26th ANNUAL EASON DUNGARVAN 10K (west Waterford Ac) ZAKIS AND SWEENEY TRIUMPH.
Last Sunday the 26th Annual Eason Dungarvan 10k was held in ideal weather conditions. The treating rain held off and just before the start the sun came out to make running conditions ideal if not even a bit warm for the big field of runners assembled for this year event. We had a good turn out of 153 runners which included many Ladies who were celebrating mothering Sunday by taking part in the10k event. The race set off from the N25 taking in the Brickey Valley, Canal circuit and back in the Cork road to the finish line. The race was the final race in this years very successful Michael Roche Carpets spring series and a full report will be carried in next week’s notes of this.
Turning back to last Sunday’s race where the Seamus Power memorial trophy was won by the inform Raivis Zakis West Waterford AC who in recent weeks has also won the Dunhill 5 two weeks ago and last week the Bausch and Lomb Kilmacthomas 5.
Raivis had previously won the Eason Dungarvan 10k some four years ago for the first time and Sunday was his second success over this course. Having finished second in this race the previous two years when victory went on both occasions to club mate Sandis Bralitis but unfortunately he is currently on the injured list and was unable to attempt to win his third Eason Dungarvan 10k in a row.
This saw Raivis installed as the hot favourite for Sunday’s event and he duly lead from the gun to tape, covering the first mile in a blistering 5.01 with no other athlete able to match him it soon become a one man show with the rest of the field all of 200 meters behind from early on, This fast start from Raivis soon became a race against the clock as it increasingly came apparent that he could be on for a personal best time for the distance, as he went through 2 miles in 5.07,3 in 5.04, 4 in 5.08 and was clocked at 25.31 at 5 miles, covering the 5th mile in 5.09 with no other athlete in sight at this stage he finished a somewhat easy winner in a splendid 31.34 after a 5.03 6th mile, and this was indeed good enough for a personal best time by a whopping 39 seconds and he did it all alone which make’s it even more pleasing.
Visitor Kevin Murphy of Slaney Olympic Wexford was the second athlete to cross the line in a time of 32.53.Kevin took the over 40 prize on the day, second Senior and finishing in third place overall was Danny Smith of Ballynonty AC in Tipperary with a time of 33.41,finishing 4th overall and third Senior was Philip Harty West Waterford AC 33.47.How pleasing for us all to see Philip back in the winners enclosure again,He’s been far too long side lined and we know Philip is making great strides to get back to full fitness and he knows as well as anyone that it’s a hard to achieve the level of fitness he once held without hard work ,but its obvious from Sundays performance that the work is being done, All at the club and all involved in athletes wish him back to where he belongs at the helm of the sport he once mastered at, keep up the good work Philip age is on your side.
THE BATTLING MASTERS.
The Masters titles were keenly fought for last Sunday in the Eason Dungarvan 10k, The over 40 race award with a fine run finishing 2nd overall was Kevin Murphy of Slaney Olympic AC with a time of 32.53,the over 45 title went to Larry Kennedy Waterford AC who headed up a huge number of Waterford AC runners on the day, The over 50 win was claimed by Gerry Cantwell West Waterford AC with a time of 36.50,Winning the over 50 section last year Joe Gough has now slipped into the over 55 category and he duly obliged with another fine win with a time of 37.52 in thst catagory.The over 60 section was won by Pat Connaughton West Waterford in 46.07.The team award for Senior men was won by host club West Waterford with 31 points Declan McGrath, Patrick O’ Riordan and P.J.Guinan.West Waterford also took a clean sweep of the other team prizes over 45 and 50.
ONLY SECONDS SEPARATE TOP LADIES.
St.Finbarrs AC provided our Ladies winner last Sunday in the guise of the popular Mary Sweeney with a time of 38.55 the V 45 year old is a lady who has done it all from the road to cross country, track and field, indoors and outdoors, she is without doubt in this scribes opinion anyway, one of the best all-round if not the best all-round Female athlete in the country spanning a career of some 30 years or more Mary has won almost every Irish title in the book and her next challenge is the Marathon as she prepares for the upcoming Paris event in April, Mary finished second in this race last year to then winner Jackie Carty Kilmore.Mary was a deserving winner last Sunday with a time of 38.55 however the Ladies race wasn’t all as one sided as the Men’s race was with 5 Ladies all within 26 seconds of each other at the finish line to give us one of the best ever Ladies races witnessed in this event.
