West Waterford Athletic ClubWest Waterford Athletic Club

Senior News,December 17 2023

3.11 RACE WALK MARATHON FOR KATE VEALE AND BRENDAN BOYCE AT WORLD BRONZE RACE WALKING TOUR.

 

 

Sunday last saw the last of the national athletics championships for 2023 when the 123.ie sponsored national Senior 20k and 35k and 10k junior were held along with a host of races for juvenile walkers in St Ann’s Park Raheny and hosted by Raheny Shamrocks AC. The event also made a piece of race walking history as we saw the first outing in this country and the very first race ever in Europe of the new Olympic marathon race walking distance replacing the longer individual event of the past, with a male and female team event walking the full marathon distance each athlete completing 4x 10km slots with the male completing the first 10.2  followed by the lady then back to the male with the female completing the final 10km. This distance is a completely new race walking event and will be held at the Paris Olympics in 2024.Kate Veale West Waterford AC teamed up with multiple Olympic and world championship walker Brendan Boyce of Finn Valley AC. The race had 4 different countries competing and all were taking on the distance for the first time. Ireland Finland, Slovakia, Hungary . The event was a World Bronze medal category event which is important for the athletes competing as points gained go on the ranking tables for other major competitions. After a might sew saw tussle between Ireland’s Boyce and Veale and the Slovakia pairing of Dominik Černy and  Hana Burzalová it all came down to the final kilometre with nothing between the Irish Team and the Slovaks as Kate and Hana gave it their all over the closing stages and it was Slovakia who became the first team ever to win the mixed walks relay making history as she crossed the finish line in 3 hours and 11minutes and 17 seconds with Kate a brilliant 2nd  just   31 seconds behind clocking 3.11.48.Finland were 3rd in and 3.16.11 and Hungary were 4th in 3.17.08. A brilliant walk by the Irish team and all marathon runners will appreciate the time of 3.11. In the open Juvenile race it was great to have young West Waterford AC walkers participating in the huge under age fields which took part. In the 500 meters on his first race walk was Tiarnach Costin finished 6th in a time of 3.13.In the 1k event Aisling Hickey was 3rd with a time of 5.57.Sophie Beresford had a super walk in the boys and girls 2k event where she was 8th from a total of 23 walkers.Eabha Hickey was walking the 3k race and she was 14th in a time of 18.11.Doireann Hickey in the 5k race was 10th in a mixed race again in a time of 29.11.The whole day was a superbly organised event by Raheny Shamrock AC along with athletics Ireland and the huge input by Pierce O’Callaghan of Tuam AC who was responsible for assembling a truly international field of some of Europe’s and the world’s best walkers for the event with 250 it total taking part.Well done to both Kate and all the Juvenile walkers from the club on a historic day in Raheny.

 

FORDES DAYBREAK WINTER LEAGUE.

 

 

€2.345 DONATED AT FORDE’S DAYBREAK WINTER LEAGUE CHARITY NIGHT TO ST JOHNS SPECIAL SCHOOL HYDROTHERAPY POOL FUND.

 

We were back to full steam after last week’s cancelled league night due to the weather , we had another great turnout last Wednesday  on a great night with the weather ideal for our charity night run which this year was in aid of St Johns Special school Hydrotherapy pool fund As is always the case the  runners of the league once again dug very deep and came up with a whopping sum of 2.345 Euro for our chosen charity this year , Our sponsor Kevin Forde handed over the cheque on behalf of all the runners which we can be sure will help St Johns in furthering there fund raising for this most sought after facility for the school which we are so lucky to have in the town.A huge thanks you to the runners for contributing, our sponsor Kevin and topped up with a donation from the club, thanks also to Katie Ferncombe who came along on the night to receive the cheque on behalf of the school.This Wednesday night the 20th  is our final round for 2023 so make sure to come along to round off a great half way point of our winter league. Make sure to keep up the training over the break, even if it’s only the odd run or two it will make all the difference when the league resumes in 2024 on Wednesday, January 3rd.For now from all at the Forde’s Daybreak winter league,may you and your loved ones have a lovely Christmas and we hope to see you all in the new year for the 2nd half with another 5 rounds to be completed.

