McCormack Queen Of The Campus
Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole) scored an impressive, and expected, victory in 20 minutes and 30 seconds over 6km at the Autumn Open Cross Country Festival at the National Sports Campus today (October 16).
“I enjoyed it,” said McCormack of the new purpose-built cross country course in Abbotstown.
“The course was a lot tougher than people expected it to be,” continued the Wicklow woman who used her customary front-running tactics to lead the field a muddy dance. “It’s real cross country. At the beginning of the cross country season it’s a good start. At this time of the year this has been my focus the last 15 years. I love it and that’s why I keep coming back time and time again.”
Poland’s Paulina Kaczynska outsprinted Caroline Crowley (Crusaders) for second in 21:06 with the Dubliner having to settle for third after coming through strongly in 21:08.
It was a much closer affair in the senior men’s 8km race with one of McCormack’s contemporaries Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers) showing he still is one of the best distance runners in the country. He edged a four-way tussle winning in 24:59 ahead of Poland’s Adam Nowicki who finished second in 25:04 and Freddy Keron Sittuk (Raheny Shamrock) third in 25:08.
The course proved to be a good challenge for the 451 competitor in the main races along with a further 650 juveniles who competed in the Dublin Championships earlier in the day.
The masters provided plenty of extra energy with Ann-Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny) winning the F35 section in 21:14 while Cari Hughes of Wales won the junior women’s 4km race in 14:09.
Craig McMeechan (North Down) won the junior men’s 6km race in 19:14. Paul Elliott won arguably the closest race of the day in the M60 8km in 31:52 – just one second ahead of Martin Kearney (Galway City Harriers).
The cross country festival was given the seal of approval by the competitors and they will be back once more for the National Cross Country Championships on November 27.
For full results clickHERE
Results
Autumn Open Cross Country
Women’s
Senior
6km
Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole)20:30
Paulina Kaczynska (Poland) 21:06
Caroline Crowley (Crusaders) 21:08
F35
Ann-Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny) 21:14
Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle) 21:22
Michelle Kenny (Leevale) 22:40
F40
Maria McCarthy (Farranfore Maine Valley) 23:12
Adele Walsh (St Senan’s) 23:33
Mary Leech (Drogheda & District) 23:59
F45
Jackie Carthy (Kilmore) 23:38
Colette Tuohy (Mayo) 24:25
Donna Evans (Finn Valley) 25:14
F50
Niamh O’Sullivan (An Riocht) 24:27
Sharon Cahill (An Riocht) 25:24
Orla Gormley (Raheny Shamrock) 25:38
F55
Mary Sweeney (St Finbarr’s) 26:26
Charlotte Stevens (Sli Cualann) 28:46
Brigid Duffy (Sli Cualann) 28:50
F60
Carmel Parnell (Leevale) 25:32
Christine Kennedy (Galway City Harriers) 25:39
Nuala Reilly (Drogheda & District) 27:32
F65 4km
Margaret Glavey 18:44
Phylis Browne (Star of the Sea) 20:00
Carol Lynch (Sportsworld) 21:34
F70
Kathleen O’Brien (St Catherine’s) 21:05
Pamela Benson (Fingallians) 23:52
Ann Woodlock (Donore Harriers) 24:41
Junior women
Cari Hughes (Wales) 14:09
Sophie Murphy (DSD) 14:17
Abbie Taylor (DSD) 14:38
Men’s
Senior 8km
Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers) 24:59
Michael Somers (Belgium) 25:04
Freddy Keron Sittuk (Raheny Shamrock) 25:08
M35
Paddy Hamilton (Slieve Gullion Runners) 25:51
Michael Harty (East Cork) 26:05
Kevin Maunsell (Clonmel) 26:06
M40
Ciaran Doherty (Letterkenny) 26:44
Frank Quinlan (Waterford) 27:31
Paul Buckley (Ferbane) 27:54
M45
Stephen Duncan (Omagh Harriers) 27:26
Peter Mathews (DSD) 27:33
Des Kennedy (Raheny Shamrock) 28:02
M50
Aengus Burke (Portlaoise) 28:45
Patrick Malone (Newbridge) 28:49
Phelim Glynn (Dunboyne) 28:59
M55
Tommy Payne (Tinryland) 29:15
Jim Stafford (Slaney Olympic) 29:17
Mick Byrne (Sli Cualann) 29:59
M60
Paul Elliott 31:52
Martin Kearney (Galway City Harriers) 31:53
Neilus Aherne (Midleton) 32:12
M65
6km
John Murphy 24:23
Martin McEvilly (Galways City Harriers) 25:26
John Todd (Tullamore Harriers) 26:09
M70
Terry Mee (Donore Harriers) 29:03
Patrick Bonass (Clonliffe Harriers) 30:32
Patrick Healy (Portmarnock) 31:06
Junior Men
Craig McMeechan (North Down) 19:14
Fearghal Curtin (Youghal) 19:18
Paul O’Donnell (DSD) 19:22