I'm not going to start this week complaining about the numbers who took part and attended the international Cross Country races at Greenmount on Saturday. If you weren't there you missed them – in fact even if you had been there you could still have missed them such was the blanket of freezing fog which engulfed the course.  At 9.00am visibility was good, with the overnight fog still hanging around but affording views across the course and promising to lift if the Sun rose sufficiently.  However like a lot of athletes it took a lie in and by 11.00am visibility had worsened,   This trend continued throughout the morning and early afternoon, eventually reaching a low of less than 30 metres and kept spectators guessing who would emerge from the mist as the races took their course.

Conditions underfoot were iron hard and it was a painful experience for all who participated and the need to avoid twisting ankles was uppermost in most minds..

Elaine Burch was the sole representative from East Down, competing in the Girls Under 17 race, but had one of those days we all have from time to time finishing a disappointed 12th just a week after her top 15 finish in the All Ireland Age Group Championships in Tullamore.

The trio of Liam Keenan, Anne Sandford and myself took to the start line in the Veterans and Senior Ladies races respectively and all fought out our own contests behind the leaders, Anne as last year the only Newcastle to compete and with Liam is  nearing ever present status on the cross country circuit. Well done to them.

The Kenyans once again dominated the senior event  with last year's winner Mike Kigen powering to a second win with Annadale's Eddie McGinley the best of the home team in a creditable 15th place in a field of 33 runners, similar to the Ladies numbers.

Sunday afternoon brought the young guns of East Down and Newcastle together once again in the marvellous setting of Castleward, where a circuit of the Temple Water was the unique course setting. Almost 100 athletes took part, a great turnout considering the recent prevalence of colds and flus, and parents and officials were not disappointed by the efforts of all concerned.  There are some very exciting prospects on both club's books but from first to last every competitor played their part in making it a memorable day, with taking part and finishing a significant achievement.

The Team competitions are still undecided with 2 rounds still to go Newcastle leading both, the Boys by 45 to 24 points and the Girls by 42 to 35, but still catchable.  An interesting fact is that the P3/4 and P6 Boys and Girls categories are dominated by Newcastle whereas the reverse is true in the  P 5 and P7 categories where East Down hold the high ground. No doubt someone can come up with a reason for this but the odds on reaching an acceptable conclusion are even.
 
There were eyecatching performances from Ciara Gibson, surely one for the future Arthur Morgan, who exacted revenge over Rory McMullan for his Delamont defeat and Chloe Rooney while Aidan Hawkins timed his race to perfection to overhaul long time leader Liam Gallagher in the Year 8 race, this battle will surely run and run.

Caoimhe Grace O'Donnell again ran splendidly in the P5 Girls race while Jemma Black led home an East Down quartet in the P7 race. Caoilin Quinn was a start to finish winner of the P5 Boys event ahead of debutant clubmates Colum Morgan and James Kennedy. Kate Lenny  performed a similar task in the P3/4 race while Conor Murray continues to dominate the Boys category and is already series winner.

Thanks are due to the staff at Castleward who made us welcome and couldn't have been more helpful in staging what  is hoped could be the forerunner to similar events in this magnificent setting on the shores of Strangford Lough.

The next round will be on 13th February in Donard Park with the postponed round re-scheduled for for 12 March in Tollymore.  So it's going to be an intensive few weeks training for all concerned to determine the destination of the team trophies.


Next weekend will be the Racecourse Rollercoaster races, with Primary Schools, age Group and a Senior 5K in the unique setting of Downpatrick racecourse.  This is not a Corss Country event as all the races take place on the perimeter road so there should be no wet or muddy feet to contend with.  Entries for all races will be taken on the day.
   Race 4 Results.pdf - 72kB
Joe Quinn

24 January 2011