Racing on the Curragh

L-R: Caoimhe O'Halloran, Standing L-R:Lorraine McMahon, Gabriela Segura, Ciara Hutchinson, Luz Estevan, Fiona Shine, Emer Kenny, Anna Shine, Laura O'Malley, Emily Ashford, Joanne Carey, Carina Davidson, Darina Scully, Ailish Hassett, Niamh Trihy. Kneeling L-R: Mairead Cashman, Máirín Shine, Lisa Shine, Olwyn Dunne, Sophia Morgan, Paula Bradshaw, Carmel Higgins

This weekend marked a welcome return of the Women’s Meet and Train Winter League, a series of XC races measuring around 2 miles, each hosted by a different club. The opening race of this season was hosted on the Curragh in Kildare by Dublin Front Runners and featured a brand-new timing system. More on the event below.

We start the report by wrapping up coverage of the International Running Challenge in Club La Santa in Lanzarote that took place earlier in the week. The first race of four, the 10k, was covered in last week’s report. The final three races, involving clubs from all over Europe, took place on Monday through Wednesday and involved a 13k Ridge Run, conducted up and over the ridge of a dormant volcano, followed by a 5k beach run and closed by a half marathon.

The 13k ridge run involved 367 finishers and the hardcore 8 runners who were to compete in all four races were joined by 8 others from the club on the day. In continuing warm and windy conditions, Kieran Martin led the contingent home in a time of 57:00, for 25th place. Just behind Kieran came Eugene McDonough, one of the runners taking on the entire challenge, who placed 27th in 57:13. Eugene was followed by three others of those to run all four races, Simon Everard, who placed 33rd in 58:19, followed by Sean Savage (35th in 59:03) and Eddie Nugent (62nd in 62:02). The next runner home was Karl Walsh (76th in 64:07) and he was followed by Tim O’Donnell in his 2nd of 4 races (78th in 64:34). Sarah Lyons was next, placing 99th overall and 16th female finisher in 67:09 and she was followed by David O’Donnell, who was also taking on the full challenge (101st in the same time of 67:09) along with Ciara Lynch (106th and 17th in 67:59). Alma Hanevy came home next in 114th and 19th in 68:53), followed Philip Matthews (125th in 70:46), Dee Ni Chearbhaill, the last of the runners to take on the full challenge (147th and 32nd in 73:03). The contingent was completed by Rebecca Kelly (186th and 53rd in 77:33), Robbie Moore (196th in 78:34) and Fanny Trébouet (272nd and 90th in 88:32).

The two-loop 5k Beach Run at Puerto del Carmen took place the following morning and involved a much smaller field than in the other events. Eugene led the Crusaders across the line in a time of 19:50 (placing 23rd out of a field of 211) and he was followed by Sean (29th in 20:06), Simon (36th in 20:29), Eddie (62nd in 21:58), Tim (65th in 22:10), Philip (72nd in 22:38), David (86th in 23:30), Ciara (91st, 15th and 2nd F30-34 in 23:30) and Dee (135th and 28th in 25:00). Conditions were as tough as usual with a fresh headwind on the outward part of the loop conducted on soft gloopy sand. Thankfully, the distance rarely exceeds about 4.75k.

The final race, which has always been described as a half marathon but until this year had generally measured short at 20k, was the half marathon. This year, the distance was accurate. It was a bit wet this year and of course windy, the race being conducted on a mix of trail and tarmac. Eugene was the first of 15 Crusaders home in a field of 384. He placed 24th in 89:31 and was followed by Kieran (26th in 90:15). Next came Sean (35th in 92:10), followed by Simon (39th in 93:12), Eddie (74th in 1:40:10), Tim (77th in 1:41:17), Ciara (84th, 12th and 1st in her age cat in 1:42:21), David (90th in 1:43:31), Alma (102nd and 18th in 1:45:52), Karl (108th in 1:46:46), Phelim Murray (111th in 1:47:37), Rebecca (135th and 28th in 1:51:58), Dee (147th and 33rd in 1:54:05), Robbie (215th in 2:05:34) and Fanny (246th and 79th in 2:12:11).

Once the smoke had cleared for the four-race challenge, Eugene had placed 19th in the men’s race, followed by Sean (28th), Simon (29th), Eddie (50th), Tim (58th) and David (64th). Ciara placed 13th in the women’s race and 2nd in her age cat, with Dee placing 24th in the women’s race.

