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28 November, 2009

Christmas Flash 2000 Results
Date: 27 December 2000
A tight post Christmas battle on Bray Head resulted in a win for former international Paul Nolan and closed the door on the Irish Mountain Running Association's first millennium. A noted descender, Nolan held a slight advantage over another former international Francis Cosgrave at the summit turn on the Wicklow seaside town's most prominent landmark.
The race which covers 2.4 kilometres and climbs the 191 metres to the memorial cross overlooking Wicklow's Riviera was anything but summery. Sheets of ice lay underfoot as the runners neared the summit. Noted for his near suicidal descending, Cosgrave revelled in the tricky conditions and positively shot down the steep slope.
Halfway down, Nolan who had taken a slightly longer route down from the cross was still in the lead, but, as he hit the junction with Cosgrave's route, Francis had closed the gap. Cosgrave then shot past with Paul tucking in behind him. As the pair hit the lowest part of the race, Nolan responded, pushed again and the Killiney runner couldn't counter the attack.
In the women's race, the Kerry based former international Majella Diskin held off ultra runner Jane Watt and current international Eva Mulleady to win. David Healy had an excellent run to win the Under 20 junior men's category with Ted McCormack first in the Under 16 category and Jonathan Barry first in the Junior Juniors. Desie Shorten had a good win in the Over 40 vet's category with Graham Porter taking the Over 50s.