Competitors of all
IT was a busy weekend in local Wicklow athletics as the men’s and women’s novice cross-country races took place in Knockraheen, Roundwood on Sunday morning as well as the underage boys and girls events at the same venue.
Conditions for the event were somewhat overcast but ideal overall and all in all it was an enjoyable day for the athletes.
The novice individual women’s event was won by Catherine O’Connor or Parnell AC with Claire O’Callaghan of Glendalough AC in second and Annemarie Kenny, also of Parnell AC completing the podium places.
Catherine came home in a time of 16:42, 35 seconds ahead of second place. Times for the event were calculated based on laps 2-4 as well as the overall average lap time.
With the high placings of the Parnell women on the podium the club also took home the team prize with the lowest score of 10 points. This is calculated by adding up the finishing places of the team so the further up the leader board individual team members are, the lower the overall team score. Ashford AC came home in second with 10 points and Kilcoole AC were third on 28 points.
The Parnell’s club was also victorious in the individual men’s cross country race as Derek Crammond crossed the finishing line first in a time of21:09 to complete a memorable double for the club. David Coyle of Greystones and District AC was a close second, just 19 minutes adrift of the winner, in a time of 21:28 while Kilcoole AC completed the placings as their athlete Luke Lennon finished in a time of 21:43 with another Kilcoole athlete Brian Gurrin just missing out on a medal by 20 seconds in fourth place.
Crammond’s victory proved crucial in the team standings as Parnell AC claimed a clean sweep of victories in the men’s and women’s events. They pipped Kilcoole to victory in the team standings by a single point (25 points to Kilcoole’s 26) with all 4 of their runners finishing in the top 11 places. Greystones and District AC completed the podium for the team standings with 48 points.
It was also a hugely busy morning for the underage boys and girls runners with sections from under 6 all the way up to junior and under 18 taking place on Sunday.
Incredibly a total of 159 girls ran throughout the age groups with particularly strong starting numbers seen from under 8’s up to under 16 age groups.
Cait Duffy of Aughrim won the under 6 cross country event with Alia Harris (Ashford AC) and Ruth Howard (Greystones) in second and third respectively.
Rachel Conroy (Glendalough AC) won the under 8 race from Emma Byrne (Parnell AC) in second and Anya McKenna (Roundwood AC) in third. Kilcoole finished top of the team standings.
Roisín Murray (Bray Runners) won the under 10 race from Cassie O’Byrne (Aughrim AC) and Emma Lawlor (Ashford AC) and Ashford topping the team standings.
Chantelle Heatley (Roundwood) won the under 12 race from Ciara Colohan (Parnell AC) and Molly Sheehy (Ashford AC) in third with Ashford claiming the team prize with all their athletes finishing in the top 10.
Alex Carey, Louise O’Riordan and Lily Sheehy with first, second and third in the under 14 girl’s race respectively with Inbhear Dee AC claiming the team prize.
The under 16 girl’s event was won by Roisín Treacy (Ashford AC). Second place went to Aimee Bell King (Inbhear Dee AC) with her team mate and sister Bonnie Bell King finishing in third. The team prize went to Inbhear Dee AC.
Sarah O’Connor (Greystones AC) won a two person race in the under 18 section from Sarah Hayes (Roundwood AC).
Finally in the girls underage section the Junior race was won by Nicole Devitt. She finished ahead of her Inbhear Dee AC team mates Ailbhe Flynn in second and Hannah Blake in third in what was a three person race.
The underage boys sections drew a huge amount of participants across the age group as well with a total of 123 boys competing from under 6 up to under 18 and Junior.
Aidan McCaul (Ashford AC) won the under 6 section with Lucas Kavanagh (Roundwood and District AC) and Quad Scully (Greystones and District AC) completing the podium places.
Next up the under 8 event drew a 25 boy race. It was won by Riley Justice (Bray Runners) from Milo Malcolmson (Inbhear Dee AC) in second and Ben Evans (Kilcoole AC) in third. The team prize was won by Inbhear Dee.
The under 10 event was hotly contested with James Foot (Bray Runners) in first place, Aaron Fitzsimons, (Inbhear Dee AC) second and Leighton Gann (Parnell AC) in third. Roundwood and District AC were top of the overall team standings.
The under 12 section was won by Noah Harris (Ashford AC) from Bobby More (Bray Runners) in second and Brian McCaul (Ashford AC) in third. Ashford AC also claimed the team prize.
Paul Delahunty (Inbhear Dee AC) was the victor in the under 14 boys from Kai Fitzsimons (Greystones and District AC) in second and Tom Parker (Aughrim AC) in third. Inbhear Dee AC won the team event.
The under 16 boys was won by Joseph O’Shea (Ashford) with Joseph Prendergast (Greystones and District AC) second and Thomas O’Shea (Ashford AC) third. The team event was won by Greystones AC.
The under 18 event was claimed by Dylan Tarmey (Parnell AC), Troy Scully (Greystones and District AC) was next with James Byrne (Inbhear Dee AC) third. Inbhear Dee AC won the team prize.
Finally, James Byrne (Inbhear Dee AC) ran a race all of his own to win the Junior section in 23:43.