The first WM&T winter league race took place on the Curragh on Sunday with a major participation by Crusaders, in itself about two thirds of the numbers who have signed up.  30 of the 48 possible runners took part in the race which enjoyed a field of 181. Team results are also out and those and the individual results give us lots of confidence for future races.

Our first runner home, on the two-lap course covering a distance of around 3k and which included a hill of about 15m that had to be negotiated twice and also which left an indelible impression on the runners, was Louise O’Riordan who placed 10th in 13:59, only just over a minute behind the race winner. Luz Estevan was next (16th in 14:33), followed by Tilde Martinsen (19th in 14:37) and Fiona Shine (20th in 14:40). Slightly further back came newcomer Annabelle Morris (26th in 14:57), with Joanne Carey (32nd in 15:20) and Ciara Hutchinson (34th in 15:26) not too far back. Caoimhe O’Halloran was next (48th in 16:09), followed by Olwyn Dunne (51st in 16:18), Emer Kenny (55th in 16:28), Carmel Higgins (57th in 16:34), Lisa Branigan (61st in 16:48) and Darina Scully (68th in 17:09).

Laura O’Malley placed 75th in 17:38 and she was followed by Sophia Morgan (76th in 17:41) and newcomer Belén Delgado (77th in 17:46) just behind. Next came Paula Bradshaw (82nd in 18:03), followed by Lisa Shine (88th in 18:25), Ailish Hassett (105th in 18:59), Lorraine McMahon (129th in 19:50), Rachel Kelly (148th in 20:33) and Anna Shine (149th in 20:35). The contingent was completed by Emily Ashford (155th in 20:47), Gabriela Segura (156th in 20:48), Máirín Shine (167th in 21:56), Marie-Claire Daly (168th in 22:23), Mairead Cashman (169th in 22:29), Lisa Harpur (173rd in 22:58) and Niamh Trihy, guided by Kevin Kenny (179th in 25:58).  

We fielded an unprecedented number of teams at eight (with seven of them fully present) this season, with three teams well positioned in the bronze division (opal, diamond and tourmaline), whilst three teams are also looking strong in the platinum division (ruby, sapphire and topaz). Finally two teams are lying 3rd (emerald) and 7th (pearl) in the diamond division. A phenomenal turnout!

Back to road racing, on Saturday we had one finisher in the Seeley Cup 10k, held in Belfast’s Ormeau Park. In a quality field of 836 runners, Ed Forester placed 243rd in 38:15. Then, on the same day, Mags Foley joined a substantial field of 2023 in the Waterford Half marathon where she placed 151st, 12th female and 2nd F40 in a great time of 88:44, not far off her PB for the distance.

The postponed Joe Duffy Clontarf Half marathon and 5-mile races took place on Sunday morning in relatively benign and sunny conditions. Felipe De Sousa was our lone representative in the 5-mile race, placing 6th in a field of 384 and in a time of 30:16. Then, in the half marathon with its large field of 2575 finishers, we had at least 8 runners. Derek Boland’s time of 82:02 would have been enough for him to place 14th overall. However, his result appears not to have been officially recorded. Derek was followed by John McDonagh (55th in 84:39), who in turn was followed by Emma Rowe (73rd and 4th in 88:12). Next to cross the line was David Healy (168th in 92:50) and he was followed by Alan Martin (491st in 1:40:48), Niall Duffy (837th in 1:46:42), Greg Marnotte (1351st in 1:56:46) and Aakash Dantre (1784th in 2:05:14).

Further afield, Esther Requena Ferri, one of our Spanish exiles, won the women’s race in the Carrera balcón de la axarquia 10k mountain trail race on Sunday in a time of 56:37. Meanwhile, in France, Valentin Akdim ran the trail race from Saint Etienne to Lyon, a distance of 80km, which he completed in 7:48:00.

Rainy conditions on Saturday morning kept numbers down in the local parkruns. Nevertheless, we had a decent turnout generally.

Garret Dunne was first across the line in Tymon Park with its field of 63. Garret’s time was 18:59. Then, in Poolbeg, Kevin Fitzgibbon, enjoying a shakeout before next weekend’s Valencia marathon, took 2nd place in 17:02. Kevin was followed by Kenan Furlong, in the field of 117, who placed 4th in 18:04. Rob Cross was next (6th in 18:20) ahead of Stephen Hurley (8th in 19:06) and Orla Walsh who placed 16th and 2nd in 19:50. Ronan Walsh in 18th place in 20:21, was next, ahead of Kabir Sala (26th in 21:17), Dale Whelehan (33rd in 22:50), Mikel Crisostomo (35th in 22:58), Emily Glen (41st and 7th in 24:09), Fiona Bane (44th and 8th in 24:27), David Pepper, another runner preparing for Valencia (46th in 24:47), Russell Murphy (57th in 26:44), Franky Keane (59th in 27:15), Olwyn Dunne (60th and 13th in 27:18), Louise O’Riordan (61st and 14th in 27:19), Djinn Von Noorden in her 50th parkrun (66th and 19th in 27:57), Kevin Kenny (71st in 28:44), Aisling O’Riordan (76th and 23rd in 29:25) and Gabriela Segura Fonseca (95th and 33rd in 32:55).

