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28 November, 2009

There were some excellent performances in the college championships, and final Winter league race, on a day when it rained before, during, and after the race.

The national intermediate cross-country champion, Orla Ni Mhuircheartaigh from Galway, won a very competitive womens race ahead of two members of the 2007 Irish World Trophy team. Aisling Coppinger joined Orla in the lead on the steep climb to the top. Aoife Joyce was close behind with the two leaders well in sight. Aisling and Orla continued their battle down the new Coillte tracks but once they hit the Wicklow Way, Orla pulled away for an impressive win in her debut mountain race. Niamh OBoyle and Sarah Heal won the silver and bronze individual college medals.

The mens race was a tight affair with just over a minute separating the first seven. Irish junior international Ciaran Collins, from University of Ulster, moved into the lead towards the top of the climb and held it all the way to the finish. Stephen Cleary (DCU) pulled off a surprise second place ahead of Colm Mullen in a sprint to the line. Neil Cowzer from UCD and DSD edged out Shane ORourke for fourth place overall and a bronze medal in the colleges championship.

UCD men were convincing winners of the colleges team race while Trinity had a narrow win over the Waterford Institute of Technology in the womens race. In all representatives from seven colleges participated in the race. Queens from Belfast were unfortunate to have problems travelling to the race.

Eva Fairmaner and Colm Rothery won the 40 category edging out Eithne McShane and Mick Hanney. Jane Porter and Henny Brandsma won the 50 with Jim Fitzharris in very close attendance, and Kathleen Bent and Brendan Doherty the 60 & over category. Top juniors were Sanni Kymalainen (Setanta) and Jason Wilson (UU).
In the club race, Crusaders took the womens prize and Sli Cualann the mens.

On a fast but challenging course, performances down the field that stood out were the runs by Geraldine OShea and Tony Kiernan. The course with a little add-on (turn up the top half of the usual ride and run down towards the Dargle river before turning back onto the WW) could make a nice LL race.

A special thanks to all of the volunteers who did a magnificent job in difficult conditions, and to photographers John Shiels and Lindie Naughton who had an even more difficult job managing with the heavy rain.

Women (colleges)
1. Orla Ni Mhuircheartaigh (UCG) 32.27
2. Niamh OBoyle (TCD) 36.15
3. Sarah Heal (TCD) 40.35
4. Emma Farrell (WIT) 42.40
5. Laura Morrogh (BPP) 43.13
6. Lisa McMahon (WIT) 4.56
7. Cassandra Hogan (WIT) 55.55
8. Audrey Martin (TCD) 56.33

Men (colleges)
1. Ciaran Collins (UU) 28.14
2. Stephen Cleary (DCU) 28.45
3. Neil Cowzer (UCD) 29.03
4. Cathal Jenkinson (UCD) 29.20
5. Kenneth Nugent (UCD) 29.46
6. Tim Grummell (UCD) 29.56
7. Niall McAlinden (TCD) 30.26
8. Jason Wilson (UU) 31.59
9. Kevin OReilly (Military cadets) 32.14
10. Daniel Morrogh (Military cadets) 33.27
11. Brian Pierce (UCD) 35.23
12. Graeme Towell (Military cadets) 37.20
13. Stuart Scott (UCD) 42.34
14. Christian Foley-Fisher (TCD) 56.39

Women team (colleges)
1. TCD 13 (2,3,8)
2. WIT 17 (4,6,7)

Men team (colleges)
1. UCD 12 (3,4,5)
2. Military cadets 31 (9,10,12)

CLUB TEAM COMPETITION
Men
1. Sli Cualann 42 (Colm Mullen 3, Mick Hanney 16, Cormac OCeallaigh 23)
2. Crusaders AC 45 (Shane ORourke 5, Rene Borg 15, Gavan Doherty 25)
3. Setanta 90 (Andreas Kusch 28, Kevin ORiordan 30, Sean Hassett 32)
4. Frostbite 104 (Kevin Belton 21, John Belton 27, Ivor Banim 56)

Women
1. Crusaders AC 16 (Aoife Joyce 3, Niamh ni Cholmain 6, Eva Fairmaner 7)

Crusaders AC win the Winter League overall team prizes for both men and women.

