Weekend round-up: Castlegar, Clew Bay, Calheta (updated)
Castlegar Open Cross Country and the Clew Bay Half Marathon were the two big athletics events in Connacht this weekend.
Today’s Castlegar Open Cross Country races served as the 1st leg of 2023 Connacht Senior Masters League which was held at the Ballybrit racecourse.
Women, u18 boys/girls, and o60 men ran 4k.
Well done to our four representatives – overall place shown
14 ColetteTuohy 17:58
18 Angela O’Connor
35 Gillian Hanrahan 22:05
39 Breege Staunton 23:36
Results:
https://www.popupraces.ie/race/castlegar-ac-open-cross-country-2023/#5_DE2C17
Connacht Leg 2 Westport October 22, Leg 3 Sligo November 5
The Mayo Seniors and Masters Cross Country competition will be held on October 1 in Westport.
And in the Clew Bay Half Marathon there was more good running by our Mayo AC finishers:
5th David Browne 1:28.52, 3rd M40
Brendan Murphy 1:33.00, 1st M50
Damien Finnegan 1:37.01
Dee Finnegan 1:48.01, (1:53 in 2022)
Ann McDonnell 1:52.40
John Nyland 1.56.23
Karla Regan 1:58.04
Winners: David Tiernan East Mayo 1:19.05; Karina O’Malley 1:32
143 finishers
Results:
https://www.popupraces.ie/race/clew-bay-half-marathon-10k-2023/#2_9D70EA
On Friday (September 15) the World Masters Mountain Running Championships women’s race took place in Calheta Portugal.
The course was described as uphill 9.2k +800m/-50m.
In context, only eleven countries – all European- took part in the women’s World Masters Championships with Ireland making up 17 of a total of 54 competitors.
In the 35-50 results there were 48 competitors with 10 Irish in the lineup. Paula Donnellan Mayo AC was the 7th Irish finisher in 26th place in 1:10.07. The overall race winner and first W40 was Charlotte Cotton (BEL) in 52:42.
Within the 35-50 race there were 15 competitors in the women’s W40 event with Paula Donnellan third of three Irish finishers coming home in 10th place 1:10.07.
Teams from just two countries had the required 3 finishers and Ireland with 21 points (2,9,10) beat Italy (26 points) to win team gold.
A great achievement for the Irish runners and particularly for Paula.
And as she has said on her return “I’m absolutely delighted. It was an unbelievable experience.”
Well done Paula and the Irish team.
Detailed results from Calheta women’s race: