Entry forms now available

The KK McArthur 10K, half-marathon and marathon entry form and Roe Valley trail run entry form are now available.

For online entries to the KK McArthur Festival of running, please click here.

Springwell at IAAF International Cross Country

Springwell athletes travelled to Antrim on Saturday for the IAAF International Cross Country at Greenmount. The energy sapping mud and the strong winds made it difficult for the athletes all day, add to that the slightly longer International distances for each race meant it was not for the faint hearted.

First off for the Club was the inexperienced U13 Girls team, with most of the girls running their first International, despite that they all ran well and finished 5th team overall. Leah Gilfillan finished 23rd in 8:29,Holly Woodhead 30th 8:30, Aine McKinney 26th 8:45, Molly Brennan 32nd 9:16, Rebakah Hunter 36th 9:27 and Ellen Kirk 37th 9:29. Next up in the U13 Boys was Oisin Brennan who kept a good pace to finish mid field 31st in 8:04. In the U15 Girls Aife McSheffrey moved up through the field on the second lap to finish a superb 19th in 16:45 with teammate Emma Lusby 30th in 17:50.

The U15 boys had one of the fastest starts of the day with the field practically sprinting for the first 200m of 3.6K, despite that young Luke Dinsmore ran a really good race to finish 12th in 14:14, not to be out done Deborah Gilliland ran  a very intelligent race in the U17 girls to finish 11th in 16:29.

The last junior race of the day was the combined U17/U20 Boys, Springwell had three runners, Conor Christie, Isaac Kerr and Brian Tweedie and by now the course was really heavy under foot and with three laps of 1.8K it was going to be a tough race. Conor finished 8th in 20:27 followed by Isaac 31st in 22:46 and Brian 36th in 23:32.

Springwell had three girls running in the Primary School race first home in 16th place was Eleanor Blair 5:07, 34th Anna Henderson 6:01, 35th Rachel Marshall 6:03. Andrew Gordon ran well in the boys race to finish 7th in 4:15.

The Senior Men went in the last race of the day 10.8K, 6 laps of the Greenmount course. By now the course was well cut up and team captain Bryan Edgar lost his spikes in the mud a few times. Rodri Jones was first home for Springwell in 45:18 followed by Thomas Moore 48:53, Paul Thompson 49:35 and Bryan Edgar 50:22.

Well done to all the Springwell athletes’ young and old who performed well in the difficult conditions.

Springwell Runners travelled to An Creggan on Saturday for the fourth race in the Sperrin Harriers Winter League.

Foyle Valley’s Pius McIntyre was the first to complete 5 mile trail race in 27:52 with Ann Paul, City of Derry first lady in 32:12.

Alistair Shaw was the first Springwell athlete home in 32:41 followed by Jim Breen 32:52 (1st MO55), Gary Kendall 33:04 and Hugh Deighan 35:10.

Congratulations to Sally Brown on winning the Belfast Telegraphs Sports Person with a Disability for the second year running.

Springwell Primary Schools Cross-Country Cup

The final race in the Flahavan’s Primary School Cross Country League took place on Wednesday 18 January in Limavady. Schools in the Causeway Coast area were competing for the Springwell Cup organised by Springwell Running Club in Association with Athletics NI.

Peter Jack, race commentator, welcomed the competitors to Limavady on a beautiful January morning. Conditions were perfect for the race and the enthusiastic boys and girls couldn’t wait to get going on the course at St Mary’s High School playing fields.

The girls were first to sample the 1400m flat course with Rachel Brown, Glenravel PS setting the pace leading from start to finish to win in 5:47. Drumachose PS pair Stephanine Forsythe Wilson and Eileanior Blair sat in the pack and made their move over the last lap with Stephanie finishing second in 6:25 and Eileanoir third in 6:28.

The boys set off at a fast pace with Andrew Gordon, Garvagh PS moving to the front at the end of the first lap to lead the field home in 5:36. Glenravel PS’s Eoin Hynds (5:53) finished second and Sean McCusker (3:58) third.

Back in Roe Valley Leisure Centre, Kenny Bacon of Springwell Running Club presented the prizes. Points for the Cups were calculated by combining the two best performances from two out of three races.

Rachel Brown, Glenravel PS, was undefeated in the series took Best Girl title, Stephanie Forsythe Wilson, Drumachose PS finished second, Eileanoir Blair, Drumachose PS third, Milenka Rygielskea, Portrush PS 4th and Hermione Skuce, Irish Society PS 5th.

Andrew Gordon, Garvagh PS took the Best Boy title with wins in Coleraine and Limavady, Eoin Hynds, Glenravel PS 2nd, Isacc McAuley, St Columba’s PS 3rd, Sean McCucker, Glenravel PS 4th, Eoughan Gormley, Termoncanice PS 5th.

Competition for the Team Prizes was fierce and they were not decided until the final race.

Drumachose PS won the Girls Team title with Glenravel PS second and Portstewart PS third. St Columba’s PS took the Boys Team title with Glenravel PS second and Termoncanice PS third. Glenravel PS won the Best School title with Drumachose PS second and Termoncanice PS third.

Springwell Running Club, organisers of the series, would like to thank all the club members who helped out, the staff of Roe Valley Leisure Centre, Ollie Mullan, Sports Development Officer, St Mary’s High School, Ambutran, the parents, teachers who helped with the organisation, making it a wonderful experience for the youngsters.