Fourteen of our runners descended on the 2nd IMRA Leinster League race which doubled up as our fourth counter out of twelve in the annual Club Championship. Paul Duffy – as so often before – was our first man home in his favourite spot (13th – the position he has finished in in 10% of his IMRA races!). A few minutes behind was Richard Allan who continues to impress in his maiden season also finishing 3rd M50.
The course had been shortened from 8.3 km to 6.7 km due to NPWS concern around erosion of the top trail meaning a slightly faster than normal route cutting out nearly 2 km of the slowest terrain and with a new section around the forest and a kicker to Brusher’s Gap hut. The route also started further up Gaffney’s Lane than normal meaning an almighty jostle to get into position with little time for the field to spread before the many sections of single-track that make passing hard on this route.
Gavin Kennedy was 23 seconds behind with Kevin Ferguson another 34 seconds down and then 21 seconds passed before Alan Kennedy returned as the 2nd M55 on the day. Our first woman (and the third woman overall) was Catherine Devitt who also won the F40 category. Catherine briefly struggled on the descent losing two positions and sitting in 5th place in the women’s race before she rallied strongly on the little climb to Brusher’s Gap Hut where she retook her spot and put 20 and 23 seconds into Aideen Burke and Niamh Brophy on this final kilometer.
Aoife Joyce arrived just under 2 minutes later in 6th woman overall and 2nd F45 (1st being winner Sarah Flanagan). Eoin Phelan was next and a few minutes later Rebecca Whineray as 3rd F45. Richard Kieran and Gerard O’Rourke rounded out our contingent.
| RESULT |
| 1. Enda Cloake (Slaney Olympic) 0:31:49 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 13. Paul Duffy 0:37:37 |
| 31. Richard Allan 0:41:35 (3rd M50) – WW RC |
| 33. Gavin Kennedy 0:41:59 |
| 34. Chris willoughby 0:42:13 – WW RC |
| 36. Kevin Ferguson 0:42:33 |
| 40. Alan Kennedy 0:42:54 (2nd M55) – WW RC |
| 52. Catherine Devitt 0:44:00 (1st F40) |
| 66. Aoife Joyce 0:45:55 (2nd F45) |
| 81. Eoin Phelan 0:47:36 – WW RC |
| 87. Neil Fusco 0:48:14 – WW RC |
| 103. Rebecca Whineray 0:49:16 (3rd F45) – WW RC |
| 112. Richard Kieran 0:51:05 |
| 128. Andy Walker 0:52:35 – WW RC |
| 138. Gerard O’Rourke 0:54:14 – WW RC |
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 4
Paul Duffy got the maximum score in the race for the Club Championship with several getting ‘on the board’ for the first time this season. He was far ahead enough to put a big points gap into several of the chasers….
The result consolidates Paul in first with Kevin Ferguson moving up into 2nd place and Aoife third. Only three runners have completed three races at this pint.
In the women’s ranking, Aoife Joyce now leads Catherine and Claire as the only finisher with 3 races so far. It was unfortuante loraine Creane missed out on the entry as she was well placed to move up into the top-3 otherwise.
Glendalough AC 