| notes june 28-09 |
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GER WYLEY SPORTS/NIKE SUMMER SERIES RACE 7 DUNGARVAN LEADER DROMANA 5 RAIVIS ZAKIS IN TOTAL CONTROL TO WIN DROMANA 5 FOR THE FIRST TIME The 17th annual Dungarvan Leader sponsored Dromana 5 mile road race was held last Friday night from the village of Villierstown to Cappoquin. The scenic surroundings of the area always attracts a great crowd and having run in the John Treacy classic ten mile race in the month of April, many of the same athletes were back to run in the equally popular “Dromana 5” which was a route run daily by John Treacy during his school days. An added feature to the race this year was the “chip timing” and the warm balmy evening guaranteed a large number of spectators to the square for the 17th staging of this race. Indeed, both Cappoquin and Villierstown provided plenty of support which added to the atmosphere of the race. A total of 193 athletes converged in the village at 8pm for the start of the 7th race of the series and from the very start it was Raivis Zakis who assumed total control of the race. The absence of Sandis and Sergiu and the fact that Raivis had yet to claim victory of the highly coveted Michael C. Nagle cup pushed Raivis into running a very fast first mile, clocking 4.59 exactly. At this stage Raivis was on his own, well clear of the chasing group of Rory Moloney, Graham Power and Danny Smith. At the second mile mark, the clock read 10.01 and despite the fact that the gap was even wider Raivis did not let up whatsoever and drove on towards Dromana Bridge, each step was a further guarantee that his name would be inscribed on the cup for the very first time. As many athletes will attest to, having nobody to chase makes the quest all the more difficult but Raivis at this stage acknowledged the fact that not only could he win but he was also on target for a personal best time on the route. Mile 3 was reached in 15.02 and the chasing pack was by now well out of sight and Raivis’ only battle now was against the clock. Raivis was running just outside of 5 minutes per mile at 4 miles clocking 20.04 and as he began his descent in to the town of Cappoquin, the enthusiastic crowd of supporters egged him on and with the finishing line in sight Raivis drew on all his strength and stamina and literally powered past the GAA pitch and up the hill to cross the line a worthy winner of the race in a time of 24.58 making it his very first time to win this prestigious race. He almost equalled Sandis’ time of last year which was 25.54 and had he had company on the night he may very well have done so. All this coupled with a personal best time for this race meant that Raivis was a very happy camper indeed. Raivis was 3rd in this race last year in a time of 25.18 and so it was with sheer delight that he accepted the Michael C. Nagle cup from Colm, Linda and Kim Nagle, sponsors of the race. The Nagle family supported, encouraged and congratulated every athlete that participated in the race and this was much appreciated by one and all. Following Raivis’ finish, it was another two minutes before the rest of the field began to appear and from there on there was a steady stream of athletes crossing the line until all 193 athletes had made it home. Congratulations to Rory Moloney who performed valiantly throughout and had a comfortable enough victory over Graham Power of Ferrybank. Rory finished in 2nd place overall with a time of 26.50 and Graham Power finished in 26.58. Danny Smith of Ballynonty was well clear of his competition, finishing in 4th place with 27.29 and Frank Hayes of East Cork finished with 27.54.Waterford’s Frank Quinlan was 6th on the night with 28.12, great running from him. Michael Lyons and Brian Gallagher had the closest battle of the night when a mere second separated the two, finishing with 28.27 and 28.28 respectively. Noel Curtin who pulls off