Weekly update by Fintan Walsh, County Board PRO

 Road Race Series begins on Friday

On next Friday April 13 th the Annual Marine Climb 6 Miles starts off the Ger Wyley Sports Summer Series in Dungarvan .Entries for the race will be taken in St. Joseph's Primary School, Dungarvan. The race starts close-by at 7.00 pm and it goes out the Cork road and then left to finish at the Marine Bar in Ring. Entry fee for the race is 8 euros and is open to all runners over 16 years of age

Personal best for Quinn

Shane Quinn ( Ferrybank AC ) sliced over fifteen seconds off his 5,000m PB when he clocked 14:10.66 for ninth place in North Carolina recently running for Providence College, well inside his previous best of 14:26.01 achieved in Manchester last May. The race was won by William Mulherin Virginia Tech in 13.49.95.  Quinn's  team mate from Providence College David McCarthy West Waterford  was also in the race but did not finish.

Cara wins.

Competing at an open meeting in Castleisland last Friday Cara Kennedy won the Hammer Event with a throw of 57.06 Metres just outside her best

Mt Sion Race

Over 100 competed in the 5 miles road race in the city on Sunday morning last in aid of the Mt Sion Juvenile GAA club.Paddy Hogan Ferrybank was the convincing winner in a time of 26 minutes 58 seconds, Frank Quinlan Waterford AC was second in 27.58 and Mlichael Moloney Waterford Triathlon Club was third in 31,26. Sylvia Malone Waterford AC was first lady home in 31.26. Aine Lyng was second in 33.40 and Jacinta Power Waterford AC  was third in 35.54, first home for Mt Sion was Willy Ormonde in 8 th place.

More Ger Wyley Sports Road Races.

 On Friday week April 20 th the Annual Butlerstown 10 km is on at the usual location near "The Holy Cross Lounge" on the main Waterford Cork road a few miles from Waterford City starting at 7 pm. Entries at Butlerstown GAA Centre. Annual Waterford to Tramore Race sponsored by Blue Wall Technology coming up on Saturday May 5 th at 7 pm from near City Hall, entries now on Run Ireland. The full list of races in the Ger Wyley Sports Series are on the West Waterford AC website

 Some April Fixtures

Saturday next Apr 14 Leevale Senior & Junior Open Sports Cork IT, Sunday next Apr 15 Leevale Juvenile Open Sports Cork IT, Contact for both Leevale events  087 2508100. Sunday Apr 15 AAI 10K Road Race Championships incorporated in  Great Ireland Run, Phoenix Park, Apr
20/21 Irish Universities  T&F Championships, AIT Athlone, Apr 22 AAI Road Relay Championships, Raheny. Apr 28/29 AAI Congress Cavan. The Munster Junior, under 23 and Juvenile Combined events are in Castleisland on Monday May 7 th.

Waterford Primary School Sports

The Date for this years Waterford City Primary School Sports is Thursday April 27 th at the RSC at 11 am. Races: Sprint and Middle distance race and relays for under 8 born 2004/5, u 9 born 2003, u10 born 2002 ,u11 born 2001, u12  born 2000, over 12 born 1999 or before.
The event is organised by Ferrybank AC and is confined to Primary Schools in Waterford City and surrounding areas in East Waterford.
Contact number is 087 6889330.

Secondary School Fixtures

Waterford Championships RSC Wednesday April 25 th, East Munster Girls RSC Wednesday, May 2nd, East Munster Boys RSC Wednesday, May 9 th, Munster Finals Saturday, May 19th Cork It Track.

WLRFM Waterford Viking Marathon

 Just eleven weeks now to go to the Waterford Viking Marathon on June 30 th and entries very good at the moment, all details on the Waterford Viking Marathon Website. Anyone wishing to raise sponsorship for the Alzheimer Society in Waterford or Dungarvan can collect their pack at the Centres in Passage Road,'Waterford City tel 850491 or at
18 Resource Ctr, Friary St Dungarvan tel 058 48571

Tramore Race

Coming up on Friday April 27th at 6:30pm, Glor na Mara Schools 4 mile Road Race in Tramore. Reg on the date from 5:30 pm at Oceanics Surf School


Course

Assistant Coach Course, Kilmacow, Co Kilkenny. Thursday 12th April & Thursday  26th April. Price €60.For further information contact colinbyrne@athleticsireland.ie.

Olympic Snippet

The 1908 Olympic Games were originally scheduled to be hosted by Rome,but the 1906 eruption of Mount Vesuvius caused the Games to be relocated to London.These Games were much better organised than the previous regularly scheduled Olympic Games (they were even the first to have an opening ceremony), yet they were marred by politics and nationalism. Britain's recent refusal to give Ireland its independence caused Irish athletes to boycott the Games. Irish born athletes did however compete but with the USA and Great Britain and were very successful. Martin Sheridan from Bohola, Co Mayo representing USA won the Discus and Greek Discus, he also won the discus at the 1904 and
1906 Games and  Shot Putt at the 1906 Intercalated Games and the Greek Discus in 1908 he died from 'flu at just 37 years of age. John Flanagan from Kilbreedy in Limerick won the Hammer again for the USA he also won it at the 1900 and 1904 Olympics and Tim Ahearne, Direen Co Limerick won the Triple Jump representing Great Britain. Another Irish American Johnny Hayes  whose family came from Nenagh won the Marathon in controversial circumstances  It was in the 1908 Olympic Games that the exact distance of a marathon was established as 26 miles and 365yards..Approximately 2,000 athletes participated, representing 22 countries.


Best wishes

All his many friends in the road running scene send their best regards to Davy Foley who is presently indisposed and hope he will make a full recovery. For decades Davy has been a regular competitor at all the races held in the area and outside it too.Best wishes also to David Smith father of  Olympian Susan who is recovering at home after a serious accident