from Athletics Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Mountain Running Champions Stephen Cunningham and Shileen O’Kane were the winners of the Slieve Bernagh race in the Mournes on Saturday. The testing 4 mile race climbs 3 major peaks in quick succession and was the third round of the NIMRA Grand Prix Series.
Cunningham and his Mourne Runners clubmate Des Woods were neck and neck at the first summit, Meelbeg but the Annalong man opened up a good lead coming off Slieve Bernagh. He maintained his advantage over Meelmore to clock 45 minutes 53 seconds and start his season with a clear win. Woods was runner up in 47.20 to repeat the 1-2 of last year’s race. Sam Herron, top junior Andrew Annett and Gary Bailey made it a clean sweep of the first 5 places for the Mourne club with Alex Brennan and Emmett McAllister of Ballymena Runners next.
Shileen O’Kane (Lagan Valley AC) was in dominant form as she romped round in 58.04 for a comfortable win ahead of Newcastle AC’s Anne Sandford and Laura Hamill (Larne AC). In the junior category won, by Andrew Annett in 4th overall, Johnny Graham and William Hutchinson notched up a 1-2-3 for Mourne Runners.
The NIMRA Grand Prix action moves to the Carlingford Mountains next Saturday for the Slieve Foye Mountain Trial promoted by Armagh.
Saturday 11 April sees the major race of local season when the NI Mountain Running Association hosts the opening race of the British Championship at Mourne Peaks. The 12.5 mile classic covers 10 peaks with a total climb of 6,200 feet and is also the first race of the NI Mountain Running Championship.