Brendan Glynn ran in the 119-strong field in Donabate, placing 29th in 24:04, whilst Martina White joined 55 other runners in Porterstown, placing 24th and 5th in 29:08. Darina Scully joined a field of 51 in River Valley, where she placed 20th and 6th in 27:35, whilst Helena O’Keeffe took 123rd and 30th spots in 27:48 in a field of 263. Michael O’Shea placed 18th in 20:43 in the 163-strong field in Killarney House, whilst Cathal Murphy ran in the modest field of 28 in Fethard Town where he placed 16th in 28:13. Lorraine McMahon ran once again on the Midleton Greenway where, alongside 139 other participants, she placed 61st and 20th in 28:06, whilst Mairead Cashman placed 50th and 20th in 30:57 in the 66-strong field in the Broadmeadow Linear parkrun.

Kev Moore and Mary Donnelly ran once again in Bushy Park, where, in the field of 142, Kev placed 33rd in 24:49 followed by Mary (38th and 10th in 25:48).  Laura O’Malley was our lone runner in the field of 162 in Malahide, where she placed 76th and 17th in 25:38, whilst Carina Davidson ran in Cabinteely with its field of 119. Carina placed 67th and 19th in 33:46. Three members of the Shine family ran in the 247-strong Shanganagh, with Fiona placing 205th and 75th in 36:06, just ahead of Lisa (206th and 76th in 36:07) and Máirín (229th and 90th in 39:41), whilst Aitor Arribas Velasco joined 203 other runners in Tramore Valley in Cork where he placed 39th in 24:16.

