Leinster Winter League 2025
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Joseph Boyle | Jan 1 2025, 4:23pm | This is just a message to highlight the details of the upcoming Leinster Winter League that begins in a little over two weeks and it’s hard to believe the previous Leinster calendar has only been completed less that a week ago. Thanks to Liam and the committee involved in putting on such an extensive calendar for 2025 and just to highlight that all the information is not 100% complete yet so please don’t have endless posts about races coming up later in the year. Please disregard the league details for this league for now, they’ve still to be updated. The LWL will comprise of 5 races in 2025 with your best 3 results to count for the overall league, will Anna Cronin and Enda Cloake defend their titles from last year? Four of the races are carried over from last year with one new race “Carrick Winter”, I’m told that this is a totally new route and as Niamh is the RD, I can totally believe that. For the league Niamh is also down as race marker for the other two Wicklow races, therefore I’d suggest you wear footwear with decent grip for the three races, because from experience in 2024 she not a fan of fire roads. The other two races are Mullaghmeen and Howth, however both are to be finalised but will be different routes from last year. Mullaghmeen that was run in an anti-clockwise direction last year for the first time has still to be finalised due to works being carried out be Coillte. Lawrence and the team from St Brigid’s who put on a brilliant race each year will keep us informed. Howth is moving to the other side of the road and will be run along a coastal route on a looped course from the summit carpark with views of Howth Harbour, Ireland’s Eye, Lambay Island and on a good day Rockabill. There’ll also be the option of a swim after the race in Welton’s Bay just below the start/finish. A map will be uploaded soon. As mentioned, the first race of the league is a little over two weeks away and Rob Costello is the Race Director for this race and I’d like to ask for volunteers for it as currently there are only 3 registered, also I’m sure Rob will be on the forum shortly in relation to car parking, car sharing and registration location. For all the races following on could you please put your name down early if you intend to volunteer, as has been said on many previous occasions the races can’t go ahead without your help and please don’t always leave it to the same people. Just to note that the races generally open for registration on the Monday prior to the race and will be open until 18:00 the evening before. If there is a limit to the number allowed to run, it’ll be posted on the Details page for the race. New numbers for the year will be issued when you register for your first race of the year and this number will be yours for the remainder of 2025. Finally I’d just like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and best of luck with your goals for the year. |
| REBECCA CAROLAN | Jan 2 2025, 7:28pm | Joseph, happy to volunteer for Howth winter - is experience needed for the shadow laptop operator? |
| Joseph Boyle | Jan 3 2025, 8:53pm | Rebecca, thanks for offer for Howth, no experience needed for Shadow Laptop. Put your name down and I'll approve. |
| Joseph Boyle | Jan 5 2025, 11:55am | With the start of the season just 2 weeks away now, volunteering for the first Brockagh race is coming on well with all of the principle roles filled, however as this is the first race of the Leinster season it'll be very busy for registration and it still requires quite a few volunteers. The second race a week later in Carrick has very few volunteers at this stage, therefore this is a shoutout for this race and the following races in the series. Thanks again to everyone who's volunteered to date. |
| Joseph Boyle | Jan 17 2025, 8:43am | A quick update on the LWL2025; I've been informed of the following revision for the Winter League in particular. There will be random kit checks before and after the races. As a minimum participants should carry a jacket, hat/buff and gloves as standard kit for Winter league. There is still a requirement if the need arises on the day to have the full Level B kit available to you. While the first race this weekend is well covered for volunteers the remainder of the races still have no Laptop operator listed and most have no First Aid person, these are two of the essential roles, so if you've done the training would you consider stepping up in the coming weeks. We also need general volunteers for most of the races after Brockagh. |
| Angus Tyner | Jan 17 2025, 10:21pm | What would be useful to me, is if the mandatory kit for a race is announced on the forum thread for the race when it is known. So if parking remotely, any kit not required can be left behind. I know, it's another task, internet may be iffy...but just putting the suggestion out there. |
| Joseph Boyle | Jan 20 2025, 11:15am | Angus, excellent point and we'll take it on board for the rest of the LWL25. However parking for the rest of the races will be fairly local to registration and race start. As mentioned previously there will still be the minimum requirement of jacket, hat/buff and gloves, with Cat B requirements in your transport. Obviously if unforeseen circumstances arise between the posting of the kit list on the evening before and race registration the following morning the requirement will be updated on the registration board. |
| Mark McAdden | Jan 29 2025, 3:46pm | Hi Joey,I was out in mullaghmeen today, half the forest appears to have fallen in the storm, the carpark is completely covered in fallen trees. I doubt that it will be able to host a race in 3 weeks!. |
| Joseph Boyle | Jan 29 2025, 4:35pm | Thanks Mark, Lar has filled us in and sent photos of the carpark. We have a few options for a replacement and hope to announce it after the weekend. |
| Mark McAdden | Jan 29 2025, 5:20pm | Ye it's pretty extensive, be a few months of a clean up in it I'd say. Good to hear yee have a replacement, thanks joey. |
| Joseph Boyle | Feb 4 2025, 10:51am | We'd just like to confirm that this year due to the devastation caused in Mullaghmeen by the recent storms that the race there on the 16th February is cancelled. A replacement race has been organised at short notice by Angela Flynn and Graham Bushe to round off the Leinster Winter League. The changes will be made to the website and the race details uploaded in the near future. As we seem to be on a roll with volunteers at the moment, we're going to need a full list as the volunteers from Mullaghmeen won't carry forward to Kilmacanogue. |
| Alan Kennedy | Feb 4 2025, 10:58am | Thanks Joey and to Angela & Graham for stepping up. Will the new race be on the same day? |
| Joseph Boyle | Feb 4 2025, 11:03am | Alan, same day as Mullagmeen was listed so as not to clash with Dysart Woods. |
| Peter O'Farrell | Feb 17 2025, 3:20pm | Thanks to all who put on the Winter League. Racing 4 (or 5) weekends on a row was great craic and helped the darker parts of the winter pass in quickly with the post race glow blending into the pre race anticipation by midweek. Isn't there a grand stretch now! |
| Brendan Lawlor | Feb 18 2025, 3:35pm | Said Peter 'Ban the Winter League' O'Farrell.. good that you are starting to see the light (and not just the grand stretch!) |
