Irish Mountain
Running Association

2024 World Masters Classic, Spain

AuthorDateMessage
Turlough ConwayJan 15 2024, 12:21pmLast year in Madeira the Irish Masters Team achieved our greatest away medal haul (42) of which built on the tremendously successful home Championships in Madeira. This year’s Championships are being hosted in the stunning location of Canfranc, Spanish Pyrennees. As well as the uphill (6k) and long (17k) course there is a new ultra event (34k) this year.
We are hoping to build on the team’s previous successes in medal haul, and in participation we are hoping to have full Irish Teams in all categories and in all races.
This event is not just for those seeking to medal, any entrant will help the Irish Team and give the participant a feel for classic continental races. Participants who can sing, play an instrument or spin a few yarns and generally enjoy themselves doing the sport they love are also encouraged to come along. Please consider answering Ireland’s call and please spread the word wide.
Canfranc is in the Aragon Valley which connects Spain and France. Hannibal, Napoleon and others used the valley to march huge armies between the countries. More recently, an International railway was built with a massive and beautiful station in Canfranc (once the biggest train station in Europe). The station was used for a famous scene in the movie Dr Zhivago. (if you haven’t heard of Dr Zhivago you may be too young for this trip). The main main settlement in the area is the Cathedral town of Jaca at the bottom of the drive and only 18 mins drive from race start. The city of Pamplona is also only 80 mins away.
We have set up a Whatsapp group to support this effort and we will use that and here as the main sources of information. Masters events are not subsidised ,but the Whatsapp group will have very current information and will be exploring economies of scale etc as they can apply. Please join the conversation here and for the Whatsapp group just text 0-eight-9 6-zero-61371 (mention who you are ect)
Turlough ConwayJan 15 2024, 2:45pmHere is the Event website: https://canfranc2024wmmrc.com/
Turlough ConwayApr 3 2024, 4:48pmHi folks just upping this again.
THe organization for this years Masters is gathering pace. We have plenty of information on accommodation and transport options. All (O35s) welcome. Those who competed last year and want to go again this year please touch base. turloughconway at gmail or details above. Also looking urgently for 060s for the Euroepan Masters in Madeira. Usually Ryanair out Wednesday, back Sunday and event right beside airport. Easy peasy! Reply to seperate thread by Sarah Whelan (or here) message below.

'Message from Esme.
Matt and I registered today for the European masters off road championships in machico, Madeira which is only 5 minutes from funchal airport. Just wondering if you know of any w60 's interested to make a team. Need 2 more. Only 6 /7 days left to enter.
If you contact me, I’ll put you in touch with Esme.
Turlough ConwayApr 12 2024, 7:51pm"Matt Alexander looking for one M/70 to fill up the Irish team at the European Masters Off Road Running Championships in Machico, Madeira (very near the airport). Great chance of team medal success. Vacancies for W60 also with good chance of team medal success too. Entries close Tuesday 16th April."
Mrs U W GavinApr 14 2024, 8:12pmI'm just asking about F60, have you got a team, thank you, una
Esme AlexanderApr 15 2024, 9:54amUNA are you interested in running in the European Masters Championships in Madeira on the 10th May. I have entered the 9 K. Closing date tomorrow, Tuesday. Esme.
Mrs U W GavinApr 15 2024, 4:26pmEsme I'm sorry I have been reminded I have family wedding 10th May weekend. Good luck
Turlough ConwayApr 15 2024, 10:08pmReminder: Euro masters closing tomorrow. Canfranc World Masters open till Sept 1st.
Ciara CoffeyJul 26 2024, 11:28amI received the below from Canfranc… can anyone help me please? What is a federation license?

—————————————————-

We need you to provide us with a photo of your federation license so that the organization can check it.

Thank you very much.

Un cordial saludo,
Gloria Bataller

Tempo Finito
Cronometraje y Servicios para el organizador de eventos deportivos
Jeff SwordsJul 26 2024, 11:34amYou need to be registered with an Athletics Ireland affiliated club and a screenshot or photo of your membership details from here will be sufficient
https://membership.athleticsireland.ie/

Although I see you're with Newry so they're Athletics Northern Ireland aren't they, so the equivalent for them.
Michael McSweeneyJul 26 2024, 4:13pmCiara,
Same as Jeff replied. Also I had to send them on my Athletics Ireland payment receipt for 2024, just to prove I was a current member.
Micheal
Turlough ConwayAug 9 2024, 9:25pmHi all

Your country needs you!