Finally, at least two of our exiles were also in action on Saturday. Christina Campbell ran in Cottesloe in Australia where she placed 34th and 4th in a field of 120, whilst Aidan Hudner joined 340 other runners in Pollok in Glasgow finishing I a time of 23:44 for 42nd place.
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Women’s Meet & Train XC race (181)
Overall place Name Guntime
1 Rebekah Vickery 1 00:12:55
Crusaders AC runners
10 Louise O’Riordan 00:13:59
16 Luz Estevan 00:14:33
19 Tilde Martinsen 00:14:37
20 Fiona Shine 00:14:40
26 Annabelle Morris 00:14:57
32 Joanne Carey 00:15:20
34 Ciara Hutchinson 00:15:26
48 Caoimhe O’Halloran 00:16:09
51 Olwyn Dunne 00:16:18
55 Emer Kenny 00:16:28
57 Carmel Higgins 00:16:34
61 Lisa Branigan 00:16:48
68 Darina Scully 00:17:09
75 Laura O’Malley 00:17:38
76 Sophia Morgan 00:17:41
77 Belén Delgado 00:17:46
82 Paula Bradshaw 00:18:03
88 Lisa Shine 00:18:25
105 Ailish Hassett 00:18:59
109 Carina Davidson 00:19:05
129 Lorraine McMahon 00:19:50
148 Rachel Kelly 00:20:33
149 Anna Shine 00:20:35
155 Emily Ashford 00:20:47
156 Gabriela Segura 00:20:48
167 Máirín Shine 00:21:56
168 Marie-Claire Daly 00:22:23
169 Mairead Cashman 00:22:29
173 Lisa Harpur 00:22:58
179 Niamh Trihy 00:25:58
Full results here: Meet and Train results
Lanzarote International Running Challenge 13 k Ridge Run (367)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Pawel Krochmal 1 00:47:07
5 Anne Haug 1 00:50:18
Crusaders AC runners
25 Kieran Martin 00:57:00
27 Eugene McDonough 00:57:13
33 Simon Everard 00:58:19
35 Sean Savage 00:59:03
62 Eddie Nugent 01:02:02
76 Karl Walsh 01:04:07
78 Tim O’Donnell 01:04:34
99 Sarah Lyons 01:07:09 (16)
101 David O’Donnell 01:07:09
106 Ciara Lynch 01:07:59 (17)
114 Alma Hanevy 01:08:53 (19)
125 Philip Matthews 01:10:46
147 Deirdre Ni Chearbhaill 01:13:03 (32)
186 Rebecca Kelly 01:17:33 (53)
196 Robbie Moore 01:18:34
272 Fanny Trébouet 01:28:32 (90)
Full results here: https://my.raceresult.com/319820/results#0_3E4070
Lanzarote International Running Challenge 5k Beach Run (211)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Pawel Krochmal 1 00:16:52
5 Anne Haug 1 00:18:09
Crusaders AC runners
23 Eugene McDonough 00:19:50
29 Sean Savage 00:20:06
36 Simon Everard 00:20:29
62 Eddie Nugent 00:21:58
65 Tim O’Donnell 00:22:10
72 Philip Matthews 00:22:38
86 David O’Donnell 00:23:08
91 Ciara Lynch 00:23:30 (15)
135 Deirdre Ni Chearbhaill 00:25:00 (28)
Full results here: https://my.raceresult.com/319820/results#0_3E4070
Lanzarote International Running Challenge 20k Run (384)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Pawel Krochmal 01:16:59
4 Anne Haug 01:19:30
Crusaders AC runners
24 Eugene McDonough 01:29:31
26 Kieran Martin 01:30:15
35 Sean Savage 01:32:10
39 Simon Everard 01:33:12
74 Eddie Nugent 01:40:10
77 Tim O’Donnell 01:41:17
84 Ciara Lynch 01:42:21 (12)
90 David O’Donnell 01:43:31
102 Alma Hanevy 01:45:52 (18)
108 Karl Walsh 01:46:46
111 Phelim Murray 01:47:37
135 Rebecca Kelly 01:51:58 (28)
147 Deirdre Ni Chearbhaill 01:54:05 (33)
215 Robbie Moore 02:05:34
246 Fanny Trébouet 02:12:11 (79)
Full results here: https://my.raceresult.com/319820/results#0_3E4070
Waterford Half Marathon (2023)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Ryan Creech 1 01:05:58
17 Nichola Sheridan 1 01:17:20
Crusaders AC runner
151 Margaret Foley 01:28:44 (12)
Full results here: https://myrunresults.com/events/waterford_half_marathon_2025/5940/results
The Seeley Cup 10k (836)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Conall McClean 1 00:29:15
47 Hannah Gilliland 1 00:33:35
Crusaders AC runner
243 Ed Forester 00:38:15
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/podium4sport-seeley-cup-10k-2025/
Joe Duffy Clontarf 5-mile (384)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Dylan McLaughlin 1 00:27:27
22 Sinead Del Bello 1 00:35:14
Crusaders AC runner
6 Felipe De Sousa 00:30:16
Full results here: https://myrunresults.com/events/joe_duffy_bmw_clontarf_half_marathon__5_mile/5838/results
Joe Duffy Clontarf Half Marathon (2575)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Eoghan Beary 1 01:12:28
50 Rebekka Straub 1 01:26:33
Crusaders AC runners
XX Derek Boland 01:22:02
55 John McDonagh 01:24:39
73 Emma Rowe 01:28:12 (4)
168 David Healy 01:32:50
491 Alan Martin 01:40:48
837 Niall Duffy 01:46:42
1351 Grégoire Marnotte 01:56:46
1784 Aakash Dantre 02:05:14
Full results here: https://myrunresults.com/events/joe_duffy_bmw_clontarf_half_marathon__5_mile/5838/results
 
