The St Abban’s AC annual St Stephen’s Day Road race took place again this year, with over 50 athletes competing across two races on the Tura Triangle.
First up at 11am was the Ladies and juvenile U-14 event. This race takes in one lap of the Triangle and it was the two Ayers girls, Rachel and Laura who took the running up early on.
They were joined by Caitlin McDonald, who finished 4th in the Laois Senior Cross Country last weekend.
Rachel Ayers had managed to squeeze a gap from her sister Laura around the final corner and held this the whole way along the home-straight.
She crossed the line in 5:29 to win the Jack Mealey Cup, with Laura finishing in 5:40 and Caitlin close behind in 5:52.
After this it was over to the Men’s race, which takes the athletes around the testing triangle for three laps.
With results kept right back to the early days of the club, it offers athletes an opportunity to compare and contrast, not only their own times, but with that of older relatives who ran previously.
After his success over 10k last weekend, Jack Fenlon went to the line as favourite, with Cian Kelly and Brian Kelly his closest challengers within the club.
Myles Hewlett, a Kilkenny City Harriers native who is also in fine form, would not be far away from the prizes.
Jack Immediately hit the front of the race and over the first lap looked to create a gap between him and the rest of the field.
Myles and Cian followed, with Brian a further distance back.
Down the field, battles were developing across the groups with each athlete looking to better their time.
Jack continued to grow his lead and when he rounded the final bend he had a commanding lead from Cian Kelly who had a great last lap to take second and Myles Hewlett completed the podium.
Jack crossed the line in 12:06 to win the Doc Delaney Cup, and he was just one second outside the all-time record for the event set by a Czech athlete.
It is the fastest any St Abban’s athlete has ever ran for the St Stephen’s day event.
Cian crossed the line in 13:17, a five second improvement on last year, while Myles was 13:24.
Brian Kelly was 4th and Will Duffy finished 5th on his first time competing in the event.
To add extra competition to the event, there is also a team element.
The margins were very tight, with only one point separating each of the top three teams.
“Many thanks to all of the road marshals and volunteers who helped with the organisation of the event, gathering the prizes and ensuring that everyone was safe on busy roads,” the club said.
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