World Masters Report - Michael Gygax

04 October, 2015 - Pól Ó Murchú

Running into the history books
The 15th world masters mountain running championships was held across the water on the beautiful foothills of Snowdon mountain. Hosted in the village of Betws-y-Coed on Saturday the 12 Th of September, competitors were greeted on the course early morning by warm misty showers that gave way to autumn sunshine in the afternoon. The course composed of road, track, steep inclines and declines around forests and lakes. All those competing in the over 55 age category had 8.6 km to cover with the younger masters from v35 to 50 having to compete over 10.6 km. Over 75 is the cut off age for admission.

Ireland has never won a team title in these championships, so it was history in the making when the over 55 team won the gold medal with Germany and England in close pursuit. Martin Mc Donald a Laois farmer was second to a German, closely pursued by his teammate Gerard Maloney. Only a photo finish separated second and third such was the closeness at the end. Irelands third scorer Gerard Griffin from Limerick finished in sixth place running out of his skin for Ireland to pip Germany by two points.

Martin has been knocking on the podium door in these championships for two decades. In 2014 he finished third in the over 55 and medaled in the individual event for the first time, this time in an ascent only course in the rarefied air of the Alps near Innsbruck in Austria. His preparation for this event was hampered by broken ribs he sustained while falling on the descent of Sugarloaf race in July. From the start he trailed the German but was unable to reel him in. Martin started competing in his mid-twenties and has been prolific competitor as a senior and master athlete, on the road, cross country, the track indoor and out and his best terrain the mountains. At 58, years of age he still clocks 80 miles per week which is more comfortably achieved than the 120, miles he used to do as a senior athlete. His boyish looks and enthusiasm is certainly a good advertisement for a life lived actively. In 2011 he founded the newly formed athletic club Ballyroan Abbeylex and District Athletic Club where he coaches and trains young and old, all his family are actively involved in the club.

Gerard Maloney a bricklayer from Wexford only took up athletics when he was forty eight. He became a prolific master athlete running the roads and cross country, being a regular qualifier in the four nation’s championships. Fellow Wexford man Bernard Fortune invited him to join him running the hills and mountains and getting a bronze individual medal in these championships caught him totally by surprise. He considers that running downhill is his weakness but he has been actively practising his descent, one can only imagine that with this level of progress it’s only a matter of time before he will be vying for a world championship crown. In his first year running in the mountains in 2011 in the v 50 category he finished 8th place just behind was Martin Mc Donald and Gerard Griffin the third man, getting the silver medal from the Italians. He runs 5 days a week, all hard miles, no wastage, clocking 60 miles per week. He trains mainly alone. In 2015 he won the national 10 km road championships from Martin Mc Donald in 36 minutes, probably proving the adage that local rivalry morphs great champions.
Gerard Griffin from Limerick the third scorer and sixth place ran down the finish like a man possessed as two competitors in close pursuit tried unsuccessfully to pass him in the final straight. Gerard started his sporting life as a winger for Garryowen rugby club. On retirement from rugby he took to the roads and cross country but over the past decade the hills and mountains has been his playground. He says he trains or races in the mountains at least twice a week. He is a member of Mooreabbey Miler’s athletic club which is situated in Galbally Tipperary. A regular face on the Munster mountain scene, he usually wins his age category at local level. He was thrilled to be part of the winning trio in the V 55 category at the worlds.

The British swept the boards at these championships, with strength and depth one would expect on home ground from the best Scotland, Wales, England and those competitors from Northern Ireland who decide to compete for Great Britain, God Save the Queen dominated the closing ceremony with GB winning most individual and team titles. It was a proud moment when stars and stripes of USA, the German national flag, the Italian , the New Zealand and Irish flags were raised to the tune of their anthem for medal winners, individual and team.

Martin and the two Gerard’s have written themselves into history of mountain running.

The Irish teams excelled winning medals in most categories they entered. Zoe Melling was the only female participant from Ireland. Often our best runners do not compete internationally. We Irish have a great tradition in running and we could build on our success by being more organised and encouraging greater participation in these events. There are opportunities going amiss for many athletes who do not see it part of their vision to compete internationally, to excel individually and strengthen the depth of Irish team performances.