one fantastic race after another was next and was well inside 29 minutes, completing the run in 28.34. The popularity of the race can be seen by the fact that the top ten finishers in the race were from 7 different clubs, West Waterford, Ferrybank, Ballynonty, East Cork, Waterford AC, Fermoy and Youghal. From a club point of view, our athletes provided 102 of the 193 athletes on the night, another great representation for the club so well done to all. As well as top placings for Raivis and Rory, Johnny O’ Connor was back to his very best as he finished 10th overall and third home for the club. Alan Hickey was on a mission to break 30 minutes and was motivated all the way by training colleagues, Shane and Phillip but unfortunately was just outside of 30 minutes but will be well pleased with his efforts and the next race should see him break the magical barrier. From a team perspective, the club performed admirably, claiming first and second team prizes with Waterford A.C. winning the third team prize. Ciaran Lane has been proving himself to be one of the finest junior athletes around these parts and won for himself another junior prize at the race. The prizes on the night were awarded to the first ten men to finish and also to the first three teams with four athletes on each team. The most generous array of prizes was on offer, all provided by the Nagle family and all athletes were most impressed with the remarkable prizes that were available. Along with the usual prizes, a pair of runners was presented to the top two male and female athletes of the race, again sponsored by the Nagle family. RESULTS OF DROMANA 5, RACE 7 OF GER WYLEY SPORTS/NIKE SUMMER SERIES 1. Raivis Zakis WWAC 24.58 1st team: West Waterford A.C. 2nd Team: West Waterford A.C. 3rd Team: Waterford A.C. CORINNA WALSH IN TOP FORM WINS YET AGAIN The ladies race was a repeat of the men’s race in that from the gun, Corinna Walsh was the one to assume first place and maintain it from start to finish. From the first mile, she too was in a very comfortable position and having won this race last year she knew what had to be done to secure victory. Early in to the race, Corinna knew she was on target for a personal best time for the race and in the absence of any stiff competition from the other female athletes, Corinna battled ferociously and pulled away nicely from the pack she was running in. As each mile passed in a faster time than the previous mile, it was the motivation and encouragement she needed to maintain the intense pace she was running at and she crossed the line ever so convincingly and in style to claim yet another victory at the Dromana 5 and her second victory in this year’s summer series. For the record, Corinna’s winning time was 30.54 and her previous best before this year was her 2008 time of 31.01 so well done Corinna who I’m sure will be adding another victory or two to her collection before the end of the series. Keeley Tideswell of Clonmel A.C. also ran a very tactical race as she ran the first two miles nice and steady and from there on moved nicely through the field to finish well clear in second place in a time of 32.01. The ever improving Sylvia Malone from Waterford A.C. also ran very well and chased Keeley all the way and will be delighted with her finishing time of 32.11 which was seven seconds clear of the fourth finisher, Norma Wall. Cait Caulfield of St. Senan’s A.C. who had a super run in Rás na Rinne the previous week took fifth place in a time of 33.11. Edel Roche of the host club won the junior prize, one of many she has picked up throughout the series, well done Edel. Waterford AC ladies team were victorious on the night with 288 points so well done to all.
Team Prize: Waterford A.C. Joan Mahony (6th) Suzanne Dullaghan (7th) Anne Fitzgerald (8th) and Claire Fowler (12th) The next race in the series is the GlaxoSmithkline 5 mile race on July 10 at 8 p.m.
