Our 10th anniversary Club Xmas Party and Awards Dinner was held in Byrne and Woods yesterday evening as a nice coda for the season and start of the Christmas festivity period.
CLUB XMAS CRACKER
The morning had begun with our traditional Winter League in the special ‘Xmas Cracker Relay Edition’ where handicapped teams of two battled it out for boxes of chocolate. The intended route in Ballardpark had to be scrapped due to (rein?)deer culling in the woods and instead runners completed the tough 5 km Green Gapways course where the team of Catherine Devitt and Rene Borg came from behind to win ahead of Donna Quinn/Yvonne Brennan and Aoife Joyce and Derek Cullen. The final two teams were DNFed as Paul Duffy and Graham Bush missed the turn and took in some bonus mileage.
One more round of the Winter League awaits this year on the morning of the 28th.
CLUB AWARDS 2024 RESULTS
Three candidates where picked in each category and our members voted on the winner.
Below can be seen the full list of winners. A few notes on the awards:
5 ‘founding members’ were in attendance at the Christmas Party: Aoife Joyce, Angus Tyner, Colm Kenna, Donna Quinn, Keith Mulvey and Rene Borg
In the first 7 years of awards, Angus Tyner and Donna Quinn won 6 of the ‘Road Performer of the Year Awards’ (3 each) – the last two years has seen Blaise and now Catherine win it to
Graham Bush became the second person to win the Off-Road Performer twice (after Barry Murray) having won it in 2022
John Conway who won the Off-Road Award last year took the Ultra award in 2024
Paul Duffy became the third man to win the Club Championship twice (after Angus Tyner and Rene Borg) but the FIRST to defend his title
Separate Off-Road, Road and Team Performance Awards for women where given out for the first time
Ultra Performer of the Year was given out as a separate award for the first time (having been under the Off-road category previously)
Donna Quinn and Angus Tyner continue to top the Awards list with 15 and 8 awards respectively!
MOST PROLIFIC RACER AND ‘MOST IMPROVED’ – EOIN PHELAN
CLUB CHAMPION 2024 (MEN) – PAUL DUFFY
CLUB CHAMPION 2024 (WOMEN) – AOIFE JOYCE
CLUB PERSON OF THE YEAR – RACHEL WISDOM
ROAD PERFORMER OF THE YEAR (MEN) – GAVIN KENNEDY
ROAD PERFORMER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN) – CATHERINE DEVITT
OFF-ROAD PERFORMER OF THE YEAR (MEN) – GRAHAM BUSH
OFF-ROAD PERFORMER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN) – AOIFE O’BRIEN
Aoife was not in attendance – trophy to be circulated.
ULTRA PERFORMER OF THE YEAR – JOHN CONWAY
John was also not in attendance.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR – LOUIS BYRNE
WOMEN’S TEAM AWARD 2024 (WICKLOW MASTERS O35 TEAM)
Rachel Wisdom, Donna Quinn and Aoife Joyce receiving the prize (Loraine Creane absent).
MEN’S TEAM AWARD 2024 (WICKLOW OFF-ROAD O50 TEAM)
Angus Tyner and Graham Bush received the four prizes in absence of Richard Allan and Anthony Breen (the two remaining team members)
CLUB QUIZ 2024
Finally, the traditional super-frustrating Club Quiz was also passed around and won (suspiciously) by Aoife Joyce (wife of the quiz master!) with 12 out of 16 correct answers with Colm and Gavin runners-up.
Twenty-three of our members convened in one of our traditional venues for the annual Xmas Party: the Wicklow Heather in Laragh to celebrate a year of running achievements, celebrate Christmas, and hand out the traditional Club Awards which have been presented since 2015 (with the exception of 2020 where the lack of racing led to a suspension of the awards).
This year saw a remarkable 17 new club records and age category records along with over 30 PBs. Among the records was a new overall club record for the women’s marathon (Donna Quinn) and a new overall 50 km record (John Conway)
Our traditional awards were handed out at the Christmas Party in the Wicklow Heather on Saturday 17th December. All awards were based on nominations received per category which members voted on.
The exception is the Club Championship which was decided based on the results of 12 races over cross, trail, hill, track, and road.
CLUB PERSON OF THE YEAR
The Club Person of the Year Award is about recognising all those things that make a club function: attending training, jumping in to make up teams, crewing and volunteering at races and doing work for the committee and otherwise behind the scenes.
