The Irwin Spiers Memorial Cross Country Races took place in the grounds of the Mid Ulster Sports Arena at Cookstown on Saturday 9th December. Irwin Spiers, a founder member, runner and coach of Mid Ulster based Acorns AC , died in 2019. Recent rain meant that the standing water on already soft ground became even muddier as the races progressed through the age groups, threatening to detach any loose spiked shoes from feet. North Down veteran Terry Eakin describing the course as “the muddiest I’ve seen in nearly 50 years of racing!” The North Down AC runners were undeterred by the tough conditions and raced hard beginning with Isaac Hall who finished 7th in the U12 boys’ race. In the U14 girls’ race 4th place went to Caitlyn Dickinson.
[Isaac Hall]
[Caitlyn Dickenson]
With the North Down women’s team focusing efforts on the North West XC next week Sarah Gibson and Paula Simpson were the club’s representatives in the ladies race.
[Sarah Gibson]
[Paula Simpson]
Despite the mud, Terry Eakin was first in the M70 category.
[Terry Eakin]
North Down men put out a full team for maximum participation points with James Graham finishing 4th overall. The mens’ team finished in 4th place with the scoring members being James Graham, David McKeague, Jonathan Gibson, Steven Donegan, Dean Varley and David Massey. Mark Weir, Colin Walker, Alan Massey, Robert Martin and Donald Smith made up the rest of the team
[team photo]
[James Graham]
[David McKeague]
[Mark Weir]
[Rab Martin]
[Alan Massey]
[Donald Smith]
[Dean Varley, Colin Walker, David Massey]
[Jonathan Gibson]
[Colin Walker]
Results: https://www.championchipireland.com/index.html#results