West Waterford AC would like to sincerely thank Colm and Linda Nagle and all the staff at the Dungarvan Leader for their most generous sponsorship yet again of the Dromama 5 and for their continuous and ongoing support of the club and local athletics through our weekly articles in the Dungarvan Leader newspaper. It was a pleasure to have the Nagle family at the race and they were diligent supporters of the race providing words of encouragement and support for all the athletes. A special word of thanks goes to Kim Nagle who was also present on the night to present the prizes to the athletes. Kim was celebrating a milestone birthday having turned 13 that day so happy birthday to you Kim. A most extensive range of prizes was on offer from the Nagle family again this year with many athletes going home well pleased with their rewards. Thanks also to the Villierstown community hall committee for providing the use of the hall for registrations. The club also wish to thank all those who participated in this year’s race, all the people who came out to support the race and the athletes, to all the stewards on the route and to Megan, Breeda and Liam on the administration side of things. Thanks also to Hallahan coaches who ferried the athletes from Cappoquin to Villierstown. Thanks so much to all the Mason who were very busy all week in preparation for the race under race organisors Trevor and Craig Mason and Kenneth O’ Donnell. Thanks to Ita and Eileen for their help with the refreshments and to Murray’s takeaway and to Ger Mason for his ongoing support. Thanks also to the Cunningham family for providing electricity from their house for the chip timing under Des Colbert. The Flynn family, Nora, Danny and staff are also to be thanked as we were all well looked after at the Central Bar and thanks for providing the use of the showers. Finally, thanks to Tony and Michael in the van, James on the camera, Conor and Jamie with the signs and bollards and to Ann for sorting out the prizes, many hands make light work! It was a huge success and we can all look forward to another great Dromana 5 in 2010. GER WYLEY SPORTS/NIKE SUMMER SERIES RACE 8 The next race of the summer series will be the GSK 5 on Friday July 10 at 8pm. This race always attracts a formidable entry due to the superb organisation by Dermot Dwyer and his crew and the fast flat course that guarantees good times for us all.The chosen charity to benifit from this years event is the RNLI. All the walkers will start at 7.30 pm and the runners will start at 8 pm. Changing facilities will be available at the Dungarvan Crystal Sports Centre with registration beginning at 6.30 pm. Chip timing will also be in operation for the race and the entry fee is €10. There will be prizes for winners in all the usual categories, prizes for the first GSK male and female runners and spot prizes as well. The presentation of prizes and refreshments will be held in Dungarvan Soccer club. More information will be provided in next week’s notes.
Entry to the above series closed at the Dromana race last Friday. All those that run any 6 out of the ten races will qualify for a €25 voucher and those that run all ten will receive a €75 voucher. The following are those that are already guaranteed a €25 voucher and are in line for doing all ten. It’s based on all the races up to the Clashmore 5 and doesn’t take the recent Dromana 5 into account; this will be in the next report. Corinna Walsh LIAM KAVANAGH IN ACTION AT RAHENY 5K While the rest of us spent the weekend recovering after the Cunnigar run last week, club member Liam Kavanagh thought differently and while in Dublin took part in the BTW sponsored Tommy Lynam 5k organised by well known Dunlin club, Raheny Shamrocks. Liam performed admirably over the fast flat course and finished 39th from a field of 143 athletes. Liam’s finishing time was 19.36 which indicates his good running form at present, well done Liam. AMBER PETROLEUM RUNNING FIT4LIFE RUNNING LEAGUE The first round of the Amber Petroleum Running League was held in the grounds of the Friary College by kind permission last night. It was the first night of this popular 8 week programme which continues every Tuesday night until Tuesday, August 18th. This league is sponsored by Pat Keane of Amber Petroleum on the Youghal Road who has endeavoured to support local businesses and local clubs since he started in business and the club would like to thank him for his support and generosity. There was a large turnout last night which was expected given that the league is designed absolutely with the beginner in mind and the winner each night is the person who most accurately predicts the time it will take him/her to run the distance. As it’s suited for beginners, we advise you to bring along a friend or two and to do one lap. Start off as slow as you like and walk a little and jog a little, everybody does this so please don’t think that you will be on your own. We all have to start off somewhere. There will be plenty of us at the club van willing to answer any questions you may have. The clock starts at 45 minutes and when each person sees the time they think it will take them to run the league, that’s when they start running. The clock continues in reverse and when the clock reaches 0.00, the next person to cross the line is the winner. It’s great fun and obviously watches are not allowed and the clock will not be in view once the last person starts running. It’s this element that makes the league so entertaining and popular so don’t miss it, come along next Tuesday night to the Friary College at 7 p.m. and start the summer the fit and healthy way. You’ll be glad you did.
