Senior Women in contention for European Championship Medals - Athletics Ireland
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Senior Women in contention for European Championship Medals

7 July 2014

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The European Mountain Running Championships will be held in Gap France on 12th July on an up and down course that varies between an altitude of 1055 metres and 1305 metres. Gap is the location of the famous Alpe d’Huez climb in the Tour de France. Four Irish teams have been selected with the senior women’s team having hopes of finishing in the medals.

The first four senior women in both the 2013 European and World championships are all running and will ensure that there is a very competitive standard at the front.. The Italian team won those events and they will start as favourites. Emma Clayton (GBR) was the silver medallist in the 2013 World championships which was held on an up and down course. She should be thereabouts again as will Sarah Tunstall. The Irish team won bronze medals in the 2013 World championships and they have been strengthened with the addition of Michelle McGee (Dundrum South Dublin AC). Sarah McCormack (Clonliffe Harriers AC) was 6th in the Worlds and she will be hoping for another top placing. Sarah Mulligan (Dundrum South Dublin AC) and Kate Cronin (Raheny Shamrock) have been running well at home and both will be hoping for a top 20 finish. McGee looks comfortable on the hills and could be a surprise. Great Britain, France, Czech Republic, Turkey, and Ireland are the teams most likely to challenge the Italians.

Italy will also start as favourites for the senior men’s race. The top three finishers from the 2013 European championships (uphill) and the top five Europeans from the World championships are all entered. The Irish team is well balanced and will be hoping for a top eight placing. Brian MacMahon (Clonliffe Harriers) and European Masters champion Mark Ryan (Rathfarnham AC) are joined by Tom Hogan (Sliabh Buidhe Rovers) and Eoin Flynn (Rathfarnham),

Killian Mooney (Dundrum South Dublin) has been running very well recently and is capable of a top ten placing in the junior men’s race. He is joined by David Mulhare (Portlaoise AC) and Cathal Doyle (Clonliffe Harriers AC) who are both making their debut in mountain running. Turkish runners Ramazan Karagoz and Sehmus Sorihan will start as favourites but Manual Innerhofer (AUT) and Dominik Sadlo (CZE) will be hoping to build on their 3rd and 4th placings in last year’s World championships.

Great Britain will start as favourites for the junior women’s team with their top two finishers in the 2013 World championships Georgia Malir (5th) and Catriona Graves (6th) running. International Youth Cup winner Elsa Racasan (FRA), bronze medallist Burcu Sabatan (TUR), and Polish runner Weronika Pyzik are all contenders. The Irish team is led by Aoife Mulroy (Swinford AC) and she is joined by Eileen Rafter (Tullamore Harriers AC) and Niamh O’Connor (Edenderry AC) who are both making their debuts in mountain running.

The website for the event is http://www.gap2014.fr/ and results will also be available on the European Athletics Federation website.

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