Ulster Championship
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Rónán Davison-Kernan | Aug 28 2024, 9:22am | The inaugural Ulster Championship concluded on Saturday with Morune Runners' Two Towers race. The aim of this new championship was to promote races across Ulster - especially outside the Mournes, and to deepen IMRA/NIMRA co-operation. It was great to see so many people willing to make the trip to races from all over. The Carnaween race in Donegal was a particular highlight and hopefully we will see more excellent races in the west of Ulster in future. 35 people completed the championship (24 male/11 female). In the men's competition, Ryan Stewart narrowly pipped Armagh AC men Keith Johnston and Paul McAnespie for the title. Rare to see Antrim come out ahead of Armagh, but Ryan's relocation to the kingdom of Mourne and improving ability to not get lost or neglect to use a dibber has proved to be the secret sauce for seeing off Keith, whose training schedule is rumoured to have been disrupted by obligations to his sponsors Mac in a Sac and his various media appearances. In the women's category Newry's Esther Dickson added the Ulster championship to her Irish championship title, narrowly edging out Jog Lisburn's Karen Wilton. Experts that if Karen focuses her training on not stopping to pet dogs during races she might have the edge next year, but she'll have to reckon with Esther's furious downhill pace and ability to sniff out the best lines like a bloodhound. Canada's loss is Tyrone's gain, with Alexa James of Carmen Runners rounding out the podium, despite missing the Mullaghcarn race due to being race director. Thank you to everyone who took park and thank you especially to the RDs and to IMRA for supporting the championship. Prizegiving details TBC |
| Peter McEvoy | Aug 28 2024, 11:54am | Great series thanks for organising (and yep it was class to get across to Donegal for a race out west) |
| Aaron Montgomery | Aug 28 2024, 11:57am | This was a brilliant wee Championship. I wasn't planning on doing this league but I had signed up for Glenariff Spud Run and just got it done as I was at the tail end of a sicky not well week. When looking up the results I seen it was part of the Ulster Championship and as I had an IMRA number I decided to do 2 more for giggles. I ended up doing all 5 and so glad I did. It is a brilliant wee league with no one course being the same and all having unbelievable scenery and well organised races, taking us to different locations which we would never go to if it wasn't for this league. I will definitely take part again next year. Thanks. |
| Pearse Brogan | Aug 28 2024, 10:09pm | Was a great series with plenty keen to travel to new surroundings to test their craft. A nice spread of counties represented and each race had its own unique character so one race to the next was going to throw something different at you. Personally was nice to run at both Carnaween (parish where my grandfather hailed from) and Two Towers (Meelmore is a stone throw from my back garden). Big thanks to Alexa & Rosy for putting the new races on and to Rónán DK and IMRA for putting the championship all together. Already looking forward to next year. On a side note somebody else can do the driving up to Donegal next year, felt sinful drinking 0.0 in O’Neills in Letterbarrow! |
