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28 November, 2009

2002 Races
Knockree Winter League race - Report by Douglas Barry
Glorious weather unexpectedly broke over Knockree - the second race in the 2002 Winter League. A cloudy and rain soaked early morning sky succumbed to gold as a low winter sun beamed down on Glencree, Co. Wicklow where 60 plus runners were lining up. The Knockree course is unusual in that it has a downhill start for 500 metres and only following its crossing of the Glencree river - a tributary of the infant Dargle - does it commence its climb to the summit of Knockree mountain.
Downhill is Simon Fairmaner's favourite way to go. He led the charge away and, accompanied by Bob Lawlor, was the first to make it up onto the brief stretch of tarmac outside the Knockree Hostel. Just behind them the over 40s battle raged with Aonghus O'Cleirigh looking composed while Kevin Grogan attempted to pressure him on the stiff climb. Beth McCluskey led the women's race by a good margin from Emma Sokell.
Simon led at the 342 metre high summit of Knockree: the DSD runner turned and swooped down effortlessly to hold his lead to the finish. Despite the wet and slippery footing caused by the overnight and early morning downpours, Simon took Peter Dalton's record by 5 seconds. Behind him, Bob Lawlor tried to fend off the attentions of Aonghus, but the former Irish orienteering champion squeezed past on the steep descent and stretched out to take second overall and set an impressive new vets record.
Beth McCluskey also set a women's record for the course, while Hell Fire winner Emma Sokell took second ahead of a strangely subdued Joan Flanagan. Flanagan's normally exuberant descending skills were not in evidence as I watched her on the steep drop back down to the Hostel, but their absence did not prevent her winning the over 40 vets. Joe Feeney won the over 50s splitting second placed over 40 Kevin Grogan and third placed Desie Shorten, while Noel Coldrick had an excellent run to take second over 50, well ahead of Diarmuid O'Colman.
Maura Higgins won the over 60s women's section setting a new record which eclipsed the late Diana Large's set two years previously, while Mick Kellet was first male over 60. Brendan Dalton won the short course race which went part of the way up the mountain, but was outside Fionan O'Mhuirheartaigh's record. Still five new records were not a bad tally for a course that is both challenging and beautiful. Next year, perhaps we'll get it dry underfoot as well and more records will fall.