The mountains, lakes hills and rivers are calling, inviting participation. The older the competitors the broader the smile as they finished the course regardless of placement. The v 70s females danced up to the stage to collect their medals displaying a vitality of people half their age. It’s the fresh air, the friendship, the activity and the vision to exercise daily is a constant source of nourishment which lends credence to their reality that they inhabit Tir na nOg.

Results World Masters

12 September, 2015 - Gerry Brady

PROVISIONAL RESULTS

Gold team medals for Men’s 55-59 Team

The World Masters championships were first held in 1998 and up to 2015 Ireland had never won a team gold. Robin Bryson has an individual M40 gold from 2002 and Mags Greenan has a collection of individual gold medals but the best the teams could do were restricted to silver and bronze medals. That all changed in 2015 when the Irish team of Martin McDonald (2nd), Gerard Maloney (3rd), and Ger Griffin (6th) combined for a victory. All three runners largely held their places throughout the race but Gerard Maloney was being pursued hard for the bronze individual medal and the battle saw them almost catch Martin on the run-in. Arguably it was Ger Griffin’s run that made all the difference as he contained the chasing British runners who all needed to gain time on him.

The day started well when the M35-39 team won silver medals led home by Stephen Cleary in 11th place in a time of 46:01. In the M40s race the medals continued with Anthony Glover leading the team to bronze in 47:10. Tom Blackburn had his best ever run in 6th place in a time of 47:58 with the team in bronze. Mike Cunningham led the M50s to an unexpected silver with a time of 48:37.

Men 35-39 Individual (10.6 km / 500m climb, 32 finishers)
1. Zac Freudenburg (NL) 42:03
2. Simon Bailey (GBR) 42:21
3. Stephen Day (NZL) 43:11
11. Stephen Cleary (IRL) 46:01
13. Robert Cleary (IRL) 46:22
16. David McNeilly (IRL) 47:59
22. Seamus Kelly (IRL) 54:50
23. John Kelly (IRL) 54:53

Men 35-39 Team
1. Great Britain (42:21, 43:50, 44:27) 2:10:08
2. Ireland (46:01, 46:22, 47:59) 2:20:22
3. Italy (46:18, 47:02, 54:37) 2:27:57

Men 40-44 Individual (10.6 km / 500m climb, 34 finishers)
1. Morgan Donnelly (GBR) 42:25
2. Christopher Greenwood (GBR) 42:35
3. Giuseppe Antonini (ITA) 44:13
10. Anthony Glover (IRL) 47:10
17. Liam Dunne (IRL) 50:10
18. Alex Brennan (IRL) 50:13

Men 40-44 Team
1. Great Britain (42:25, 42:35, 44:47) 2:09:47
2. Italy (44:13, 47:37, 49:01) 2:20:51
3. Ireland (47:10, 50:10, 50:13) 2:27:33

Men 45-49 Individual (10.6 km / 500m climb, 43 finishers)
1. Karl Gray (GBR) 43:56
2. Martin Cox (GBR) 44:46
3. Tom Tipping (GBR) 46:40
6. Tom Blackburn (IRL) 47:58
14. Bernard Fortune (IRL) 49:29
24. Paul Synott (IRL) 52:36

Men 45-49 Team
1. Great Britain (43:56, 44:46, 46:40) 2:15:22
2. Italy (48:06, 49:35, 50:25) 2:28:06
3. Ireland (47:58, 49:29, 52:36) 2:30:03

Men 50-54 Individual (10.6 km / 500m climb, 50 finishers)
1. Craig Roberts (GBR) 44:17
2. Ben Reynolds (GBR) 44:39
3. Alan Bowness (GBR) 44:53
10. Mike Cunningham (IRL) 48:37
39. Michael Gygax (IRL) 59:58
44. Syl Ivers (IRL) 63:28

Men 50-54 Team
1. Great Britain (44:17, 44:39, 44:53) 2:13:49
2. Ireland (48:37, 59:58, 63:28) 2:52:03
3. Italy (51:22, 59:56, 62:42) 2:53:00

Men 55-59 Individual (8.7 km / 450m climb, 47 finishers)
1. Franz Prager (DEU) 40:35
2. Martin McDonald (IRL) 41:03
3. Gerard Maloney (IRL) 41:04
6. Ger Griffin (IRL) 42:07
38. Jorg Lorenz (IRL) 58:16

