The third running of AB Travel Ballyfin Junior Cross will take place in Emo Court, Co. Laois on Saturday 8th October 2011. The previous two editions of the event have seen some of Ireland’s best cross country runners take part with the event being the leading preparation race for the inter-county championships held in November.
This year’s event will be held later than usual which should increase the standard further. Once again, this year’s event will include juvenile races as well as the junior showpiece races.
The previous women’s races have been won by Mary Mulhare and Ciara Hewson. Mulhare went on to make the Irish team for the European Cross Country Championships after her 2009 win while Hewson was 2nd in the under 16 All-Ireland championships after last year’s win. This year’s event will include last year’s 4th place finisher Mary-Ann O’Sullivan of Tinryland A.C. and Celtic DCH’s Siobhan McGinley. O’Sullivan went on to win last year’s under 19 national cross country title and was second in this year’s Irish schools cross country and All-Ireland junior 800m championships. McGinley is the current under 18 All-Ireland steeplechase champion and was third in the All-Ireland junior 1500m.
The 2009 men’s event was won by John Travers with Paul Robinson second. The two have continued their progress and are among Ireland’s most promising young athletes. Last year, Jake Byrne took the honours ahead of Liam Brady. Their positions were reversed when the pair took the top two spots at the under 19 All-Ireland cross country championships. Since then, Brady went on to qualify for the 10,000 metre race at the European Junior track and field championships this summer while Byrne has obtained an athletics scholarship to Iona College in America.
Individual prizes have been increased this year as well as extended to the top six in each race.
Prize details for the U-20 races are as follows:
1st – Eur 110
2nd – Eur 60
3rd – Eur 35
4th – Eur 30
5th – Eur 25
6th – Eur 20
Race distances:
U-20 Ladies 2600m (Born 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992)
U-20 Men 4000m (Born 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992)
U-11 Girls 600m (Born 2002, 2001)
U-11 Boys 600m (Born 2002, 2001)
U-13 Girls 1000m (Born 2000, 1999)
U-13 Boys 1000m (Born 2000, 1999)
U-15 Boys 1600m (Born 1998, 1997)
Further information can be obtained from race director Cormac Fitzpatrick at 086-8366561 or info@ballyfincrosscountry.com. Alternatively, please visit our website www.ballyfincrosscountry.com.