News

31st May 2010Buncrana 5K Results Amended!

Report here

After the race we had a number of complaints about the chip time being out by a couple of seconds. Now this is standard procedure for some people who feel that our (the organisers and timers) main aim is to purposely do them out of their time! However, as some of the people complaining were not the usual “boy who cried wolf” types, a through investigation was carried out by ourselves.

The result of this is that we have agreed that something between 1.5-2 seconds of a difference exists between the official chip time and our backup check. For this reason we have removed 2 seconds from the finish time of all of those who wore a chip.

So well done to everyone whose PB has just come down by 2 seconds!

A few points to note though and some advice:

• The race organisers work extremely hard to try and ensure that everything runs smoothly and according to plan but mistakes will happen! It is up to you to time yourself if you want an instant record! Club runners should know this.

• 1-2 secs is a reasonable error and you will see this at races everywhere. There are a large number of possible reasons for this, too long to list here!

• For photography purposes, best to stop your watch about 1 sec after you have crossed the line. As you will notice from the photos most of you are stopping your watch in your finish photo which doesn’t look great. A number of you are even stopping your watch a good bit before the line!!!!!

Thanks,

Eoghan

Amended results hereThanks to our sponsor Sean Furey insurances, also Buncrana Leisure Centre and the local Gardaí and all the team at City of Derry who help to make this a fantasic event and put Buncrana on the running map as a top destination.

Go raibh mile maith agat

Eoghan Furey (on behalf of al the Fureys)
00 353 87 9474883


Report below from Gerry Lynch

Records All Round at Buncrana 5K
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Records tumbled at Wednesday nights Buncrana 5K,the third in the 2010 Furey Insurances 5K Series as a massive 320 strong field were led home by new course record holders,St Malachys Joe McAllister and Letterkenny,s Maria McCambridge, who posted spanking new figures of 14m 42s and 16m 9s respectively


McAllister only decided to make the trip to the popular Donegal venue late on Tuesday evening,after successfully returnig to competitive action at last Saturdays Ballymena Ecos 5m and he was very surprised to run so fast,shaving two seconds off clubmate Kevin Seaward,s 2007 course record of 14m 44s. Runner up Ciaran Doherty of Letterkenny AC was acknowledged afterwards for his aggressive front running to around the 2K mark,before McAllister took control and went on relentlessly to win by 19secs. Doherty clocked 15m 1sec with another Letterkenny man ,a former triple race winner Pauric McKinney celebrating his 45th birthday,third on 15m 18secs.

Maria McCambridge absolutely smashed the 17m 13s course record,set last year by Finn Valleys Teresa McGloin,storming to a magnificent 16m 9s clocking and like the male winner,pocketed a £100 record bonus.McGloin herself finished second,with an eye catching 16m 35s,delighted to run some 41secs quicker than last year,yet never seriously challanging the winner. North Belfasts Cathy McCourt was third in an impressive 17m 18secs,confirming her recent good form.

The runners were favoured by the wind on their backs for the long straight to halfway and were able to avail of the relatively sheltered second half on the back road to the downhill finish,with the race,s reputation for fast times right down the field confirmed again.

Rankin Top Local--Just!
(What he really means is top Derry mucker! top local was Paddy Mor Doherty(took my record :), that is if you exclude Pauric McKinney (as well always do beacuse he's too good!) who has only been here for over 10 years......just landed in Buncrana terms!) :)Eoghan
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Foyle Valleys Scott Rankin continued his recent good form with fourth spot,just edging City of Derry,s Emmet McGinty on the line,both men given the same time,15m 36s. Letterkenny duo Ivan Toner on 15m 44s and M35 winner,Brian Thursby Pelham on 15m 46s were hot on their heels; City of Derrys M35 Paddy Moore on 15m49s was a close up eight,as the top ten was completed by M40 winner,Joe McKinney and fellow Innishowen man, James Brown on 15m 55s and 16m 1s respectively.

Abbeys Gemma Turley continued her good form at North West oad races with a 17m 57s clocking for fourth female,keeping her in the hunt for the overall series award with Cathy McCourt. Margaret Kelly of Letterkenny was top F35 on 19m, Innishowens Helena Crossan was top F40 with 18m 8s,leading F45 on 20m 18s was City of Derrys Bridgeen Byrne andthe first F50 on 21m 47s was Gloria Donaghy of Finn Valley. At opposite ends of the age group winners were City of Derrys U20 Grainne Neary and F60 Roisin Lynch with respective times of 18m 11s and 25m35s.

