Jason Kehoe

20 September, 2010

U14, U16, U18 Turnaround points.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Jason.Kehoe/BRITISHANDIRISHJUNIORCAMADERRY19thSept2010?feat=directlink

Gerry Brady

19 September, 2010

Excellent photos by John Shiels now up on the website, john@actionphotography.ie

The annual junior mountain running international was held in a wet Glendalough, County Wicklow. The route started at the Education Centre beside the upper lake and followed the forest track up onto the grassy ridge up Camaderry. As the runners climbed the ridge a spectacular Wicklow mountain vista (and the Heavens above!) opened around them in all directions.

On a day where it did not stop raining, the IMRA volunteers matched the Irish athletes in their performance. Peter O’Farrell (course Director), Vivian O’Gorman (start/finish Director), Sinead Roche (results Director) and Mags and Sinead Greenan (accommodation and teams liaision Directors) and their many helpers made everything run smoothly.

Race results are up on three separate web pages (under 14, 16 and 18). Congratulations to the athletes from all five countries and their managers for producing a very competitive series of races. The Irish girls under 16 and 18 teams won silver medals while the boys under 16 and 18 won bronze medals. This was the first time since 2002 for all four Irish teams to win medals, and the first occasion that Ireland won individual medals in three of the international races.

Ethan O’Neill (St. Laurence O’Toole) was runner-up in the boys under 14 race just ahead of Julian Martin (DSD). Dundrum South Dublin provided the first three finishers in the girls under 14 race with Ella Fennelly winning.

Clare McCarthy (IRL) had a superb run to win silver in the girls under 16. She led the International Youths under 17 champion, Ffion Price (WAL), at the top of the ascent and made the Welsh champion fight for a hard-earned victory. Killian Mooney (IRL) took an excellent bronze in the under 16 boys. He had to race all the way to the line as only a few seconds separated Kristian Edwards (ENG) in silver and Sam Burgess (SCO) in fourth. These two individual medals really buoyed up the determination and confidence of our under 18s.

Niamh Denny (IRL) was to the front from the start and reached the top in contention. She ran a brave descent but the two experienced English girls, Laura Riches and Becky Taylor, took the silver and bronze medals. Catherina Mullen (IRL) finished in fifth and has substantially improved her descending skills. Up front Scout Adkin (SCO) ran well for a convincing victory. Kevin Dooney (IRL) won silver in the boys under 18 race. He led at the turn and battled all the way to finish only 16 seconds behind Peter Harrison (SCO) and six seconds ahead of Jamie Stevenson (SCO). James Speight (NIR) finished in contention in sixth position.

Scotland pipped England and Ireland for the overall City of Edinburgh trophy. The four Irish managers - Mags Greenan, Leo Mahon, Eddie McDonagh and Mary McKenna - can be proud of the performances of their teams.

IMRA would like to thank: the National Parks and Wildlife Service for allowing us to hold the race in the national park and in particular Hugh McLindon for making everything much easier on the day; Patricia and Tara and the staff in the International Youth Hostel; Aisling Coppinger for a wonderful set of technical-shirts in a wide variety of colours, designs, and sizes; Austin Mooney of the Business Houses Athletics Association for the use of their clock, and Athletics Ireland for their support, gantry, kites, and moral support with the presence of the President Liam Hennessy.

SUMMARY RESULTS

Girls under 14: 1. Ella Fennelly (DSD) 16:55; 2. Kate Murray (DSD) 18:16; 3. Cassie Murphy (DSD) 22:17.

Boys under 14: 1. Logan Rees (Fife AC) 14:17; 2. Ethan O’Neill (St. Laurence O’Toole) 14:20; 3. Julian Martin (DSD) 15:26.

Girls under 16: 1. Ffion Price (WAL) 22:14; 2. Clare McCarthy (IRL) 22:43; 3. Halina Rees (SCO) 22:44. Teams: 1. Scotland (3,4,5) 12; 2. Ireland (2,8,12) 22; 3. Wales (1,7,14) 22; 4. England (6,9,11) 26; 5. Northern Ireland (13,16,17) 46.

Boys under 16: 1. Felix McGrath (ENG) 24:02; 2. Kristian Edwards (ENG) 24:25; 3. Killian Mooney (IRL) 24:27. Teams: 1. England (1,2,6) 9; 2. Scotland (4,5,7) 16; 3. Ireland (3,9,10) 22; 4. Wales (8,13,14) 35.

Girls under 18: 1. Scout Adkin (SCO) 27:22; 2. Laura Riches (ENG) 27:47; 3. Becky Taylor (ENG) 27:58. Teams: 1. England (2,3,7) 12; 2. Ireland (4,5,9) 18; 3. Scotland (1,6,11) 18; 4. Wales (8,13,14) 35.

Boys under 18: 1. Peter Harrison (SCO) 27:46; 2. Kevin Dooney (IRL) 28:02; 3. Jamie Stevenson (SCO) 28:08. Teams: 1. Scotland (1,3,8) 12; 2. England (4,5,9) 18; 3. Ireland (2,12,15) 29; 4. Wales (7,10,16) 33; 5. Northern Ireland (6,11,19) 36.

Overall trophy: 1. Scotland 7; 2. England 8; 3. Ireland 10; 4. Wales 15; 5. Northern Ireland 20.