27th ANNUAL OPEN CROSS COUNTRY RACE FOR THE JAMES HUGHES PERPETUAL CUP.
“MARY PROVES STRONGEST”.
Having missed last year’s event due to covid it felt great to be back on home turf last Sunday and back to the home of Waterford cross country running St Augustine’s College Abbeyside. Now in its 27th year the clubs open cross country race for the James Hughes perpetual cup took place and as previous years the race also incorporated the country senior cross country championships for men and women.For the 8th year the James Hughes perpetual cup which was presented to the race by the Power family Abbeyside in memory of their grandfather who was an international cross country runner during the time of the war was presented to the overall race winner.The event saw the senior women’s race covered 2 laps or 4.000 meters and the senior men’s race over 4 laps 8.000 meters.The overall winner for this year was Waterford AC athlete Matteo Mary who was an excellent winner in a fast of 25.15. he was made to work all the way by west Waterford ACs Pat Hennessy in 25.33. the pair were stride for stride for the first 2 laps before Matteo made his move on the third lap to open an gap which he was to hold until the end. In third was Jake Bagge, Ferrybank in 26.02 and the next 3 finisher were all Ferrybank taking them to team gold in the count6 championship.
The team gold went to Ferrybank (Jake Bagge, Callum Hurley, Craig O’Brien and Andrew Connick). Silver went to Waterford AC (Matteo Mary, Ben Keane, Frank Quinlan, and Jamie McCarty) with West Waterford in bronze led by pat Hennessy and the other scoring team members, Marc Flavin, Padraig Healy and Mossie Keogh.
The Category Winners were
o/35 – Des Feeney
o/40 – Frank Quinlan
o/50 – Gerard O’Reilly
RUTH HEERY TAKES LADIES TITLE.
Ruth Heery Waterford AC was a clear winner over the 2 lap Friary course in an excellent time of 14.16. In second was a another Waterford AC runner, Emer McGlynn (14.49) with Aisling Ferguson, also of Waterford AC in third in 15.04. In a sprint finish, she just pipped West Waterford ACs first lady, Kelly Fitzgerald by just 1 second.The Gold Team Medal went to Waterford AC (Ruth Heery, Emer McGlynn, Aisling Ferguson and Sylvia Malone). Silver went to Ferrybank ( Louise Morgan, Emily Goff, Isabelle Cummins, Emily Frisby) with Bronze going to West Waterford led by Kelly Fitzgerald with the other scoring team members, Liz Nyhan, Laura Flavin, Sinead Ni Fhaolain.
The category winners were:
o/35 – Sinead Ni Fhaolain
o/40 – Louise Morgan
0/45 – Sylvia Malone
o/50 – Onra Power
THANKS.
Firstly our sincere thanks to the Power family especially Donal Power, grandson of James Hughes who donated the magnificent cup to this race 8 years ago. Once again our thanks to Br Patrick Lennon and all the crew for laying out the course and to the College for the use of their facility to hold the race and to all who helped with the race in anyway especially all doing registration, timing, results etc .Thanks to our traffic control team where were out early morning looking after the parking on the road, and to Total timing for looking after the registration for this years race.
FORDES DAYBREAK WINTER LEAGUE TO RETURN.
Great news about to unfold as the Fordes Daybreak winter league is about to be announced for 2021-22,yes folks it back keep posted for further news shortly.
PAT LINDA AND MARY FLY THE FLAG AT BELFAST MARATHON.
Pat Fitzgerald another man who trains diligently was rewarded for his months upon months of preparation firstly for his plan A which was to run Boston which didn’t happen but Pat had a plan B and that was Belfast and a good decision it has to be said as Pat recorded a time of 3.03.50 for the 26.2 mile challenge. Not to be outdone and keeping the flag flying for the ladies in Belfast were Linda Foley who it seems has more Greenway miles ran this past 18 months in preparation than many of us have miles walked on it. Linda was to say the least more than delighted with her time of 3.28.20 . The fastest time by a lady in the club for a few years now. Not to mention the performance of Mary Cahill who knocked a whopping 18minutes off her previous best marathon performance when finishing with a time of 4.02.50, which proves once again you get out of the marathon day what you put into the preparation.
Well done to Pat, Linda and Mary.
“ ITS GOOD TO BE BACK ISNT IT ”
10k VICTORY FOR KATE VEALE AT DUTCH CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Kate Veale was on international duty last Sunday when she competed in Tilburg Netherlands at the national race walking championships.Despite the inclement weather on the morning the very well organized and superbly laid out course saw all distances catered for with Kate leading out the ladies 10 k from the gun she walked a solid confident race to come home in a Time of 48.15 her fastest time for the distance for some years.The race was in preparation for the British Grand Prix of race walking in three weeks time in the Brownlee center Leeds where she will up the distance to the 20k even here.
SYMPATHY.
West Waterford athletic club extend sincere sympathy to the family and friends of Eddie Cashin Abbeyside to passed to his eternal reward recently, may he rest in peace.
