Sarah McCormack of Clonliffe finished first woman at a shortened Snowdon International Mountain race, where runners were forced to turn back at Clogwyn station due to atrociously bad weather. It made her the second Irish woman ever to win this race after Sarah Mulligan’s victory last year.
Sarah McCormack
McCormack, who is the Irish cross country champion, clocked a time of 55 mins 20 secs, which was about three-quarters of the usual distance. She pushed the pace from the start and was leading at the turn around point.
On a great day for the Irish, Tim O’Donoghue finished third overall in 47 mins 50 secs, reaching the turn around in sixth place with a time of 21 mins 2 secs, but making up ground on the descent. James Kevan finished eighth in 48 mins 52 secs, Ian Conroy 22nd in 51:45 and Brian Furey 30th in 55:11. The race was won by Italy’s Cesare Maestri in 47 mins 20 secs. John Lenihan is the only Irish man ever to have won this race. The team finished third.
Of the women, Laura Shaughnessy was 14th in 64.54, Emma Hand 15th in 65 mins 1 sec. In the non-elite race, Niamh O Ceallaigh was 27th in 68:30.
For Northern Ireland, Alan Bogle was 11th in 50.10, Ian Bailey 21st in 51.31, Gavin Mulholland 23rd in 51.47, and Seamus Lynch 26th in 52.48. First of the women was Diane Wilson 11th in 62.58, followed by Catherine O’Connor 12th in 63.12 and Hazel McLoughlin 17th in 74.40.
Over 600 – the limit – turned out for the 39th edition of the race. The records for the standard 10-mile course are 62.29 for men (Kenny Stuart 1985) and 72.48 for women (Carol Greenwood 1993). Ireland’s Robin Bryson holds the record for the fastest men’s ascent at 39:47, which he ran in 1985. See www.snowdonrace.co.uk.
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