Gerry Brady

11 September, 2011

Junior women: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157627660474786/
Junior men: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157627536487849/
Senior women: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157627660718054/
Senior men: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157627536920037/

Results: http://www.corsainmontagna.it/admin/upload/Risultati%20Tirana.pdf

Mark Ryan and Eoghan Totten had the best individual Irish performances when they finished 26th in a tough senior mens race and 24th in the junior mens race. Eoghan was 11% behind the winning time and Mark 13%.

Temperatures on the course just south of Tirana Albania were in the mid 30s, some of the course was run through a building site covered in cement dust, and there was a steep dusty windy descent at the top of the course. These hazards led to a busy first aid tent.

The junior women's race was the first off. With the early part of the course not properly marked with half an hour to go, it did not inspire confidence in the athletes. An early start by around 8 minutes further added to the strangeness of the event. Nevertheless youths champion Lea Einfalt (SLO) had a convincing win with Turkey taking the team title. Catherina Mullen started well for Ireland but Louise Hil-Stirling came through to be best Irish finisher in 22nd with the team finishing in 10th out of 15 countries which was broadly similar to the 2009 result. Louise was within 17% of the winners time and Catherina 20%.

The junior men were next. Eoghan Totten and Killian OConnor started well in the top 20 but the heat and the course took their toll. Adem Karagoz (TUR) won by 39 seconds from Columbian Saul Padua Rodriguez. Eoghan Totten held on well for 24th which is the highest Irish performance in this category in many years. The other three runners finished together in the low 40s. Turkey won the team race with Ireland 12th which is our best since 2004. The team packed well with the 4th runner James Egan within 19% of the winners time. Hugh Armstrong and Killian O Connor had good debuts and, like Totten, will be eligible again in 2012.

In the senior women, Great Britain had three runners in the top six on the first lap and they were still there going into the climb on the second lap. However American Kasie Enman came through to win the individual race and the Italians came through to win the team race. Her time would have put her just outside the top 20 in the junior mens race. Enman ran 2:37.14 for the marathon in 2008. Sarah Mulligan started well but was gradually reeled in by Sarah McCormack who finished 37th and by Donna Mahon who worked her way through the field. Ireland finished 11th. Fiona Clinton got to within 500m of the finish before being forced to stop suffering from dehydration.

The large senior men field hurtled down the steep descent raising a dust storm. The Ugandans had five runners in the top six after thefirst kilometre but as the race continued they slipped (literally) back through the field to finish sixth team. Uganda looked set for individual victory with around 1500m to go but their lead runner became badly dehydrated and it was American Max King who took the victory as reward for his strong descending skills. Brian MacMahon was leading Irish runner for most of the race but Mark Ryan was catching him on the descents and he eventually pulled away on the last lap to finish in 26th which is our best placing on an up and down course since Robin Brysons fourth in 1993 in France. Brian stayed well up for 35th only 16% behind the winner on a course and temperature that did not suit him. James Kevan was going well on the first two laps with Ian Conroy and Barry Minnock not far behind. On the last lap Minnock caught them and Brian Furey passed the dehydrating Conroy. Italy came through the field for another team victory from Turkey with Ireland in ninth which is our highest placing since 1993, largely earned by all six runners finishing within 22% of the winners time. Brian Furey had an encouraging World championships debut.

Junior women
1. Lea Einfalt (SLO) 20:23
2. Cesminaz Yilmaz (TUR) 20:36
3. Denisa Ionela Dragomir (ROU) 20:44
22. Louise Hill-Stirling 23:48
28. Catherina Mullen 24:33
42. Eadaoin OReilly 27:26

Junior women team
1. Turkey (2,4) 6
2. Romania (3,8) 11
3. Slovenia (1,13) 14
10. Ireland (22,28) 50

Junior men
1. Adem Karagoz (TUR) 37:01
2. Saul Padua Rodriguez (COL) 37:40
3. Murat Orak (TUR) 38:05
24. Eoghan Totten 41:07
42. Hugh Armstrong 43:42
43. Killian OConnor 43:48
44. James Egan 43:59

Junior men team
1. Turkey (1,3,8) 12
2. Poland (6,7,9) 22
3. Italy (5,13,14) 32
12. Ireland (24,42,43) 109

Senior women
1. Kasie Enman (USA) 40:39
2. Elena Rukhlyada (RUS) 41:47
3. Marie-Laure Dumergues (FRA) 42:23
37. Sarah McCormack 48:54
43. Donna Mahon 51:25
45. Sarah Mulligan 52:44

Senior women team
1. Italy (7,8,9) 24
2. Czech Republic (4,11,15) 30
3. Great Britain (5,10,16) 31
11. Ireland (37, 43,45) 125

Senior men
1. Max King (USA) 52:06
2. Ahmet Arslan (TUR) 52:41
3. Martin Dematteis (ITA) 52:57
26. Mark Ryan 58:56
35. Brian MacMahon 60:23
53. Barry Minnock 62:14
57. James Kevan 62:46
59. Brian Furey 62:59
62. Ian Conroy 63:31

Senior men team
1. Italy (3,4,5,14) 26
2. Turkey (2,13,20,30) 65
3. France (6,10,17,44) 77
9. Ireland (26,35,53,57) 171