Overall rankings: href="http://www.imra.ie/ad-hoc/WL2008cluboverall1-5.pdf">here</a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lindie/sets/72157604151731862/"> Additional photos </a>

Gerry Brady

11 February, 2009

There were some excellent performances in the college championships, and final Winter league race, on a day when it rained before, during, and after the race.

The national intermediate cross-country champion, Orla Ni Mhuircheartaigh from Galway, won a very competitive womens race ahead of two members of the 2007 Irish World Trophy team. Aisling Coppinger joined Orla in the lead on the steep climb to the top. Aoife Joyce was close behind with the two leaders well in sight. Aisling and Orla continued their battle down the new Coillte tracks but once they hit the Wicklow Way, Orla pulled away for an impressive win in her debut mountain race. Niamh OBoyle and Sarah Heal won the silver and bronze individual college medals.

The mens race was a tight affair with just over a minute separating the first seven. Irish junior international Ciaran Collins, from University of Ulster, moved into the lead towards the top of the climb and held it all the way to the finish. Stephen Cleary (DCU) pulled off a surprise second place ahead of Colm Mullen in a sprint to the line. Neil Cowzer from UCD and DSD edged out Shane ORourke for fourth place overall and a bronze medal in the colleges championship.

UCD men were convincing winners of the colleges team race while Trinity had a narrow win over the Waterford Institute of Technology in the womens race. In all representatives from seven colleges participated in the race. Queens from Belfast were unfortunate to have problems travelling to the race.

Eva Fairmaner and Colm Rothery won the 40 category edging out Eithne McShane and Mick Hanney. Jane Porter and Henny Brandsma won the 50 with Jim Fitzharris in very close attendance, and Kathleen Bent and Brendan Doherty the 60 & over category. Top juniors were Sanni Kymalainen (Setanta) and Jason Wilson (UU).
In the club race, Crusaders took the womens prize and Sli Cualann the mens.

On a fast but challenging course, performances down the field that stood out were the runs by Geraldine OShea and Tony Kiernan. The course with a little add-on (turn up the top half of the usual ride and run down towards the Dargle river before turning back onto the WW) could make a nice LL race.

A special thanks to all of the volunteers who did a magnificent job in difficult conditions, and to photographers John Shiels and Lindie Naughton who had an even more difficult job managing with the heavy rain.

Women (colleges)
1. Orla Ni Mhuircheartaigh (UCG) 32.27
2. Niamh OBoyle (TCD) 36.15
3. Sarah Heal (TCD) 40.35
4. Emma Farrell (WIT) 42.40
5. Laura Morrogh (BPP) 43.13
6. Lisa McMahon (WIT) 4.56
7. Cassandra Hogan (WIT) 55.55
8. Audrey Martin (TCD) 56.33

Men (colleges)
1. Ciaran Collins (UU) 28.14
2. Stephen Cleary (DCU) 28.45
3. Neil Cowzer (UCD) 29.03
4. Cathal Jenkinson (UCD) 29.20
5. Kenneth Nugent (UCD) 29.46
6. Tim Grummell (UCD) 29.56
7. Niall McAlinden (TCD) 30.26
8. Jason Wilson (UU) 31.59
9. Kevin OReilly (Military cadets) 32.14
10. Daniel Morrogh (Military cadets) 33.27
11. Brian Pierce (UCD) 35.23
12. Graeme Towell (Military cadets) 37.20
13. Stuart Scott (UCD) 42.34
14. Christian Foley-Fisher (TCD) 56.39

Women team (colleges)
1. TCD 13 (2,3,8)
2. WIT 17 (4,6,7)

Men team (colleges)
1. UCD 12 (3,4,5)
2. Military cadets 31 (9,10,12)

CLUB TEAM COMPETITION
Men
1. Sli Cualann 42 (Colm Mullen 3, Mick Hanney 16, Cormac OCeallaigh 23)
2. Crusaders AC 45 (Shane ORourke 5, Rene Borg 15, Gavan Doherty 25)
3. Setanta 90 (Andreas Kusch 28, Kevin ORiordan 30, Sean Hassett 32)
4. Frostbite 104 (Kevin Belton 21, John Belton 27, Ivor Banim 56)

Women
1. Crusaders AC 16 (Aoife Joyce 3, Niamh ni Cholmain 6, Eva Fairmaner 7)

Crusaders AC win the Winter League overall team prizes for both men and women.