Please read and consider the below and/or send to your clubs

Dear ...

Ireland are competing in the World Masters Mountain Running Championships in Canfranc Spain and are sending out a huge team. Last year we won a huge haul of medals in Madeira and are hoping to emulate or surpass that this year. All masters runners are welcome to sign up, but we are short runners in a few key categories in certain distances to have scoring teams. These are F55 (17k), F75 (6k and 17k), M45 (34k), M50 (34k), M65 (34k).

Closing date is Sunday 12th August!!

Race and registration details here: https://canfranc2024wmmrc.com/eng.registrations.html
and if interested contact turloughconway@gmail.com and/or register at the above location.

All the best
Michael McSweeneySep 17 2024, 7:06pmJust back from a great weekend in the Pyrenees. Three great races,. Plenty of flat to the mat running on super trails. Sunshine, wind and snow. Lots of old friends. Some older than others. Lots of new friends from such far away places as Spain, Uruguay, Colombia, Morocco, Donegal, Mayo, the posh part of Dublin, and even GB. Some good singing. Lots of bad singing. Good food and drink. Go mbeirimìd beo ar an am seo arìs.
Pól Ó MurchúSep 23 2024, 10:18pmFull Irish results below from the World Mountain Running Championship in Canfranc, Spain 2024.
Uphill: 6km – 1,000m
Mens Individual:
M40 3. Ian Conroy
M55 2. Des Kennedy
M65 3. Martin McDonald

Women Individual:
W40 2. Kealey Tideswell
W50 3. Rebecca Quinn

Mens Team:
M35 – Silver (33 Points)
10. Daithi O Beag
11. Christopher Aylward
12. Philip Goss
Jason Wilson
James Trainor
Paul Trainor
Rob Tobin
Bryan Lanigan

M40 – Silver (36 Points)
3. Ian Conroy
16. Martin Hennessy
17. Pól Ó Murchú

M50 – 6th (86 Points)
27 Mark Alexander
29 Kenneth Bates
30 Bill Carty
Micheal McSweeney
Sean Manning

M55 – 5th (49 Points)
2 Des Kennedy
20 Paul Flynn
27 Graham Bushe
Derek Hunter
Kieran Meegan

M60 – 7th (71 Points)
35 Donal O'Kane
36 Brendan Lawlor

M65 – 3rd (23 Points)
3 Martin McDonald
6 Conor Nolan
14 Liam Lynch
Gerard Down
James St John
John Corry
Vivian O'Gorman

M70 (3rd 33 Points)
5 Matthew Alexander
13 Joseph Lalor
15 Peter Bell
John O'Neill
Malachy Doyle
William Brown

Women Teams:
W35 (2nd - 36 Points)
9 Marina Quinlan
10 Eleine Langley

W40 (1st - 19 Points)
2 Kealey Tideswell
8 Clare Sullivan
9 Carmel Fitzgibbon
Eimear Purdue
Sarah Whelan
Iveta McDonnell

W45 (2nd - 26 Points)
7 Karen Crean
9 Paula Donnellan Walsh
10 Margaret Hassett

W50 (3rd - 25 Points)
3 Rebecca Quinn
9 Ide Kelleher
13 Sareen Walsh
Eavan Long

W55 (3rd - 33 Points)
5 Shileen O’Kane
9 Mari Johnston
19 Siobhán Foley

Long Mountain Race: 34km – 2,000m
Men Teams:
M35 (3rd – 47 Point)
6. Adam Cunningham
20. Rob Tobin
21. Bryan Lanigan
Christopher Aylward

M40 (2nd – 38 Points)
11. Lee O'Boyle
13. Martin Hennessy
14. Pól Ó Murchú
David Yelverton

M45 (5th - 124 Points)
40. Michael Hayes
41. James Keogh
43. Aidan Cleary

M50 (8th - 65 Points)
28. Kenneth Bates
37. Micheal McSweeney

M55 (4th - 78 Points)
7. Paul Mahon
22. Graham Bushe
39. William McMahon

Women Teams:
W40 (5th - 29 Points)
11. Imogen McGuinness
18. Iveta McDonnell

W45 (4th - 39 Points)
8. Sorcha Kearney
15. Sharon Woods
16. Ciara Coffey

Classic Mountain Run – 17kn (1,000m Up And Down)
Men Individual:
M55 2. Des Kennedy
M65 3. Conor Nolan
M70 2. Joe Gough

