Mountain Running: Annual IMRA Connacht Championships
The Annual Irish Mountain Running Association race at Croagh Patrick took place on Saturday afternoon.
It is part of the IMRA year long schedule of league and championship races all over the country, and is one of two races on rough terrain in Connacht to decide the Connacht Champion. A new Croagh Patrick route is being used which includes a new descent, so that the mountain is traversed. The terrain is described officially by IMRA as ‘difficult’ As the description has it ..” These races feature little or no trail and are mainly on open mountainside often with passages of loose rock, scree, bog, and significant levels of exposure to wind. Route choice will be fairly open, and obstacles will be frequent (streams, boulders, crevasses) etc.” The distance is shown as 6.91k. Brian Furey won in 53.28. Robert Malseed finished in 4th place in 57.33. Paddy Syron from Doonaroye at the butt of Nephin is a regular competitor in local races and he finished in 83.08, 30th place of 44 competitors and second M60.
Mweelrea is the other mountain race in Connacht Championships. It took place on Sunday and is also described as ‘difficult’ with a distance of 10.7k and ascent of more than 500m.
After the two races there was a three way tie on five points between Robert Malseed, Bernard Fortune and Brian Furey. Furey was declared 2011 champion based on cumulative times.