2000 Sedbergh Race

A double silver for the Irish Under 19 Boys and Under 19 Irish Girls was the highlight of the British and Irish Junior International Championships held in the attractive Cumbrian village of Sedbergh. Highlight it may have been, but not far behind was a strong performance by the Irish Under 17 Girls team who took the team bronze medal in their race. It was the best ever performance by by an Irish team in these championships since we first participated some years ago.

First off was the open race for Under 15 boys and girls. The hopes of the Irish rested on the shoulders of Roy Murray following an accident the previous day to Des Earls, the Under 15 race winner of our trials. Des along with the rest of us had gone out to inspect the testing course up a rain lashed Winder Fell. The weather was foul with the close sheep clipped grass on the steep mountain treacherous underfoot. Many fell, but, while most of us skidded down on our bottoms before regaining our feet, the unlucky Des tore a ligament on his collar bone. He was out and had to be content with waving the Irish flag with his good arm to support the others.

The course was thankfully drier on the Sunday thanks to the hitherto unceasing rain relenting late the previous evening. Roy was well up, but was handicapped, as were most of the Irish, without the specialist shoes demanded by the still slippery course. He finished 7th behind the two winners. Yes, two! The unfortunate Scot Scott Fraser was well ahead when he was directed the wrong way by one of the marshals. A protest ensued and he was awarded joint first.

An individual Bronze medal went to Dunleer's Cora Russell who had a determined run against strong opposition in the Under 15 Girl's race. Cora had a great battle with the opposition which included Emma Stuart the daughter of former World Champion Kenny Stuart and former British Champion Pauline Haworth. Cora only lost out on the descent and looks good to progress further as she gets older. Other good Irish runs came from Trevor King, Olive Butler, and Joan Collins.

First of the international races was the Under 17 girls which saw Kelli Roberts improve from her 5th place last year in Glendalough to gold medallist this year. However, she did not have it all her own way as Ireland's Louise Moore had forced a tremendous pace up the hill initially. Louise was clear and looking comfortable on the first descent when her short spikes slipped and she crashed out of the lead. She fought back, but fell again and was forced to ease on the demanding descent. She finished ninth and led the rest of the Irish team Maria Slattery 10th, Ellen Colton 11th, and Aideen Broe 12th in to the finish and a great bronze medal performance.

Next away were the Under 17 Boys who had a number of first timers on the team. At the front, England's Ray Edgar improved on his 4th place last year to take an emphatic gold. The best of the Irish was DSD's Craig Longmore who overcame the vicissitudes of the slippery course - without studs - and took an excellent 8th. Niall Connaughton finished 16th with Dan Mulhare in 18th. The unlucky Mark Lehane failed to win the heart of a Border Collie high on Winder. The dog decided he liked Irish legs and attacked. The unfortunate Cork runner naturally lost his concentration and took a tumble. He finished 24th. We searched for the dog later to cook it, but it had made good its escape. Ireland finished 4th.

Our Under 19 girls had the same tricky course as the Under 17 boys and found it equally demanding. The race saw an excellent performance from Deirdre Hopkins who took 6th in her first run in the category. At the front, Natalie White (England) showed that three weeks training on the course, married to excellent descending skills, would improve her silver standing last year to gold. It did. She won by nearly a minute. The magnificent Dervla Mulligan in 7th, Eileen Rahill 11th, and Laura McDonnell in 12th all showed later on the video taken by Pat Donlon that the descent was very tricky: they all fell just in front of him. However, despite the falls, their bravery did enough to take a brilliant second place in the team category and give Ireland its first ever Silver medal in these competitions.

Having inspected the course the previous day, debate raged though the camp of the Irish Under 19 Boys as to what was going to be the best way to attack the near vertical descent on the first short loop of their course. In the race, Niall Duncan showed how. Setting off at what he later admitted to be too hot a pace, he dragged Peter Dalton clear of the pack on the initial steep climb before England's Joe Symonds - who lives in Sedbergh - caught him. Symonds had a gap at the top of the descent and used his local knowledge, and studs, to descend to the bottom on the edge of control.

Behind him, Niall threw caution - and his feet - to the winds and shot down the descent on his rear, nearly catching the English runner at the bottom. Taking a more conventional approach, 3rd placed Peter Dalton descended brilliantly to show that this skill was no longer the weak link in his defences. However the Irish enthusiasm and early efforts told on the relentless second climb of Winder and the English team made the most of the home advantage. On the second descent, Peter passed an exhausted Niall and took 5th place at the line. Niall was 6th with Brian Farrell in 11th and Seosamh O'Muircheartaigh 12th. The delighted Irish found themselves in Silver medal positions.

With two team Silver medals, and a team Bronze, Ireland put up its best ever performance in these championships. Next year, the British and Irish Championships come to Belfast. We're looking for gold!!

The Irish positions were as follows:-