Rachel Wisdom and Colm Kenna were both nominated with Colm Kenna winning the popular vote and an extra prize in the form of a Wicklow Heather voucher. Colm had previously won this award in 2018.
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP 2022 – RENE/DONNA
This year’s overall winner was club coach Rene Borg (for the 2nd time) with Donna Quinn (for the 4th time) taking the ladies’ laurels. No one has ever retained the Club Championship title.
Many of our runners were very evenly matched this year which was shown by victories in the 12 races going to 7 different runners (Paul Duffy, Graham Bush and Aran Lynham the only runners to win more than 1 race each).
best newcomer – GAVIN KENNEDY
This Award is given to a member who joined in 2022 who other members feel have made the biggest contribution both socially, training-wise and race performances. Members who have attended at least one Glendalough AC session can be considered.
The new member nominees this year were
Gavin Kennedy
Eoin Phelan
Diarmuid Kavanagh
Gavin Kennedy secured the popular vote after becoming a very active member of the weekly training and having an impressive debut season in cross-country.
MOST IMPROVED – catherine devitt
The most improved prize is given to the athlete showing the most season-on-season (not necessarily life-time) improvement. The three nominations where:
Blaise Kinsella (5 road PBs from 3k to half-marathon and improving his best level by 15%)
Catherine Devitt (biggest improvement on previous season along with winning the Wicklow Off-Road Champs and setting a new club half-marathon record for women along with podiums at the Wassenar 15k and Lakers 10k)
Diarmuid Kavanagh (for a great debut season racing 16 times from 5k to 25k on trails, cross and hill, improving his performances by 25%,
The popular vote went to Laragh local Catherine Devitt who has been resurgent this year – showing why she was once not only an Irish mountain running international but also holds a silver medal from the National Novice Cross-Country and a gold medal from the Dublin Intermediate XC championship.
ROAD/TRACK PERFORMER OF THE YEAR – DONNA QUINN
This award’s nominations are based either on a singular performance on road or track that stands out or overall performance level in the discipline over the year. The nominees were:
Donna Quinn (six PBs – 3k, 2x 10k, 5k, half-marathon and marathon including new club record for the marathon and club F40 records for 3k and 5k along with gold medal in the F40 category at the Wicklow Road Champs and Silver in the F40 at the Leinster 10 mile championship)
Blaise Kinsella (5 road PBs – 3k, 5k, 2x 10k, and half-marathon along with Team Bronze at Wicklow Road Champs and victory at the Bawnogue 10k. M40 Club record and County Bronze in the 3000m)
Catherine Devitt (new half-marathon PB and club record for women of 1:31)
Donna Quinn secured her 13th award with the club and her third win in this category in three years to tie with Angus Tyner who has also won this award three times.
OFF-ROAD PERFORMER OF THE YEAR – Graham BUSH
Like the road award this award can be given for a singular or multiple performances in cross-country or in hill, trail, and mountain running. New member Graham Bush took this award in his first season! No one has won this award more than once.
Brian Lydon (for a fantastic first ultra season: completing the Ballyhoura, Seven Sisters, Glendalough Tucker Trail and culminating with UTMB CCC)
Graham Bush (won every head to head with other club members on trail, ran for 3rd placed WWR team, had 4 IMRA category wins plus 4 podiums and secured M50 Gold at the Wicklow Off-Road Champs and was our highest placed runner at the World Masters Mountain Running Championship)
Catherine Devitt (winner of the Wicklow Off-Road Championship)
Loraine Creane (winner of the Wicklow Intermediate cross-country for the second time)
TEAM PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR – WICKLOW WAY RELAY TEAM
Traditionally, cross-country teams, teams in the Wicklow Road Championship and in the various trail relays (especially the Wicklow Way Relay) are nominated for this prize. This year was no exception with the WW Relay team winning the award for the 2nd time.
Wicklow way Relay 1st Team – Torben Dahl, Rene Borg, Rachel Wisdom, Blaise Kinsella, Anthony Breen (4th place out of 35 teams – club’s highest finish yet)
Wicklow Road Championship – Aran Lynham, Blaise Kinsella, Brian Lydon, Marcus Murphy (Men’s Team bronze – 1 point ahead of Bray Runners)
Wicklow Off-Road M50 team – Graham B., Angus T. and Anthony B. (beating Parnell to Gold with 45 to 81 pts)
SPECIAL PRIZE – MOST PROLIFIC: angus tyner
The most prolific is a minor prize given out every year to the runner with the most races (not including club races). Angus Tyner won this prize for the third season (having also won it in 2015 and 2017).
