title being taken by Shileen O’Kane, BARF. An impressive field of 222 runners turned out.
All results are online at NIMRA.
To the rescue at Ticknock
A simple 5k race had been picked by Dublin/Wicklow Mountain Rescue for their annual fund-raising event and 115 runners turned out to answer the call. Tristian Drute (Sligo AC) had a minute and a half on Anthony Malone (Clonliffe) and Paul Mahon (Setanta).
Caroline Reid (Dunboyne), the reigning Irish Champion, notched up another convincing victory as well ahead of seasoned competitor Fidelma Ayres (Rathfarnham) and Mary Leech.
The following week saw new sports retailers Basecamp team up with IMRA in support of the Bubblegum Foundation and here New Zealander Jason Reid (Rathfarnham WSAF) scored a tightly contested win against team-mate Turlough Conway. Ian O’Kane arrived with a chasing pack about three minutes later.
Results and pictures at IMRA.
Tibradden – Basecamp Race
Susan Seager (Crusaders AC) won ahead of Niamh Garvey (Raheny Shamrocks) and Bronagh Cheetham (Crusaders AC) in another domineering performance by the white-red ladies from Irishtown in Dublin. Another good introductory evening to the hills ended on a slightly sour note when one female runner suffered a very nasty fall on the rocky route at Tibradden.
Full results and picture at IMRA.