Taking second place in a time of 39.02 was the improving with every outing Corinna Walsh of the race host club West Waterford just 7 seconds behind Mary, Corinna gave it her all on the day but was just of the pace as the leading Ladies sprinted for home, but without doubt her day is quickly approaching and she is now knocking on the winners door once again, Corinna’s club mate and winner last weekend in the Kilmac 5 Diane Behan was just another 5 seconds behind her in third place 39.08.As you can see from the results nothing between any of the Ladies last Sunday all of them capable of taking the win, It all came down to that little bit of luck on the day.
Angela McCann Clonmel AC won the over 35 section in 39.16 with the over 40 winner coming from Sports World AC Dublin Helen White 39.21,Eibhlis Ni hAodha West Waterford AC took the over 45 section 41.51 and Waterford’s Anne Fitzgerald the over 50 title in 41.59.Terri Gough was first over 55 59.57 and Waterford won the Ladies team Mary Burke, Brea Cooke and Joan Mahoney with 138 points.
CORINNA WALSH WINS MIKEY ROCHE MEMORIAL TROPHY AND GERRY CANTWELL THE DUNABBEY TROPHY.
The Mikey Roche memorial trophy presented by the Power family Mitchell St, in memory of their late uncle was won this year for the third time by Corinna Walsh who finished 2nd Senior Lady overall. Corinna last won this trophy in 2002 and 2003 so after a laps of 5 years she has managed to get her name once more inscribed on this club trophy.Also up for grabs was the friends of West Waterford Dunabbey trophy for the first local Master to finish the race, and for the very first time the old warrior of road racing Gerry Cantwell was our victor Gerry finished 12th overall ina time of 36.50.well done to both Corinna and Gerry
RACE ORGANISATION.
West Waterford athletic club wishes to thank the Whyte family and there staff at Eason’s Dungarvan which is located at The Shopping Centre for their kind sponsorship of the Dungarvan 10k last Sunday, Special thanks to Mary Foley and Catherine O’Sullivan who were on hand on behalf of Eason’s to present all the winners with there prizes this was much appreciated by the club, To Garry Power on behalf of the Power family Mitchell St for presenting the Mickey Roche and the Seamus Power memorial trophies for this race, Thanks also to the Dungarvan G.A.A, for affording us the use of your fine facility for the race this was very much appreciated, To Conor Norris who co-ordinated all traffic movement on the day much thanks for your help and a very special thank you to Garda Declan Walsh on motor bike many thanks for all your help once again Declan.
To all the stewards, time keepers, results, race registration, a system, thanks to all the ladies who looked after the sandwiches and refreshments after the race especially Eileen, Norma, Triona, Breda etc. Our very special thanks to Dunnes Stores Dungarvan who supplied the race with all the ingredients for the sandwiches this gesture was much appreciated by the club. Thanks to Gerry Cantwell who was the driving force behind the wheel of yet again another very successful road race in West Waterford, Finally thanks to Ann Dunford who looked after the prizes for the race.
EASON DUNGARVAN 10 K RESULTS
Men Senior.
1st Raivis Zakis West Waterford AC 31.34. (PB)
2nd Danny Smith Ballynonty AC 33.41
3rd Philip Harty West Waterford AC 33.47
Over 40 Kevin Murphy Slaney Olympic AC 32.53
Over 45 Larry Kennedy Waterford AC 35.15
Over 50 Gerry Cantwell West Waterford AC 36.50
Over 55 Joe Gough West Waterford AC 37.52
Over 60 Pat Connaughton West Waterford AC 46.07
1st Senior Mens Team West Waterford AC
Declan McGrath- 6 Patrick O’Riordan 11-P.J.Guinan 13 = 30 points
1st over 40 West Waterford AC
Michael Dunford 14th –Martin Hayes 19th – Conor Murray 32nd =65 points
1st over 45 West Waterford AC
Eamon Phelan 36th – Liam Kavanagh 44th-Tom Moroney 68th = 148 ponits.
1st over 50 West Waterford AC
Colin Lyons 29th-Anthony Dwyer 51st-Michael Hennessey 90th = 170 points
Senior Ladies.
1st Mary Sweeney St.Finbars AC 38.55
2nd Corinna Walsh West Waterford AC 39.02
3rd Diane Behan West Waterford AC 39.08
1st Over 35 Angela McCann Clonmel AC 39.16
1st Over 40 Helen White Sports World AC 39.21
1st Over 45 Eibhlis Ní hAodha West Waterford AC 41.51
1st Over 50 Anne Fitzgerald Waterford AC 41.59
1st Over 55 Terri Gough West Waterford AC 59.57
Ladies Team 1st Waterford AC
Mary Burke 45th-Brea Cooke 46th –Joan Mahony 47th =138 points.