Angus remains our most prolific in history with 120 races from 2015 to 2022 followed by Torben Dahl with 110. the most prolific woman is Donna Quinn with 78 races.
If club races are counted the most prolific racer is Colm Kenna with 180 and Donna Quinn with 167. Angus Tyner sits in 3rd in this tally with 164.
Seven brave club members decided to start the New Year with a bang by heading up Leinster’s highest peak Lug na Coille. Sadly, the forecast ‘partially cloudly’ conditions turned into ‘blanket mist’ pretty quickly as our group ascended the Table Track to summit Lug via Camenabologue.
A slightly rushed beginning to the descent to shake heat back into cold bodies led to the classical mistake of picking the Corrigaslaggaun spur off Lug na Coille instead of the planned for Clohernagh descent. Thankfully everyone kept their wits and calm about them and an alternative – if 10 km longer (!) – route back to the cars was quickly identified as our group broke through Drumgoff wood via some bush-hacking to rejoin the Wicklow Way and civilisation.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on the fabulous descent off Clohernagh including the ‘zig-zags’, we got lovely views of Kelly’s Lough on the way across Lough Mountain as well as a true adventure leaving many in the group refreshed in spirit if not in their legs! Now hopefully we’ll all stay on course in this Sunday’s Master’s Cross-country.
We held our Annual Xmas Party in Byrne an Woods in Roundwood this year and that means one thing: a chance to hand out the annual awards and honour our winners! Any fully paid up club member is eligible to win an annual award.
It was a busy year with 25 of our senior members competing in 200 races, winning 12 races, taking another 15 podiums and category prizes and recording 19 personal bests and 9 new club records.
All photos courtesy of Keith Thompson. Special thanks to Claire O’Callaghan who organised the party as well as our new club singlets this year!
Club Champions 2018
This year the club champion was selected based on points gained in any race where two or more of our club runners competed. Scoring was done using the Keswick Ranking. With 28 races to count champions were Torben Dahl (overall) and Donna Quinn (ladies). Torben edged out Barry Murray only on number of victories – otherwise being tied.
Donna Quinn (Ladies Club Champion 2018)
Most prolific runner
A new award for the runner durable and wise enough to rack up the most races. This was also won by Torben Dahl who ran nearly 20% of all races run by club members this year – running 27 races (ahead of Barry with 24 and Angus with 20).
Most improved runner
We look at results and performances on road, trail, hill and cross-country to pick the most improved runner and this year it went emphatically to Johnny Conway who improved the most on several scores including having the most personal bests in 2018.
Marcus Murphy receicing award on behalf of Johnny Conway (Most Improved Runner)
Best Road Performer
The 2018 ‘Best Road’ award was selected based on overall performances during the year. Angus Tyner set a new club record (and over-45 club record) with his 59:48 10 mile time early in the year and also racked up the most wins and podiums on the road along with individual and team medals in the Wicklow Road Championship. An undisputed winner!
Angus Tyner (Road Performer of the Year)
Best Off-Road Performance
This year’s ‘Best Off-Road’ prize went to a singular performance: Duncan Barrett for improving his personal best in the gruelling Kerry Way Ultra by 6 hours. In addition, Duncan had a fine season with several top-10 finishes on the road.
Duncan Barrett (Best Off-Road Performance)
Best Team Performance
Our members voted between the Wicklow Way and The Relay teams as well as the Bronze winning and Silver winning Masters Men and Senior Ladies teams respectively in the Wicklow Road Championship. In the end, the popular vote went to the ladies: Claire O’Callaghan, Donna Quinn and Yvonne Brennan.
Wicklow Road Championship Ladies Team: Donna Quinn, Claire O’Callaghan and Yvonne Brennan (absent) Best Team performance
Club Person of the Year
The only prize not given for athletic excellence but instead general commitment to the club and contribution beyond racing. The people voted and their choice was Colm Kenna for his unfailing support of training sessions, regularly racing and hard work as treasurer and website designer for our club.
Colm Kenna (Club Person of the Year)
Annual Raffle
We also held a raffle – winner was Philip Cullen who guessed the exact number of victories our runners recorded this year!
This year’s Christmas Party will be held in Roundwood on the 14th of December. Contact Claire O’Callaghan if interested – we have capacity for 20 people.
Glendalough AC 