From the Juniors to the Masters
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Miriam Maher | Sep 16 2024, 1:20pm | This weekend showcased so many positive features of our community, highlighting all the benefits of our sport and what it can offer our members. At home, we had the hugely successful hosting of the annual British and Irish Junior Mountain Running Championships in Laragh, Wicklow. This event is hosted by each of the participating nations in turn and this year it was our turn. Over 90 juniors from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England took part in 4 races on Brockagh - U17 and U20. Elizabeth Wheeler will provide a more detailed update on the excellent performances and the achievements of our ever growing pool of young talent. But aside from races themselves, the whole event was a masterclass of organisation by Elizabeth and supported by a huge team of volunteers with many parents helping too. Our visitors from the other nations really enjoyed themselves and we were delighted to be their hosts. The future is very bright for all our juniors within IMRA and this annual event is a superb way for them to grow and develop year on year. Well done to Elizabeth, untold amount of hours of preparation went into the planning and delivery of this weekend. Alongside Elizabeth, Owen Connolly, one of our Junior Managers, was a powerhouse on logistics around the race and the results. Then aboard, we kept getting reports back all weekend of the amazing medal haul from the WMRA Masters in Canfranc, Spain. Waiting on a full tally that no doubt will be coming shortly - I'll leave it those returning to update us all on that. The huge Ireland contingent that went over, didn't come together by chance. This has been a work in progress over several months by the likes of Turlough Conway, Tom and Tricia Blackburn and others to ensure that those going over were well informed and updated about plans for the event. The reports from the Masters are always excellent and it's one for many people's bucket lists! Well done to everyone that raced and represented. It was great to see and hear about all the positive and rewarding experiences by all those involved in participating, racing or supporting in these events, here and away. A real feel good factor all weekend! Our races at home are our core activity but from those races the knock on possibilities of participating in events like this come about. So well done all. For myself, I hope to make it to the Masters one of these years. The FOMO increases year on year now. Miriam |
| Brendan Lawlor | Sep 17 2024, 8:36pm | Big well done to Liz and her great team of volunteers organizing the British and Irish Junior Championships. The photos looked amazing and congratulations to the Irish team who won medals. I was in Canfranc at the World Masters Hillrunning Championships where Irish Masters teams won lots of individual medals and dozens of team medals. We had nearly 80 athletes competing in three different races , one each on Friday ( 6km Uphill), Saturday ( 34km) and Sunday ( 17km Classic). There were also lots of supporters who travelled over. Congratulations to all the various medal winners and well done to everyone who competed or supported over there. This great interest and support for our Masters teams has been carefully nurtured by Tom and Tricia Blackburn, Turlough Conway, Sarah Whelan and several others over many years. The Irish team was the second largest group after the Spanish, which is a remarkable achievement for a World event.. long may it continue ! It was also mighty, mighty craic !! Please get in contact if you are interested in next years Masters events ( Europeans in Sicily in May, and Worlds in Northern Italy in late August) and Turlough will add you to the very popular Masters What’s app group |
