Welsh athletes starred at Dublin International cross-country champs.

Welsh athletes starred at Dublin International cross-country champs.

Report by Don Hale.

 

A large contingent of Welsh athletes travelled to Ireland last Saturday to take part in the 33rd British & Irish Open International Masters Cross-Country Championships which this year was held at Santry, near Dublin.

Nearly four hundred elite athletes from five competing nations took part in this spectacular event which attracted entries from male and female club runners aged from 35 to 75 plus.

North Wales was well represented with runners from NWRRC, GOG Triathlon, Prestatyn, Eryri Harriers, Wrexham, Buckley, and many other top local clubs involved in a series of very competitive races over varying distances.

Road Runners Martin Green and his wife Carla Green both ran well, yet this dedicated duo appeared slightly disappointed by their results. Martin though finished a highly credible 26th in 30.13 in his M45 race, with Carla 14th in her W50 age cat race in 24.31.

*Martin Green (*red vest) was up with the leaders at Dublin and (*right) Carla Green put in a gritty performance despite ill health.

Martin later said: “It was a very high standard, and I was a lowly 26th, Carla was ill, but as usual she played down her chances, but it was much better than could be expected.”

Wrexham runner Luke Northall (*pictured below left) enjoyed one of the best results on the day, and he later confirmed: “I came 12th yesterday. I am over the moon and the first Welshman home too, only beaten by two Englishmen. Two days racing and two sprint finishes and won them both. Days are gone where I was good enough to win races now it’s about the Welsh team.”

There were some additional superb performances from other male team members, with plaudits given to Matt Edmonds, Matt Harvey, Huw Evans, Graham Jones, Martin Cortvriend, and Barrie Parham in particular, whilst for the ladies Lucy Marland, Gemma Moore, Helen Sharpe, Joanne Rees, Emma Collins, and Fiona Davies claimed some great results, and all credit to veteran GOG athlete Ann d’Albuquerque, who had an incredible run, not long after completing in the Snowdonia Marathon.

*I have included the provisional results link (*below) from a complicated system, involving mixed age category runners in combined races, later separated by their finishing times in their respective age groups, and points gained. I have shown where possible, the individual Welsh results with their placings and finishing times.

*Gemma Moore (Eryri Harriers - above left) with Ann D'Alburquerque (GOG Triathlon).

The Irish Masters Association of Ireland who hosted the event an claimed it was huge success, stating: “Participants were made feel very welcome and special, and so they should. Athletes qualified for their countries after battling it out for a place on their national team. 

“Each year seems to increase with the quality and increased performance needed in the qualifying process. This makes that national team place feel better earned and gives the athletes even more pride in wearing their national singlet.”

*Official Bernie Jones (*far right) with members of the men's team at Dublin.

 

Welsh male runners:

M35: Luke Northall (12) 27.19; Matt Edmonds (16) 27.28; Daniel Trigg (22) 28.18; and Andrew Cleverly (26) 28.59. M40: Matt Harvey (9) 27.36; Steven Skates (15) 28.21; Joel Gomes (19) 28.30; Owen Schiavone (21) 28.50. M45:Simon Lewis (14) 28.29; Chris Callaghan (17); Mark Jennings (18) 28.55; Martin Green (26) 30.13. M50: Huw Evans (13) 29.07; Richard Jones (21) 30.33; Jon Carter (27) 32.04; Jez Brown (28) 32.44. M55: Colin Williams (15) 31.32; Jeremy Mower (16) 31.41; David Williams (18) 31.51. M65: Graham Jones (5) 23.00; Dave Watson (16) 25.23; Cyril Williams (19) 27.17. M70: Martin Cortvriend (23) 25.53; Mike Davies (47) 29.53. M75: Barrie Parham (9) 28.42; Paul Allen (15) 31.45; Gareth Hughes (16) 31.46; Dic Evans (20) 34.25.

*(Pictured above) Members of the Welsh ladies team at Dublin.

 

Welsh female runners:

W35: Lucy Marland (5) 21.17; Gemma Moore (10) 22.16; Louise Flynn (11) 22.37. W40: Helen Sharpe (15) 23.13; Georgie Parnell (16) 23.13; Wendy Price (1) 23.56; Linos Jones 24.15. W45: Joanne Rees (16) 25.15; Jane Doughton (18) 25.46; Mel Morris (19) 26.04. W50: Tracy Collins (12) 24.05; Carla Green (14) 24.31; Kay Chapman (19) 26.51. W60: Emma Collins (9) 25.58; Cath Wheeler (10) 26.18; Margaret Ludden (17) 28.32. W65: Fiona Davies (9) 29.01; Tricia Hurst (13) 30.00; Andrea Webster (14) 30.02; Ann d’Albuquerque (24) 32.03; Maggie Oliver (29) 36.20.

 

*These are the provisional results from the Dublin International cross-country races:

https://www.myrunresults.com/events/british__irish_open_international_masters_xc/4580/results