RACE ONE WEST WATERFORD SUMMER ROAD RACE PROGRAMME.
THE AHS TUNING IRELAND 11th ANNUAL BALLINROAD 5K
Our first race in the clubs summer road race programme for 2026 will get underway with the AHS Tuning Ireland sponsored Ballinroad 5k on Friday May 8th at 7.30 pm. Once again we sincerely thank John Coleman of AHS for his continued sponsorship of this race which he has sponsored for the past 11 years. John operates a very successful car tuning company from his new premises recently opened in Ballyvoile. This year once again we are delighted to be able to help and support the local community in Ballinroad as the local soccer club Ballinroad F.C. will be the benefactors of the race, with monies donated towards the club’s underage teams. The race will incorporate a fun run/walk with proceeds from them going towards the clubs fund. The race will start at 7.30 pm. St Laurence’s hall is the race H. Q. A huge turnout is expected if previous year’s is anything to go by as we deem the race to be the fastest flattest 5k course around. As you know in West Waterford AC we like to cater for all and have different prize structures in all our races, for the Ballinroad race we will have prizes for the top 5 men and women with lots and lots of spots for down the field finishers. Through the generosity of our sponsor we will this year be offering a cash performance bonus for both men and women,100 euro is an the added offer to the first Male to break 14.50 and the same to the first Female who can break 17.00. The entry fee is 12 euro pre entry online. (15 euro on race night). Of course you can sign up for the 6 races and receive a gift of a running Gilet, the full entry fee is set at 70 euro. The course chosen for the race is an excellent out and back course which is very flat so if it’s your first attempt at the 5k distance or you’re looking for a fast time on a flat- fast course this is your opportunity to shine. See you all Friday 9th May for race one of what promises to be another fun filled summer of road racing with West Waterford AC.
ENTRY LINK TO AHS TUNING IRELAND BALLINROAD 5K
https://eventmaster.ie/event/b95qU9AHjr
WEST WATERFORD ATHLETIC CLUB SUMMER RACE PROGRAMME.
We are delighted to announce our Summer Schedule of races 2026 starting in Ballinroad with our very popular 5k race on May 08th and finishing in Dungarvan on the 17th July in another very popular 10k route . This year all participants can take home our very nice running Gilet specially designed for this year’s race programme, A once off very nice piece of running apparel which will become a collector’s item in time. This is a unique opportunity to enter all 6 races in advance and just turn up on the night to each race and run! So get your entries in quickly and be ready for a super summer of racing once more. We are all looking forward to getting our summer programme underway and we hope to see all the old familiar faces and many new ones in the coming months. You can now enter all 6 races 70 Euro which is brilliant value or you can enter the races individually for 12 euro per race online. If you come along on the night of any race it will be 15 euro so get your online entry in is the answer here.
Ballinroad 5K 8th May
Ardmore 5 Miles 22nd May
Dromana 5 Miles 5th June
Ballymacarby 5 Miles 26th June
Ballinameela 5K 03th July
Dungarvan 10K 17th July
WEEK 4 OF MARK MASON FINANCIAL PLANNING COLLIGAN SPRING RUNNING LEAGUE.
Round 4 of the Mark Mason Financial Planning Colligan Spring League took place last Wednesday evening on what was another good evening to be in the surrounds of the magical Colligan wood. We once again had a great turnout in this very popular league which everyone who participates enjoys so much. The league was held over 5 nights and next week will be our 5th and final round of the current league. Please note to be included in the final tables you need to run 4 out of the 5 nights, remember for Wednesday next you might bring a change of top as the presentation of league prizes by our sponsor Mark Mason will take place as soon as the last runner is finished. See ye all at the wooden bridge for the 6.30 .
MECCA HOLDS OFF PAUL ON 2 LAP COURSE.