 

 

SHORT COURSE HEATING UP ON A COLD NIGHT.

 

It was a cool, crisp, still evening and again near perfect for running as the runners gathered for the second last week of the Fordes Daybreak Winter League as we take our two week Christmas break after this Wednesday.Once again a great crowd of 102 runners gathered in Dungarvan Sports Centre before heading out on the 2.3 mile run.  Again this week there were more new people registering along with the league regulars. This section of the league has first timers and beginners in mind and is a manageable distance for most as it covers 2.3 miles in total. Even if you haven’t come along up to now, maybe it’s a challenge you could take on for the New Year.  This Wednesday (20th December) is our last night for 2023 before the league resumes on the 3rd January. The overall tables are starting to take shape and will be available in the coming weeks. First back on the night was a Pauline Drohan in a time of 28:42 , Second across the finish line at the sporst center was Emma Cleary O Brien in 29:11 and out third finisher last week was Colm Barry 16:48Well done to all who took part, and remember newcomers are always welcome. Just come along to Dungarvan Sports centre on Wednesday Night at 6.30 to pick up a number- Also thanks to all out Stewards out on the course and our crew in the hall and at the Finish Line. Tonight (20th December ) is our last night for 2023 with the league recommencing on 3rd January 2024.

 

 

 

 

 

LONG COURSE RUNNERS GET IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT.

 

 

 

We had another superb night last week for our league which was also our Christmas charity night at the Forde’s Daybreak Winter League with just this coming week remaining now before we take our annual Christmas break. Well done to all the runners for their generosity on our charity night. After the cancelled night the previous week due to weather conditions  it was all back to action on the long course last Wednesday.Patrick Beausang lead the troops home in ideal conditions in a time of 42.56   and Patrick  was followed in by Noel Drohan in a time of 44:09 with Patricja Daly next past the finish line and our first lady home last week in a time of 46:47.Just a quick reminder to all our runners to be careful out on the course and obey the stewards at all times. REMEMBER THAT THE ROADS ARE NOT CLOSED SO BE CAREFUL OF TRAFFIC. For safety, high vis must be worn. Also the rules of the league prohibit the wearing of watches. Anyone not wearing high vis or caught wearing a watch won’t be included in the results. Best of luck to all tonight the final round for 2023 .

 

 

DUNGARVAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ASSOCIATE SPONSOR.

 

Our sincere thanks to Dungarvan Chamber of Commerce who have come on board to sponsor a spot prize( €25 each) at the Fordes Daybreak winter league. One voucher will be awarded for each of the distances, one for the short and one for the long each night for the remainder of the league. Dungarvan Chamber of Commerce do superb work in representing the businesses and retailers of our town, so this Christmas we urge everyone to buy locally where possible. This weeks voucher winners were short course Carol Tobin and Martin Collender and on the long course it was Helen Ryan and Donall McGrath were the lucky winners.

 

 

 

 

33rd ANNUAL KIELY MONUMENTAL COLLIGAN CUP ON SUNDAY 14TH JANUARY.

 

Date for the diary and one of the most popular events on our calendar is the 33rd  annual Kiely Monumental Colligan Cup which will be held on Sunday 14th January.The Juvenile race starts at 11.00 pm and the Senior event will be at 12 noon. The senior race is over the usual 5 miles Colligan wood circuit and Juveniles will have a single 1-mile circuit to run. The Colligan cup is a unique event in that it is run on a handicap basis where you simply predict your finishing time over a 5 mile run, with the winner being the person who is nearest to that predicted time. This makes the race open to all no matter what your standard is, everyone has the same chance of taking the title. Now in its 33rd year we would like to thank sincerely our sponsor for all of those 33 years David Kiely of Kiely Monumental for his on-going support for the local running club West Waterford AC. So for a great fun event on the yearly running calendar Colligan is where you need to be come Sunday 14th January.