Women Individual:
W40 1. Kealey Tideswell (2nd Overall in Race)

Men Teams:
M35 (2nd – 38 Points)
11. Philip Goss
13. Jason Wilson
14. Daithi O Beag
Padraic O Flynn
Paul Trainor
James Trainor
Rob Tobin

M40 (2nd - 53 Points)
4. Ian Conroy
24. Paul Duffy
25. Pól Ó Murchu
Kevin Doherty
Niall McGeorge

M45 (3rd - 56 Points)
5. Sean Quirke
23. Ciaran Steed
28. Maurice McCartan
Jeff Swords
Ben Murphy

M50 (5th - 64 Points)
20. Bernard Fortune
21. Mark Alexander
23. Tim Lowry
Kenneth Bates

M55 (3rd - 50 Points)
2. Des Kennedy
21. Thomas Blackburn
27. Graham Bushe
Derek Hunter
Brian McGuckin
Kieran Meegan

M65 (3rd - 41 Points)
3 Conor Nolan
14 Gerard Down
24 James St John
John Corry
Vivian O'Gorman

M70 (1st - 13 Points)
2. Joe Gough
5. Matthew Alexander
6. Joseph Lalor
John O’Neill
Malachy Doyle

Women Teams:
W35 (3rd – 21 Points)
9. Marina Quinlan
12. Elaine Langley

W40 (1st - 16 Points)
1. Kealey Tideswell
7. Aoife Mundow
8. Brid Hearne
Sarah Whelan
Colette O Donoghue
Edel Hennessy

W45 (2nd - 21 Points)
6. Karen Crean
7. Paula Donnellan Walsh
8. Margaret Hassett

W50 (3rd - 28 Points)
5. Ide Kelleher
8. Sareen Walsh
15. Eavan Long
Brendan LawlorSep 24 2024, 10:00amThanks Pol for pulling those results together. A very impressive medal haul!

All of our individual and team medalists should be rightly proud of their performances and the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals you brought home on behalf of Team Ireland.

This excellent team performance did not happen by accident or chance. Tom and Tricia Blackburn, Turlough Conway, Sarah Whelan and many others have been banging the Hillrunning Masters drum for many years. They have been encouraging, cajoling, training and in some cases begging (!) to ensure that Ireland was sending full teams in as many age categories as possible to Masters events.

I ran in the 6km Uphill race on Friday and managed not to come last in either my age category (M60) or the race itself which was an achievement, at least in my own mind. An elusive medal will have to wait for some more training and another day out- I can but dream!

But a Masters trip is much more than just medals and performances . It’s a chance to run in amazing mountain locations throughout the world, meet and be inspired by mountain runners from around the globe, reconnect with old friends and make new ones, take part in the Opening Ceremony, support your team mates along the course and at the start and finish line flying the flag for Ireland, sing a few verses of ‘Grace’, ‘The Wild Rover’ or ‘The Fields of Athenry’ and much more. There is a place on these trips for everyone old and young, fast and slow and all you really need is the inclination to come along and be amazed by it all. Sign up for next year and see for yourself!

For 2025 there will be two main Masters International events:
-European Masters in Nicolosi, Sicily (a chance to run up Mt Etna, an active volcano!) May29th-June 1st 2025
-World Masters in Meduno, Northern Italy 29th August-31st August 2025

Turlough Conway has a very active, informative and entertaining Masters Whats app group which you should join if you are interested. Text me (oh87 two432 seven98) if you want to be added in.

A special word of thanks to our ‘man on the ground’ in Canfranc – the amazing Ruben. Ruben is a Spaniard (well he’s Spanish/Basque but that’s a long story) who lived in Waterford for a number of years working on the Rose Kennedy bridge outside New Ross. His knowledge of the local Waterford/ Wexford/ Kilkenny GAA scene was impressive. But even more impressive was the 6 months he spent helping us in the run up to the event. Ruben was living near Canfranc and he provided amazing help and support with accommodation, logistics, travel, race entries and lots more in the run up to the event. He also collected race bibs on behalf of people who were arriving late and helped us organise a fantastic final night meal and celebration in a local restaurant. We look forward to welcoming him to a race or two when he comes back to Ireland – ‘He’s a man you don’t meet every day’ as the Pogues would put it!

Finally thank you to IMRA who very kindly supported our final night meal. This was greatly appreciated by all who travelled.