The above event was held in Tullamore last Sunday and as expected at All-Ireland championships, the standard was as keen as ever. Plenty of preparation and training was the order of the day in the lead up to this event and our 4 club representatives all came home with individual medals in their respective disciplines. Congratulations to the four athletes, Sean Stilwell, Rory Moloney, Eadaoin Ashe and Zoe Scanlon who did themselves and the club proud when they all performed to their usual high standards and will build on this for future events. Sean Stilwell won silver in the Steeplechase, one of the toughest events on the programme and was delighted with his finishing time of 10.07.38. The winner was Robert Corbally of DSD in 9.44.80 and third was Gavin Downey of Ferrybank in 10.14.71. Fresh from the Dromana race on the Friday night, Rory repeated another super performance to claim bronze in the 5,000 metres finishing in 3rd place in 15.56.92. We had two female athletes in the discus event, Eadaoin Ashe competed in the U/23 event and Zoe Scanlon in the junior event and both girls to their credit won the silver medals. Eadaoin’s throw measured 29.50 and Zoe’s measured 35.10, great performances all round. ROUND TWO OF NATIONAL LEAGUES The second round of the National Leagues will be held this Sunday, July 5 in Santry Stadium in Dublin. We performed reasonably well for round one and a concerted effort on the day should see us remain in the premier division and even move up another notch or two up the division tables. The club extends the best of luck to all athletes travelling. IRISH WINS AT DUBLIN GRAND PRIX OF RACEWALKING Robert Heffernan and Olive Loughnane were impressive winners of the Dublin Grand Prix of Race Walking in Dublin’s Phoenix Park last Sunday. Heffernan cruised to an easy victory and a season’s best of 1.23.35 to win the Grand Prix which doubled as the Irish Championships. Behind him, Colin Griffin had the race of a lifetime to take the runner up spot in a new personal best of 1.24.12 ahead of Spain’s Francisco Arcilla. West Waterford’s Jamie Costin was also competing and using the event as part of his training for the 50km walk in Berlin. Jamie had a super performance to finish in a very credible 6th place overall and third Irishman home. He will be well pleased with this time of 1.27.44 and it looks as if he’s well on target for the big day in Berlin in August. Kate Veale powered her way to victory once again in the U/16 girl’s 3km winning ever so comfortably in a time of 13.49, with plenty to spare over Alicia Bowlan of Oriel who finished in 15.54. Kate has really and truly established herself as one of the top female walkers in the country and the day before the event also had a convincing victory in the Tailteann games smashing another record in the process. The club had another victory in the U/18 boy’s 5 km walk when Joe Conway pulled off a fantastic performance to take gold in a super time of 25.09 with 6 seconds to spare over James Traenor of Monaghan. Well done Joe.
The second race of the above series, The Champion Kiely Ballyneale 5k will be held this Friday, July 3rd in Ballyneale at 7.30 p.m. The organisers have informed us that fast times are guaranteed over this fast and flat course and preparations are well underway for what promises to be an exciting race this Friday night. The first race was the Auto Power Rathgormack 5 and after Friday night’s race, there will be just two races left of this 4 race programme.
The second of the four races in the Ballycotton summer series, The Shanagarry 5 took place last Thursday night with all records obliterated with a turnout of 471 athletes, a massive increase from last year’s total of 280 with the previous year having a total of 279. Running is experiencing yet another boom judging by these figures. The Dromama 5 race the following night was bound to affect the numbers travelling to Shanagarry from the club but nevertheless we were represented by 11 athletes who all seemed to enjoy the race. The race was won by local Sean McGrath in 26.29 from Brian Murphy of Iveragh in 26.52 and Noel Berkely whose name is synonymous with Ballycotton filled the third spot in 26.59. The club’s first finisher was Joe Kelly in 30.35 and he was in 36th place overall which considering the course is great running indeed. The next race in the series is the two lap course of Churchtown South and will be held on Thursday July 23rd at 8 pm. Joe Kelly 30.35
West Waterford extends sincere sympathy to the family of Peter Truman, 1 Hillview Drive, Dungarvan, who passed to his eternal reward during the week. May he rest in peace. |
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