Unknown

28 November, 2009

<a href="http://www.imra.ie/ad-hoc/Irish%20University%20Chams.htm"> <B>College Results</B> </a>

I would like to start with an apology, you may remember from last year&#8217;s report that it was noted that the published distance was wrong. The new distance may have made it onto the website but was still wrong on the printed calendar. 10.5km is a more accurate distance for this challenging route which is to be used (although may be slightly modified) for the World Trophy Trial on 17th July.

See link above for College Results. We had the usual small entry from colleges around the country but were very happy to see all four provinces represented, thanks to all who travelled. We are aware that the timing and format of this event does not particularly suit the student scene. Prior to the race we had a few good suggestions from Vincent O&#8217;Sullivan (ex UCD) as to where this event might go, these have been handed over to the new committee.

Thanks again to all who followed our directions re car-pooling and parking in the remote car park. One small point though, if we need to park on the road side (which we try to avoid) passing spaces must be left. If there is a continuous line of parked cars other motorist who cannot get through get annoyed and report the bad parking. The next race in Ticknock is a notorious place for this to happen, DON&#8217;T leave your car on the road, bring it into the forest, to the second set of car parks there is plenty of room, though not enough to abandon car pooling.

From the race results you will see 111 runners completed the race, however at shortly after 11.00 at least 121 set out on the exceptionally well marked route (thanks Ruairi). The gruelling terrain had a few casualties who limped, or were ferried, home and the new automated system finally showed its valued but was merciless to anyone without a number.

It was nice to see a student Bryan Keane (NCAD) as the overall winner but did you know that he cycled from the Northside of the city to the race after being persuaded to leave his bed by bother Kevin who was one of the casualties. Eoin Keith was the bridesmaid again but might be consoled with a faster time on a course that contained an extra uphill finish. Probably it was a little short for Eoin after his recent 100km in the Park.

Again the first female student home Kerry Harty (UU)was the overall lady winner followed very shortly by Maureen Foley, Biboa AC.

My recent comments about vet. runners taking over must have stung the &#8220;boys band generation&#8221; no vets. in the first three or was this a student aberration and normal service resumes in two weeks. One vet. who did very well was Richard Rodgers, chairman of NIMRA , how come we never had a chairman who could run like that? Richard took the vet. position with 10 seconds to spare over Tom Blackurn.

There was much comment on the new footpath put in by volunteers from Mountain Meitheal on the decent to the Dargle from the Maulin side. Those of us that have been visiting this area for some time will remember this as a grassy slope with very little human impact, however over recent years it has become very heavily eroded firstly by traffic of all kinds and then inevitably by water. Yes, it would be preferably if path did not need to be built but they do in certain places and it is preferably to see them built with natural material to hand by mountain users rather than put out to contract. You will have a chance to support this work as the proceeds of WL5 are being donated to Mountain Meitheal who like ourselves are an affiliated club of MCI (Mountain Council of Ireland) they also periodically ask for members to volunteer for work parties