The inaugural national senior inter-counties championship in mountain running is being held this Sunday in Wicklow on Trooperstown hill. The race is also the selection race for the World Trophy. The races are being held on a 3.8 km lap with 180m of climb per lap (see www.imra.ie for details). The first race starts at 12:00 (juniors and senior women) followed by the senior men at 12:10. Favourite for the junior men’s race is Eoin Pierce of Clonliffe. He has run 15:27 for 5k and was a member of the 2006 team. Eoin Rowan from Sligo is another member of the 2006 team with hopes but he will have stiff competition from Michael Dowling (Sli Cualann) who was first junior home in the Europeans in July. Kian Jennings (Crusaders), and the Clonliffe duo of Colm Murray and Tony Kavanagh all have previous international experience and they will be hoping for selection. Jason O’Byrne from Sli Cualann will also be hoping to climb well and put himself in contention for what will be the strongest junior men’s team in a good while. The Northern Ireland teams were selected last week and include Noel Collins, recent silver medallist in the European Youth Olympics. Alwynne Shannon from Down won the Northern Ireland trial race last week and will be favourite to make it a double. Hot on her heels will be Tish McCann and Anne Sanford (both Down) who will both be looking for selection for the World Trophy. Aisling Coppinger (Dublin), Jenny McCauley (Dublin/Wicklow) and Edel Mooney (Dublin) will all figure very prominently in the battle for the Irish team and county and individual honours. Aoife Joyce (Wexford), Orla McEvoy (Laois), Laura McGinley (Dublin) and the Clonliffe trio of Maura NiChearbhaill, Fionnuala Doherty and Bronagh NiBhriain (all Dublin) will also be thereabouts for selection. Down look likely county winners from Dublin and Wexford. The senior men’s race sees a rare clash of John Lenihan (Kerry) and Robin Bryson (Down). Colm Mullen (Wexford), Barry Minnock and Peter O’Farrell (both Dublin), Eoin McKenna (Kerry), Owen Gahan (Kilkenny), Bryan Keane (Cork) and Ciaran Fitzpatrick (Laois) and many others will also be very close when the final selection places are being determined. Down with three runners who have qualified for the Northern Ireland team as well as Deon McNeilly and Alan McKibbin will be hard to beat as will Antrim with Neil Carty. Dublin, Kerry, Limerick, Laois, Wicklow and Cork will have it all to do and in a tight race, the third scorer may be decisive. The Finn sisters (Carol and Michelle), Carol Huet and Michelle Twohig all have mountain running experience and are contenders for selection. Eimear Tangney who ran very well in a mountain race in Italy in June will also be hoping that a good run in the Community Games at the weekend may attract the nod of the selectors. The main car park beside the river in Trooperstown forest will provide ideal parking for spectators. The race start is an uphill 25 minutes walk from there allowing you time to appreciate the difficult challenge awaiting the athletes.
