Fintan Walsh's latest blog

Second Annual WLRFM Waterford Viking Marathon on Saturday

Waterford City and its environs as well as the main Tramore Road,
Outer Ring Road and Tramore itself and its environs will come alive on
Saturday next for the second Annual WLRFM Waterford Viking Marathon,
Half Marathon and Relay with the three events all starting near City
Hall at 9 am sharp. 2000  will be participating  including entries
from the USA ,Poland,Australia,Germany the UK  but the majority are
from all over Ireland including Olympian Pauline Curley with a huge
local entryalso and many will run for various charities local and
national while the proceeds from the events will be shared between the
Waterford Alzheimer Society and Waterford Hospice. Traffic
restrictions and road closures will be in place and all can be seen on
Waterford Viking Marathon Website. The finish of the events will be
inside the Regional Sports Centre with the Half Marathon leaders
expected in there shortly after 10 am and the Marathon leaders after
11.15 am. At the start all competitive runners to line up at the front
of the group. The Gardai and many stewards will be along the route as
well as first aid groups and please be aware of cats eyes which may be
situated in one or two areas where the run takes place- and  which
could cause one to trip over. All are asked to obey the Gardai and
stewards and no crossing over on roads please, all stewarding is done
for safety of competitors.

European Team Championships

Over two very breezy days in Morton Stadium in Dublin last week end
the European Team Championships League 1 went ahead and there were two
marvellous days of competition with Ireland finishing up in 7 th place
overall of the twelve competing nations their best result ever in this
competition and easily retaining  Division 1 status. Five athletes
from Waterford were on the Irish teams and they had some fine
performances. Jessie Barr anchored the Irish 4 x 400 metres relay team
that won their heat and finished third overall and she was also third
in the 400 metres hurdles in her heat in 57.50 seconds.  Niamh Whelan
was on the Irish 4 x 100 metres relay team that finished second in
their heat and two middle distance runners David McCarthy 3000 metres
and Shane Quinn 5000 metres both ran very good races and both finished
4th in their events. Kelly Proper in the long jump in very difficult
conditions for the event  was a little below her best in finishing 8
th with 5.91 metres. The best individual performance of the  event was
the brilliant win by Brian Greegan in the 400 metres but the
performance of the week end from an Irish viewpoint was the victory of
the men's 4 x 400 meres relay team which included Dara Kervick from
the Carrick on Suir club. In all the races on the track from 800
metres upwards it was great to see real racing with very little
emphasis on fast times but mainly on tactics. A lot of work however is
needed on the field events side of Irish Athletics.. Next year there
are world Championship Relays for the first time and Ireland should be
capable of sending strong men's and women's 400 metres squads.

Zakis wins Dromana 5 Miles

160 competed in the 21 st Annual Dungarvan Leader 5 Miles road race
from Villierstown to Cappoquin on Friday last another race in the Ger
Wyley Sports Nike Series. Ravis Zakiis West Waterford AC was the
comfortable winner in a time of 25 minutes 58 seconds,. Michael Lyons
Grange/Fermoy was second in 26.33 and Alan Whitaker UCC  third in
27.02. First lady home was Nollaig O'Neill Leevale Cork in 30.44,
Sinead Mansfield was second in 31.52 and Corina Walsh West Waterford
third in 32.16. West Waterford AC won the male and female team prizes.

National Championships in Tullamore and Donegal this week end

Tullamore is the venue on Sunday next for the All Ireland junior and
under 23 Championships and many athletes from Waterford clubs
especially Ferrybank and West Waterford will compete. The competition
gets underway at 10.30 am and where heats are not necessary finals
will be staged at the times allocated for heats, full programme on
Athletics Ireland website under National competitions

Juveniles in Donegal

On Saturday next a number of juvenile athletes from the county will
make the long journey to County Donegal for the All Ireland under 9,10
and 11 team games ,the venue is Finn Valley, Stranorlar Co Donegal
and check in opens at 9 am and competition starts at 10.30 am.also on
Saturday there are International Race Walks in Dublin at St Anne's
Park they begin at 9.30 am

Track opened

Minister of State Michael Ring Dept of Tourism and Sport officially
opened the new track at the RSC on Thursday last in the presence of
The Mayor and public representatives both local and national as well
as representatives from athletic clubs, Special Olympics and other
organisations who will use the facility. He said he hoped it would
give years of enjoyment to men, women and children in the region and
paid tribute to all voluntary workers in sport. The track costing
almost half a million euro is on a par with any track in the world.
Mayor of Waterford  Cllr Jim D'Arcy thanked the minister and his dept
and his fellow councillors for their support for the venture and urged
all to use the facility also.. Fintan Walsh Waterford Athletics  PRO
who was MC for the opening again thanked the Minister, the Mayor and
City Council, Deputy John Deasy for his input and made a special
mention of Vinnie O'Shea  Administrative Officer - Community Services,
Waterford  City Council and Darren Sealy and the staff at RSC for the
always friendly and supportive approach they adopt.. He also mentioned
that essential equipment was still needed to really then call it an
International style facility.he also asked all users to respect the
facility as regards the correct footwear and spikes and obey the staff
on duty at all times..( 5 mm spikes or 6 mm pyramid or  6 mm xmas tree
spikes only allowed on track, spot checks will take place regularly by
staff,  no blocks at 400 metres start )    A sports was held prior to
the opening with running racesand field events and participating were
were athletes from Waterford
AC, Ferrybank AC, Tramore AC, KCK. AC, and Carrick on Suir AC and
competitors from the Special Olympics also took part..One athlete from
each athletic club joined the Minister as he cut the tape

Civic Reception.

 The Mayor of Dungarvan Cllr Micheal Cosgrove and the members of the
Town Council accorded a Civic Reception to Joe Gough on his home patch
In The Civic Offices in Dungarvan on Thursday last in recognition of
his great athletic feats in master's competitions at National and
International level

Major International Fixtures in July

July will see World and European Championships held including World
University Games in Russia, 6th to 17 th, World Youth Championships in
Ukraine 10 th to 14 th, European under 23 Championships in  Finland 11
th to 14 th, European Youth Olympics in  Holland 14 th to 19 th, (
Niamh Mc Nichol Ferrybank on Irish team ) European Junior
Championships in Italy 18 th to 21 st. Then from August 10 th to 18 th
the World Championships are in Moscow

Road Races coming up.

 Friday June 28 th Champion Kiely 5 K Road Race  Ballyneale Carrick on
Suir 7.30 pm. Saturday June 29 th at 9 am Waterford Viking
Marathon,City Hall Waterford start,  Friday July 5 th Glaxo Smithkline
5 miles Dungarvan 8 pm Race 7 Ger Wyley Sports Series,.Saturday July 6
th Kilmore Quay Seafood Festival 5 K, Kilmore Quay, Wexford, 7:30pm,
full details can be got at kilmoreathletics.com.