The male age group winners were rounded off by,Ciaran McKeown,St Malachys on 16m 22s(U20(; Declan McCarthy City of Derry,16m 34s (M45);Seamus McCallion,Foyle Valley,17m 19s,(M50),Peter Lilburn,City of Derry,17m 55s (M55) and Seamus McElhinney M60 and Condy Doherty M65.

Culmore 5K Next Up
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Race 4 in the Furey Insurances Series is scheduled For WEdnesday June 9th on the Culmore circuit back in Derry and given the big turn outs at road races everywhere so far this year the Culmore race can expect record figures in a few weeks time.

As ever entries will be taken on the night from 6pm in Culmore Village,the race has the usual 7 30pm start time and all prospective participants are urged to register in good time to facilitate a prompt start.

Check the City of Derry website for all 5K Series results to date and for updates on Culmore, Carndonagh (Weds June 30th) and the final race,Balliniska (Weds July 21st)
www.sparta-athletics.co.uk

Gerry Lynch 26/5/10

Note a request for help from Noel McMonagle below

Plea for help for Foyle Hospice female run all bodies to meet me at 12.30 sunday 6th June at the everglades, we need as many as possible.
Noel

Also note:

Buncrana 10k Road race and Fun Run and Walk
Sat 12th June at 6.30 Phone E.McLaughlin 0749362320

26th May 2010Buncrana 5K Records Galore!

New mens record by 2 sec, 14.42 Joe McAllister, 2nd Ciaran Doherty 15.01, 3rd Pauric McKinney 15.18. Womens Record Smashed, Maria McCambridge 16.06(new series record too), 2nd Theresa McGloin 16.35(inside old record too), 3rd Cathy McCourt 17.18. First batch of photos here .from Paddy Murphy of start and at 3.7 km. More excellent photos from Pete Webster here of 1 km mark and finish and presentation. Video of finish to follow. 314 finishers, previous best 180. Well done to all.

RESULTS AT LAST here A number of reasons for the delay, lost chips, no chips, no number, chip not recording and pile up at the finish.:) Should be sorted out now after much reviewing by Charlie, Gerry and myself. Also a number of catagory prizes were incorrectly awarded. Corrections include Margaret Kelly F35, Anne Neary F50 (sorry Gloria!) and Dermot Connolly M50. Any remaining errors on the list please email me at eoghanfurey@gmail.com.

Race video here, unfortunately quality isn't great when it is reduced but you get the idea. Thanks to Pete and Cathy for this. Also a clip here of Highland Radio's Shaun Doherty who used the Buncrana 5k as his first event in preparation for a half-marathon. Well done to Shaun and all those whose first event it was. They did great!

24th May 2010Buncrana 5K Tomorrow Night

All roads tomorrow night lead to Buncrana for the third race in the Furey Insurances 5K Series.The Buncrana race always attracts a massive entry and tomorrow evening,s event is expected to top 250 for the 7 30pm start, Entries will be taken from 6pm at the Leisure Centre on the Shore Front and all intending participants are advised to come in good time to sign up! more

24th May 2010Buncrana 5K Tomorrow Night

All roads tomorrow night lead to Buncrana for the third race in the Furey Insurances 5K Series.The Buncrana race always attracts a massive entry and tomorrow evening,s event is expected to top 250 for the 7 30pm start, Entries will be taken from 6pm at the Leisure Centre on the Shore Front and all intending participants are advised to come in good time to sign up!

The fast course is PB friendly for all levels of runners and up front the action will be stimulated by the bonus prizes on offer for new course records.Kevin Seaward,s 2007 14m 44sec mens target is a tough one but the word is that there will be real quality contendors taking the gun at 7 30 tomorrow. Teresa McGloin,s womens best time of 17m 17sec is more approachabe and Letterkennys Maria McCambridge who ran 16m31sec last week is expected to be in the starting line up tomorrow.

The race will use Chip Timig for each runner and of course will also have the excellent post race refreshments available during the \awards ceremony.An event not to be missed so make sure you are there!!

Gerry Lynch 23/5/10