Men 55-59 Team
1. Ireland (41:03, 41:04, 42:07) 2:04:14
2. Great Britain (42:04, 42:23, 42:25) 2:06:52

Men 60-64 Individual (8.7 km / 450m climb, 43 finishers)
1. Marino Portigliotti (ITA) 42:45
2. Stephen Jones (GBR) 43:11
3. Nigel Gates (GBR) 43:49
24. Sean O’Neill (IRL) 51:15

Men 60-64 Team
1. Great Britain (43:11, 43:49, 44:42) 2:11:42
2. Italy (42:45, 46:31, 47:23) 2:16:39
3. Germany (45:09, 48:42, 49:43) 2:23:34

Men 65-69 Individual (8.7 km / 450m climb, 36 finishers)
1. Bernard Front (GBR) 43:43
2. Franco Valle (ITA) 44:25
3. Reinhart Vogler (GER) 44:47

Men 65-69 Team
1. Great Britain (43:43, 47:43, 48:37) 2:20:03
2. Italy (44:25, 50:23, 51:12) 2:26:00

Men 70-74 Individual (8.7 km / 450m climb, 21 finishers)
1. Geoffrey Howard (GBR) 48:57
2. Martin Ford (GBR) 50:49
3. Jeffrey Norman (GBR) 51:18

Men 70-74 Team
1. Great Britain (48:57, 50:49, 51:18) 2:31:04

Men 75+ Individual (8.7 km / 450m climb, 8 finishers)
1. Norman Bush (GBR) 48:57
2. Georg Gross (GER) 50:08
3. Peter Covey (GBR) 54:56

Men 75+ Team
1. Germany (50:08, 55:02, 59:20) 2:44:30
2. Great Britain (48:57, 54:46, 72:55) 2:56:48

Women 35-39 Individual (10.6 km / 500m climb, 7 finishers)
1. Anna Lupton (GBR) 49:22
2. Katie Beecher (GBR) 50:54
3. Paola Romanin (ITA) 54:22

Women 35-39 Team
1. Great Britain (49:22, 50:54, 60:28) 2:40:44

Women 40-44 Individual (10.6 km / 500m climb, 13 finishers)
1. Helen Berry (GBR) 50:16
2. Shona Robertson (GBR) 51:34
3. Paula Canning (NZL) 51:54

Women 40-44 Team
1. Great Britain (50:16, 51:34, 53:00) 2:34:50

Women 45-49 Individual (10.6 km / 500m climb, 21 finishers)
1. Lucy Elliott (GBR) 52:42
2. Elke Keller (GER) 53:14
3. Judith Jepson (GBR) 53:44
17. Zoe Melling (IRL) 64:14

Women 45-49 Team
1. Great Britain (52:42, 53:44, 54:34) 2:41:00

Women 50-54 Individual (10.6 km / 500m climb, 15 finishers)
1. Sally Gibbs (NZL) 53:19
2. Elise Orten (NOR) 53:36
3. Suzanne Budgett (GBR) 56:57

Women 50-54 Team
1. Great Britain (56:57, 58:15, 59:39) 2:54:51

Women 55-59 Individual (8.7 km / 450m climb, 20 finishers)
1. Ali Keates (GBR) 47:16
2. Nancy Hobbs (USA) 48:40
3. Jackie Casey (GBR) 49:16

Women 55-59 Team
1. Great Britain (47:16, 49:16, 58:10) 2:34:42
2. Germany (51:47, 52:23, 52:50) 2:37:00

Women 60-64 Individual (8.7 km / 450m climb, 17 finishers)
1. Ann-Marie Jones (GBR) 48:31
2. Sue Haslam (GBR) 52:06
3. Patricia Goodall (GBR) 52:11

Women 60-64 Team
1. Great Britain (48:31, 52:06, 52:11) 2:32:48

Women 65-69 Individual (8.7 km / 450m climb, 9 finishers)
1. Lou Lyness (GBR) 54:30
2. Alison Brentnall (GBR) 56:52
3. Irmgard Olma (GER) 60:04

Women 65-69 Team
1. Great Britain (54:30, 55:52, 64:21) 2:54:43

Women 70-74 Individual (8.7 km / 450m climb, 4 finishers)
1. Brenda Jones (GBR) 67:15
2. Haldis Nagell-Dahl (NOR) 71:37
3. Eva Carlsen (NOR) 76:25