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2nd
Jan 2012
Spartans Move Into Challanging Positions In Athletics NI Winter
League
Following their magnificient showing at last
weekends NW cross country meeting in Gransha the City of Derry
Spartans mens and womens senior squads have both moved into
second spot in the Athletics NI Winter cross country League
and with two scoring races remaining the red vests are now
serious challangers for overall honours.
Maximum points from Gransha put the male
Spartans just six points adrift of leaders North Belfast Harriers
and a handy seven points clear of third placed North Down.
Larne AC head the distant chasing group in fourth with Foyle
Valley tied for fifth place alongside Annadale Striders. The
remaining scoring events are the NI/Ulster Senior championships
in Antrim on January 21st next and the Civil Service race
in Stormont in late February and the mens team title could
go right to the wire.
The female Spartans moved up to a clear second behind North
Down after the Gransha race but with a sixteen point defecit
to make up they will need really big performances at the remaining
two venues. With the availability of their leading duo, Aileen
Morrison and Anne Paul in doubt for the NI Senior in late
January, toppling the North Down squad will be difficult but
will nevertheless is something to shoot at for the locals.
Foyle Valley are in fourth spot, locked in a three way battle
for third with Dromore and Lagan Valley.
Holiday Races
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Moving on to the Holiday fixtures, St Stephens Day Monday
26th December next will be busy with two attractive road races
vying for the local runners attention. The annual Greencastle
5 in the small county Tyrone village and the Finn Valley 5K
in Stranorlar as ever go head to head and the respective start
times of 1pm and 2pm and the geographic disparity unfortunately
rule out any chance of doing the double. Local runners are
expected to appear at both venues with the Greencastle race
set to attract among others, Greg Roberts, Allan Bogle and
possibly Connor Bradley who took the Gransha NW title in fine
style last Saturday. The testing 5 mile course and sometimes
the weather conditions, make Greencastle a tough challange
for even the top runners but it never fails to deliver both
quality and quantity and next Monday is eagerly awaited.
Tuesday 27th brings the Castlewellan Christmas Cracker and
this 15K mix of road,hills and trail may well attract more
local interest than usual as the cross country exponents travel
in search of suitable competition in advance of the NI/Ulster
senior which on January 21st is significantly earlier than
usual this season.
New Years Eve January 31st offers a few options including
an Inishowen AC 5K promotion in Culdaff. The Loughmacrory
Tyrone, 5 mile road race has a 12 noon start also on New Years
Eve and then on Monday January 2nd the popular Race Over the
Glens in Glenariff has a 12 noon start time and this one offers
a suitable option for the more cross country minded runners.
Celtic Games Selections
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News of two local Juvenile athletes gaining international
honours has just emerged. Aoife Laverty and Shane McGowan
of City of Derry Spartans have both been named in the Ulster
squads for the Celtic International cross country in Edinburgh
on January 7th next. Both will run in their respective U17
age group races. Their coach Sean Laverty is delighted at
their selection and expects that both will step up on their
pre Christmas form at next months big Scottish meeting.
Finally a mention of the dedication of runners with news that
a Christmas Eve training session for City of Derry seniors
and masters will be held tomorrow at 10 30am in Gransha. Bad
news for anyone still struggling with the Festive presents
syndrome but hey, its an ideal excuse to put that last minute
adrenalin rush off for another hour or so!!
Seasonal Greetings to all athletics fans and Good Luck to
everyone for a rewarding 2012!
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