RACE ONE WEST WATERFORD SUMMER ROAD RACE PROGRAMME.
THE AHS TUNING IRELAND 10th ANNUAL BALLINROAD 5K
Our first race in the clubs summer road race programme for 2025 will get underway with the AHS Tuning Ireland sponsored Ballinroad 5k on Friday May 9th 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 10 years. John operates a very successful car tuning company from his premises out on Coolagh road., Abbeyside. 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 A.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. For the first time our clubs Juvenile committee are hosting a Juveniles 1km race on the Greenway and this will take place before the Senior 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 to who can break 17.00. The entry fee is 10 euro pre entry online. (15 euro on race night). 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/3z18fx4tZW
WEST WATERFORD ATHLETIC CLUB SUMMER RACE PROGRAMME 2025.
We are delighted to announce our Summer Schedule of races 2025 starting in Ballinroad with our very popular 5k race on May 9th and finishing in Ballinameela on the 18th July in another very popular 5k route . 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 for €60 and you will receive a summer race t-shirt. 60 Euro which is brilliant value, and of course you can also enter each race individually for 10 euro per race online. Individual race entries will open two weeks before each race. 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. .
So get your entries in quickly and be ready for a super summer of racing once more. List of races are as follows:
Ballinroad 5K 9th May 2025
Ardmore 5 Miles 23rd May 2025
Dromana 5 Miles 6th June 2025
Ballymacarby 5 Miles 27th June 2025
Dungarvan 10K 4th July 2025
Ballinameela 5K 18th July 2025
ONLINE ENTRIES HERE.
https://eventmaster.ie/event/OmQnupmH0Z
WEEK 4 OF MARK MASON FINANCIAL SERVICES COLLIGAN SPRING RUNNING LEAGUE.
Round 4 of the Mark Mason Financial Services Colligan Spring League took place last Wednesday evening in the beautiful surround of Colligan wood on what was, once again, a perfect evening for running. The league was held over 5 nights and to concluded this coming Wednesday evening with round 5. To be included in the final tables you need to run 4 out of the 5 nights, remember for Wednesday 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 start time .
LAURA FLAVIN FASTEST ON 2 LAP COURSE.
A great number of 30 runners compete last week over the 2 lap course and the Ladies dominated with 26 taking part and 4 gents. First crossing the finish line was Laura Flavin 20.18,Laura is improving weekly on this run, 2nd home was Carol Walsh 22.46 and 3rd was Catriona Crowe 23.59 with Tina Crotty breaking the 25 minutes running a time of 24.34.Micheál Moynihan was first male finisher in a time of 28.16 with Paschal Hosford next in 30.54.Well done to the participants of the 2 lap league. Keep up the efforts for the next 2 weeks.
KATE WALL FASTEST ON 3 MILE FLAT .
Last week on the 3 lap mile flat route we had another healthy number 26 participant’S again here the Ladies slightly outnumbered the men with 16 Ladies and 10 men participating. The Ladies filled the 2 top placings with Kate Wall once again crossing the finish line first in a time of 30.03 followed by Tara Ní Rheachtagain 30.45 and just 3 seconds behind Tara came our fist male home Noel Cliffe in a time of 30.48 but Noel had to work hard over the final few hundred meters as he only had 1 second to spear over Liz Nyhan on the line who ran 30.49.Well done to all keep it going now lads for the final round this Wednesday evening..
WALSH JUST HOLDS OFF GOUGH ON 5 MILES HILL COURSE.
We had a great entry of 39 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 eek was Mark Walsh in an excellent time of 32.41,but here Mark had to work very hard on both hills to hold of the ever improving Dermot Gough who clocked a time of 33.02 with 3rd man home Brain Looby running as good as ever clocking a time of 34.48. 4th was Tom Hogan in 36.00 dead just ahead of John Coade 5th in 36.21 and Ray Hahesy 36.58 was next. Linda Foley in 41.22 lead the Ladies home last week for the first time in this years league with Ciara Holmes breaking the 42 minute barrier in 2nd place 41.55 and Katherine O’Connor 42.57 was 3rd Lady finish. 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 Garry and Liam along with Jamie for their help with stewarding and signage etc. And Ann who looks after results.
3.105 EURO RAISED AT 11TH ANNUAL AGLISH FUN RUN/WALK IN AID OF CHILDRENS HOPSPITAL CRUMLIN.
The 11th Aglish fun run walk in aid of the children’s hospital Crumlin was held on Easter Monday,It was great to see another great turnout on the bank holiday Monday once again for this great cause, weather wise it was a brilliant morning and this saw a great turnout of runners and walkers all helping to raise 3.105 euro for this most worthy cause, very well done to all who supported the event and well done to organiser Liam O’Donnell who had everything running smoothly on the day as usual, we are looking forward to the 12th edition next year.
SPLASHWORLD 10K.
In Tramore last Saturday the Splashworld 5k and 10 km Road Race took place organised by Tramore AC and a total of 249 competed in the 10k and 5k events. First home in the 10k race and retaining his title from2024 was Pat Fitzgerald Waterford AC in 32,25 First lady was Grainne Brennan IND in 39.46,In the 5k race the winner this year was Steward Moloney 16.54 and first Lady here was Mary Keane Ind .West Waterford AC was represented by 3 athletes in the 10k race and our first man home was John Coffey in a time of 34.49 to finish 6th overall, A great run by John as he also ran this race last year finishing in a time of 37.05 for 11th place, so a great improvement for John here.Niall Barry was just outside breaking the 40 minute mark when finishing in a time of 40.13.Our only Lady was Onra Power in 52.39 Well done to all who ran on the night.