14 runners competed last week over the 2 lap course and the Ladies dominated here. First crossing the finish line was Mecca Wall cloaking a time of 25.15 and holding off our fist Male finisher Paul O’Gorman 25.46. In 3rd spot last week was Hayley Akehurst 26.24 with Margaret Whelan next in a time of 26.45,just holding off Leisa Fleming by 4 seconds as Liesa finished in 26.49 for 5th and in 6th place was Nicola Cunniffe 27.25. It’s great each week to see the improvement being made by the 2 lap runners and some of those showing great determination are Anne Marie Power 28.19, Ali O’Donnell 28.53 and Nicola Dalton 30.44 to mention a few.Well done to the participants of the 2 lap league. Keep up the efforts for the final round this week.
SHANE FASTEST ON 3 MILE FLAT .
Last week on the 3 lap mile flat route we had another healthy number of 35 participants’. This course has proved very popular this year with numbers holding up great as we head into our final round this Wednesday evening.The Men filled the top 5 placing’s last week with Shane Power 28.20 battling hard to hold off Ryan Doherty 28.28,Shane and Ryan had a great battle last week and it was close at this finish line with just 8 seconds separating them. Sean Stilwell broke the 30 minute mark for 3rd place in a time of 29.31And 4th home was Noel Cliffe in 30.24.The men are battling away hard and so are the Ladies with little between them once again last week, but it was Tara Ni Reachtagain who lead them home in 31.09, followed by Mary Kate Prendergast 31.33 and hot on Mary Kate’s heels was Áine Máire Ni Aodha in 31.50.Well done to all keep it going now lads for the final round this Wednesday evening and best of luck to all.
WALSH JUST HOLDS OFF KEOGH ON 5 MILES HILL COURSE.
We had a great entry of 47 runners taking on the trail run in Colligan this week which takes on the 2 main hills both sides of the wooden bridge. Fist home last week was Mark Walsh in an excellent time of 31.49 which was his fastest time record for this run, but here Mark had to work very hard on both hills to hold of the ever improving Mossie Keogh (jnr) who clocked a time of 32.00.There is nothing between these two athle5tes who have battled it out every round over the previous 4 weeks, so it’s all down to this week’s final round to see who will be crowned the chap King of the hills for 2026. 3rd man home running as good as ever was Mossie Keogh (Snr) 33.43.4th was James Coade in 34.47,our first Lady last week was Angela Tobin making it 4 from 4 and recording a time of 36.54 followed by Kate Wall breaking the 40 minute barrier cloaking a time of 39.48.Well done to all who took on this tough course – no doubt you will see the benefits of this tough running as the year goes on and we get into the summer race programme.
THANK YOU
Thank you once again this week to our finish line team Shirley, Declan, Ray and Liam along with Jamie for their help with stewarding and signage etc. And Ann of course who looks after results .The presentation of prizes by our sponsor Mark Mason will take place this week as soon as all runners are finished, so please bring a change of top when standing around after your run.
BALLINTOTIS 4 MILE.
The annual Ballintotis 4 mile road race was held last Thursday evening in ideal conditions at the East Cork venue where a field of 1.1097 competed.The overall race winner for 2026 came from North Cork AC Jeremiah Sheehan in a time of 19.18. First Lady was current record holder of the John Treacy Dungarvan 10 Niamh Allen St. Finbarrs AC in 19.50 to see her finish 4th overall in the race only 32 seconds behind the race winner Jeremiah Sheehan., this is also a new Irish National 4 mile Ladies record on the road (to be ratified) .West Waterford AC well represented at the event when 23 travelled on the night. First home from the club as Mossie Keogh fresh from his exploits on the hills of Colligan on Wednesdays evening Mossie clocked a time of 23.23 in Ballintotis Our first Lady was Simone Power in 31:10.Simone also ran the hills of Colligan the night before, Melanie Kelly in a time of 35.35 was 3rd in the over 65 category here. Congratulations to the organisers on another great race and to all who ran.
