Colette wins women’s County cross country

Colette winning in Aughagower

The Mayo Cross Country Championships took place on Sunday in the grounds of Westport Country Lodge Hotel, near Aughagower. It was a well organised event hosted by Aughagower AC and conditions were good on a bright dry afternoon. The one lap kilometre course was hilly and testing but there was a good firm grassy surface all the way round. suitable for both flats or spikes. We had six runners in the field. Women ran four laps and there were 23 on the start line made up of  junior, senior and masters. Colette Tuohy was a clear winner and first master, with her usual strong even pace. Pauline Moran finished second in the master section. They’ll both be challenging for selection at the Master’s Trial in a couple of weeks. Mary Moylett was our third finisher but we didn’t have enough to make up a team. Similarly, in the men’s event we had three among the eighteen on the start line. They ran 8k, a good test of endurance on this course. Anto Devaney finished second in the masters. Padraic McVann ran his cross country race and though like many he found it tough going, he enjoyed the experience. Tom Hunt followed him home to the finish line as he did in last week’s 10 mile in Sligo. There are 700 senior and masters athletes registered currently in the county, and thirty or so competing in a county championship is a disappointing turnout.

Summary results:

Senior Women

1^st Sandra Caulfield, Swinford AC

2^nd Cliona Mulroy, Swinford AC

Master Women

1^st Colette Tuohy, Mayo AC.

2^nd Pauline Moran, Mayo AC

3^rd Regina Mullaney, Swinford AC

Teams;  1^st Swinford AC

Senior Men.

1^st Jonathan Caulfield, Swinford AC

2^nd Gareth McDonald, Swinford AC

Masters Men.

1^st Peter Hynes, Swinford AC.

2^nd Anthony Devaney, Mayo AC

3^rd Tom Nicholas, Swinford AC

Teams:  1^st Swinford AC

The first of three legs in the Connacht cross country is on 17th October. Details of all three are on events calendar with entry arrangements awaited. Next Sunday we have the final Move2Improve race – Breaffy 10k.

Well done to our participants at Aughagower, who had great support from Angela McVann who completed the Westport Duathlon (5k run, 16k bike, 3k run) on Saturday in 1:18