John Coffey, 34:49
Niall Barry, 40:13
Onra Power, 52:38
ADIDAS MANCHESTER MARATHON.
WEST WATERFROD AC FLAG FLYING HIGH.
The annual Adidas Manchester marathon was held last Sunday with over 36.000 participants . The race starts from Old Trafford finishing in the new finish line on Oxford Road in the city centre. Weather conditions were very warm for the event this year which made for difficult enough running for the participants. It was Josh Griffiths who passed the finish line first in a time of 2:16:56. The first female finisher of the Manchester Marathon was Tessa McCormick with a time of 02:34:53.West Waterford AC this year had a large contingent of athletes talking part and a great weekend was had by all. Our club athletes were lead home by Stephen Curran in a time of 3.49.16 and out first Lady home was Deirdre Daly in 4.47.58. Huge congratulations to all who started and completed the race and to those who travelled to support our club runners.
Mark Lenihan 4.28.57
Joe O’Rourke 4.19.14
Jody Hynes 4.14.35
John Woods 5.40.11
Mick Concannon 4.47.58
Jim O’Brien 5.07.36
Steven Curran 3.49.16
Deirdre Daly 4.47.58
Catherine Bourke 4.59.02
Mary Cahill 5.31.25
MARTIN AND PAT RUN 129TH BOSTON MARATHON.
Club member’s Martin Tobin AND Pat Fitzgerald both made the long trip to Boston last weekend to run the 129th Boston Marathon which is one of the 5 major’s as they are known in marathon terms. Pat was first to finish of the two lads recording a time of 3.32.15. Martin was running the event to raise monies for the Autism support Dungarvan and he was due to run the same marathon in 2020 and of course covid struck and that put an end to that year but none the less he did go this year and gladly completed the course in a time of 4.59.33,well done Martin and Pat.
KINSALE 10.
The Kinsale 10 mile road race was held last bank holiday Monday in beautiful weather conditions and a field of 801 ran on the day . The race was hosted by Riverstick Kinsale Athletic Club and Kinsale Community School.Ryan Creech Leevale AC in a time of 49.16 was the overall winner and first Lady was Catherine Murphy Eagle AC in 63.30.West Waterford AC was well represented at the event with 10 athletes running. Liam Beresford was first club member home in 62.16,Gerry Cantwell was 2nd in the over 65 category marking 42 years since he ran his first marathon on this very day. Well done to all.
Liam Beresford 1.02.16
Kieran Crowley 1.12.55
Gerry Cantwell 1.14.55
Mark Cliffe 1.19.28
Eoin O’Riordan 1.20.07
Michael Cummins 1.20.55
Josie Ui Chuirrin 1.30.24
Martina Beechinor 1.33.40
Susan O’Mahoney 1.36.56
Maria White 1.48.39
DAMIEN MURPHY 4TH IN SWITZERLAND 5K
The Giro Media Blenio is an annual road running event over 10 kilometres which takes place in April in the village of Dongio, Switzerland each year. It was created in honour of Markus Ryffel’s silver medal in the 5000 metres at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. The event was held last bank holiday Monday and West Waterford AC’s Damien Murphy finished 4th in a time of 17.25.6, well done to Damien keeping the West Waterford singlet prominent in Switzerland.
JOE GOUGH RECIEVES WATERFORD SPORTS AWARD FOR MARCH.
Club member Joe Gough has been announced as the March recipient of the Waterford sports monthly award in association with WLR FM and The Granville Hotel. Joe received the award in recognition of his 2 medal achievements gold and silver at the World Masters Indoors Championships in Florida when winning gold in the 800 metres and silver in the 1500 metres. Joe now is the now the proud owner of no less than ten individual world gold medals. Congratulations from all at your club. Joe is pictured receiving his monthly award from a Philip Erskine Granville Hotel and Neill Gough WLR FM.
56th ZÁHORÁCKA DVADSIATKA
KATE VEALE 3RD AT WORLD TOUR RACE WALK IN SLOVAKIA.
The Slovik national championships were held last Sunday in the town of Borský Mikuláš in the Western part of the country. This race was a silver world tour event and is one of the oldest race walking meets around Europe celebrating its 56th year. There were races for all ages and distances from 1km to the 20km distance. West Waterford’s Kate Veale made the trip to compete over the 10k distance in search of a qualifying time for the European cup of race walking due to be held in the Czech town of Podabrady on 18th of May next. Finishing 3rd with a time of 49.35,Kate hopes this will now to see her selected when the Irish team is selected for the European cup.The race was won by top Mexican walker Martinez Valeria Ortuno in a fast 46.10 followed by Lara Skorbic of Croatia in 47.43.Tiarnach Costin was also in action in the town of his Mam Zuzana and under the coaching of his father Jamie he keeps that great Malikova/Costin race walking tradition alive and well when finishing 1st under 10 over 1km with an excellent time of 5.45.The world silver medal event saw West Waterford’s Suzana Costin as its Technical Director and I’m sure it was a proud moment for her to be back in her native town in such a highly regarded role in the sport of athletics.
56th ZÁHORÁCKA DVADSIATKA
SLOVIK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS AFTERNOON
SENIOR WOMENS 10K
1 Martinez Valeria Ortuno Mexico 46.10
2 Lara Skorbic Croatia 47.43
3 Kate Veale Ireland 49.35
BRID GOLDEN ELECTED PRESIDENT OF ATHLETICS IRELAND.
Athletics Ireland’s congress was held in Tullamore last weekend and it was a very special day for Waterford Athletics. At the Congress Brid Golden Ferrybank AC was elected President of Athletics Ireland and all involved in Waterford Athletics send her their heartiest congratulations and best wished in her term .