Poolbeg Parkrun (117) 
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Matthew Kane 1 00:16:57
11 Christine Parsons 1 00:19:24
Crusaders AC runners
2 Kevin Fitzgibbon 00:17:02
4 Kenan Furlong 00:18:04
6 Rob Cross 00:18:20
8 Stephen Hurley 00:19:06
16 Orla Walsh 00:19:50 (2)
18 Ronan Walsh 00:20:21
26 Kabir Sala 00:21:17
33 Dale Whelehan 00:22:50
35 Mikel Crisostomo 00:22:58
41 Emily Glen 00:24:09 (7)
44 Fiona Bane 00:24:27 (8)
46 David Pepper 00:24:47
57 Russell Murphy 00:26:44
59 Franky Keane 00:27:15
60 Olwyn Dunne 00:27:18 (13)
61 Louise O’Riordan 00:27:19 (14)
66 Djinn Von Noorden 00:27:57 (19)
77 Kevin Kenny 00:28:44
76 Aisling O’Riordan 00:29:25 (23)
80 Gabriela Segura Fonseca 00:30:16 (25)
95 Cynthia Perucca 00:32:55 (33)
Broadmeadow Linear Parkrun (66)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Koffi Kpoglo 1 00:18:44
10 Cecile Ollagnier 1 00:22:31
Crusaders AC runner
50 Mairead Cashman 00:30:57 (20)
Porterstown Parkrun (56)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Thomas O’Neill 1 00:20:39
2 Caroline McCarthy 1 00:20:44
Crusaders AC runner
24 Martina White 00:29:08 (5)
Killarney House Parkrun (163)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Ryan Vickers 1 00:16:28
7 Lily Riordan 1 00:18:04
Crusaders AC runner
18 Michael O’Shea 00:20:43
Ballincollig Parkrun (263)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Conrad Watt 1 00:17:39
7 Anna Blake 1 00:19:48
Crusaders AC runner
123 Helena O’Keeffe 00:27:48 (30)
Tramore Valley, Cork Parkrun (204)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Fintan Kerins 1 00:15:04
5 Núria Vizcaino Estrada 1 00:24:16
Crusaders AC runner
39 Aitor Arribas Velasco 00:24:16
Shanganagh Parkrun (247)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Drew Donohoe 1 00:17:03
2 Emma O’Brien 1 00:17:25
Crusaders AC runners
205 Fiona Shine 00:36:06 (75)
206 Lisa Shine 00:36:07 (76)
229 Máirín Shine 00:39:41 (90)
Tymon Parkrun (63)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Garret Dunne 1 00:18:59
5 Sinead Tighe 1 00:20:23
Crusaders AC runner
1 Garret Dunne 00:18:59
Malahide Parkrun (162)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Tom Kirker 1 00:16:38
17 Cindy Hickey 1 00:20:18
Crusaders AC runner
76 Laura O’Malley 00:25:38 (17)
Donabate Parkrun (119)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Neil Maguire 1 00:18:33
3 Sheila Bourke 1 00:19:57
Crusaders AC runner
29 Brendan Glynn 00:24:04
Fethard Town Parkrun (28)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Eoghan Ryan 1 00:19:15
3 Jane Prendergast 1 00:21:25
Crusaders AC runner
16 Cathal Murphy 00:28:13
Bushy Parkrun (142)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Evan Fitzgerald 1 00:15:47
7 Katie Lysons 1 00:21:13
Crusaders AC runners
33 Kev Moore 00:24:49
38 Mary Donnelly 00:25:48 (10)
Cabinteely Parkrun (119)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Max Linus Koppenhofer 1 00:20:29
5 Michelle Maher 1 00:21:12
Crusaders AC runner
67 Carina Davidson 00:33:46 (19)
River Valley Parkrun (51)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Viktoras Kuzminas 1 00:18:29
6 Una O’Riordan 1 00:24:25
Crusaders AC runner
20 Darina Scully 00:27:35 (6)
Midleton Greenway Parkrun (140)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Brendan Maguire 1 00:18:21
12 Michelle Nolan 1 00:21:28
Crusaders AC runner
61 Lorraine McMahon 00:28:06 (20)

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Ailish Hassett

Belén Delgado and Annabelle Morris

L-R: Caoimhe O'Halloran, Carmel Higgins, Paula Bradshaw, Ailish Hassett, Lisa Shine

Ciara Hutchinson

L-R: Annabelle Morris, Luz Estevan, Ciara Hutchinson, Bélen Delgado, Darina Scully, Ailsish Hassett, Fiona Shine, Emily Ashford, Gabriela Segura, Tilde Martinsen, Emer Kenny, Louise O'Riordan, Carina Davidson, Joanne Carey, Sophia Morgan, Olwyn Dunne, Anna Shine, Máirín Shine, Mairead Cashman, Lisa Branigan, Carmel Higgins, Paula Bradshaw, Marie-Claire Daly

Louise O'Riordan and Fiona Shine

L-R: Luz Estevan, Fiona Shine, Emer Kenny

Niamh Trihy (with Kevin Kenny) and Mairead Cashman

Máirín Shine and Marie-Claire Daly

Paula Bradshaw

Rachel Kelly

Darina Scully and Carmel Higgins

Emily Ashford

Lisa Harpur

Standing L-R: Eddie Nugent, Eugene McDonough, Tim O'Donnell, Simon Everard, Sean Savage, Ciara Lynch, Phelim Murray, David O'Donnell. Kneeling L-R: Alma Hanevy, Kieran Martin, Dee Ni Chearbhaill