Maurice KEOGH 00:23:23
Aidan RYAN 00:25:38
David DONNELLY 00:26:27
Ray HAHESY 00:26:39
Mark CLIFFE 00:28:26
Kate KEOGH 00:28:49
Conor MURRAY 00:29:59
Patrick POWER 00:30:01
Brian WALSH 00:30:51
Simone POWER 00:31:10
Cait VERLING 00:32:03
Niall HERLIHY 00:33:25
Martina BEECHINOR 00:33:04
Jacqui MURRAY 00:34:25
Liz CURTIN 00:34:50
Denis RYAN 00:35:21
Patricja DALY 00:35:28
Melanie KELLY 00:35:35
Denise CONWAY 00:37:13
Deirdre WHELAN DEVINE 00:38:50
Michael COAKLEY 00:39:11
Caroline RUSSELL 00:39:18
Margaret CONWAY 00:42:29
JOHN COFFEY RUNNERUP AT SPLASHWORLD 10K.
The annual Splashworld 10 km and 5km Races were held last evening in Tramore and the weather was beautiful for the event in the seaside town. The event was promoted by Tramore AC and they had a fine entry of 150 in the 10km Race and 73 took part in the 5km race. Overall winner was Noel Murphy Waterford AC in a time of 34.08 ,2nd was club member John Coffey in good time of 35.02 and 3rd was Craig O’Brien Ferrybank AC in 35.27.First lady home was Kealey Tideswell Clonmel AC in 37.14, 2nd was Jean Murphy in 40.04 and 3rd Siobhán Heylin Waterford AC in 41.51.In the age Category’s club member James Whelan took the honours in the over 50 section with a time of 39.24 . Elaine Langley was 3rd lady in the over 40 category with a time of 46.30. With 73 finishers in the 5k first home was T.J.Flanagan Waterford AC in 17.10, 2nd was Daniel Dempsey Sliabh Bhui Rovers AC, in 17.23 and 3rd was Andrew Buck Waterford AC in 17.4. First lady home was Harriet Molloy in 22.32.
MARY RUNS LONDON WHERE AN IRISH RECORD IS SET AND TWO SUB 2 HOUR MARATHONS ARE ACHIEVED.
The London marathon was held last Sunday with over 50.000 finishers which is the largest marathon in the world. Kenyan Sabastian Sawe made history at the race by becoming the first person ever to run an official marathon in under two hours, winning in 1:59:30. It was a landmark moment for athletics, breaking a barrier once thought impossible. Like the four-minute mile, the sub-two-hour marathon had long been seen as the ultimate endurance frontier. Sawe’s run redefined what human performance can achieve and will be remembered as one of the greatest moments in marathon history. Into the bargain the 2nd finisher Yomif Kejelcha Ethiopia also broke the 2 hour barrier with a time of 1.59.41, unbelievable performances by both. The Ladies winner was Tigst Assefa Ethiopia who set a new Ladies only race world record of 2.15.4. Ireland’s Peter Lynch took the continental plaudits as well as a national record in a record-breaking men’s race Closing with a negative second half split of 62:54, Lynch moved up to ninth-place overall in the race with a new Irish record of 2:06:08. He shaved almost two minutes from Fearghal Curtin’s previous mark of 2:07:54 which he set in winning the Gyeongju Marathon in South Korea last October.West Waterford AC was represented at the great race when Mary Cahill completed the event with a time of 4.30.57, very well done to Mary on completing one of the majors.
WATERFORD COUNTY TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Day one of the Waterford county track and field championships were held last Sunday at a sun drenched RSC in the city. Numbers were strong in most events and our club fared well among the medal winners, a full Juvenile report cam be read in our Juvenile news. We had a handful of juniors, Seniors and Masters competing and all brought home silver wear. In the Junior 1.500 meters Ladies Siein Cunningham showed a clean pair of heels to the field to take gold.In the senior 1.500 meters Padraig Healy and club mate Mossy Kehoe had a great battle to the line with Padraig taking gold and Mossie silver. Angela Tobin had a double Gold in Masters 400 and 1.500 meters bronze in 100 Masters meters for a great day competition for her. Mossie Keogh took Gold and team mate Yev Chizhikov bronze in the Masters 400 meters and in the 4×400 men’s relays the West Waterford AC’s team of Raivis Zakis, Padraig Healy, Yev Chizhikov and Mossy Keogh came home with gold. All in all very well done to all of the above it was great to see some of our senior athletes taking part in their county championships and we would like to see a few more take up the mantle at day 2 in 2 weeks’ time.