 

 

 

 

2024 TRACK AND FIELD INDOOR DATES ANNOUNCED.

 

13th January National Indoor Masters Athlone 

20th January National Indoors under 20 and 23 Athlone

5th February Day 1 Munster Indoors under 20 and 23 seniors and Masters Nenagh

11th February Day 2 Munster Indoors under 20 and 23 seniors and Masters Nenagh

17th and 18 th February National Senior Abbottstown

ANY MEMBER WISHING TO TAKE PART PLEASE HAVE YOUR ENTRY IN ON TIME TO JAMES 086 8184762.

 

32nd ANNUAL JOHN TREACY DUNGARVAN 10.

 

ENTRIES NOW OPEN AND FILLING FAST ,

 

West Waterford athletic club are delighted to announce that entries for our 32nd annual John Treacy Dungarvan 10 mile road race are now open and filling nicely.Its expected the race will shortly be sold out.  The entry is an online entry through our race web site www.dungarvan10mile.org or through eventmaster.ie. The event now in its 32nd  year has established itself as a must run race on the Irish road running calendar with participants from all four corners of the country and beyond participating. The race has grown year on year from humble beginnings 32 years ago. This year our entry limit will be 3.750  ,this we hope will see all runners wishing to run the event in 2024 getting an entry to do so. Please note that this event usually sells out well before closing date so do get your entry in if you intend running on Sunday February 4th 2024.The John Treacy Dungarvan 10 brings together the ideal race combination of fun runners, joggers, club athletes and top class internationals who compete over a fast flat 10 mile course around the historic town of Dungarvan as we all look forward to an even bigger and better event on Sunday February 4th next. To stage such a big event of course requires good sponsor and we are fortunate to have the support many associate sponsors and many local businesses and individuals who are all giving valuable support helping to make the day a great occasion for the town of Dungarvan.

 

All race details can be found at www.dungarvan10mile.org

 

  1. STEPHEN’S DAY RUN/WALK IN AID OF ST.JOHN’S SPECIAL SCHOOL HYDROTHERAPY POOL FUND.

 

The Dungarvan GAA club annual St. Stephen’s Day event will go ahead once again this year and all monies collected with benefit the local St Johns special school Hydrotherapy pool fund and all are invited to participate.  Please all come along to the Dungarvan GAA Club grounds Clogherane  at 11am St Stephens morning and walk or run off all that turkey!! We are excited and delighted to be in a position to support this brilliant local special school by raising funds for the building of their new Hydrotherapy Pool here in Dungarvan. This initiative is vital for both the students and the broader community. Currently, the nearest hydrotherapy services are almost 50km away, making it impractical for children with severe to profound additional needs. The Hydrotherapy Pool at St. John’s will bridge this gap, providing essential therapeutic benefits right in our local community. For students at St. John’s, the Hydrotherapy Pool is more than just a facility, it’s a lifeline. Hydrotherapy offers a range of physical and mental health benefits, particularly for those with additional needs. It aids in muscle relaxation, joint flexibility, and sensory integration. Having this resource within our community means enhanced accessibility and improved quality of life for the children and their families. Your support will directly contribute to making the Hydrotherapy Pool at St. John’s a reality, bringing immeasurable joy and relief to those who need it most. Let’s come together as a community to make a lasting impact and provide a local solution for the well-being of these incredible children. Your generosity is the key to unlocking a brighter, more inclusive future for all. Look forward to seeing you .

 

SYMPATHY.

 

West Waterford athletic club extend sincere sympathy to the families and friends of Eileen McGrathKnockacullen, Cappagh, and Mary Beresford “Trade Winds”, Coady’s Quay, who passed to their eternal reward recently, may they rest in peace.

 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.

 

On behalf of the officers at West Waterford Athletic Club we extend season’s greetings to all our members, sponsors and friends. Remember when running over the Christmas season be safe and be seen. Blessings to you, your families and all your loved ones.

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