From the Irish Mountain Running Association High Noon on Sugarloaf….. Tired of sitting on the couch stuffed with turkey, pudding and mince pies? Well, you probably will be by next Saturday the 27th December. No better time then to shake off those Christmas saggies with a brisk run up and down the Sugarloaf from Kilmacanogue before lunch. The Charles Barrington Memorial Race on the Sugarloaf gives you that opportunity.
The race commemorates local man Charles Barrington – a hero of Irish climbing and the first man to climb the infamous man killing Eiger in Switzerland 150 years ago. Recently, a plaque to the Fassaroe man was unveiled on the Heritage Centre in Bray to a great fanfare. The Sugarloaf race is an appropriate commemoration as Barrington also organised the first ever mountain race in Ireland on the Sugarloaf 130 years ago.
The winners of the last two Sugarloaf races Colm Mullen and James McFadden are going toe to toe on the challenging 3.5 mile race and as entry is open to everyone, you could be there too! So come along at 11.15 to register at the Glencormac Inn at Kilmacanogue and you could collect the winner’s medal. The Irish Mountain Running Association with the help of Bray Town Council, Bray Tourism & the Barrington family are organising the race. Parking is available at the church and school behind the Glencormac Inn.
The race is open to everyone and to give you an idea of time last year’s winner Colm Mullen took a very rapid 28 minutes and 17 seconds to get up and down the course. Even if you don’t wish to participate in the race, do come along and watch, the race begins at 12 noon from the GAA Pitch. While Councillors Caroline Burrell & David Grant can’t take part as they are helping to organise the race, they’ve persuaded the Swiss Ambassador to run, so there’ll be a bit of diplomatic activity on the mountain that day!