This year saw the 6^th Edition of Run the Ridge take place as usual at the Laragh GFC fields incorporating the main event over 20km and the Derrybawn Woodland 10 km. For the second year running, the Athletics Wicklow Off-Road Championship took place as an ‘event within the event’ incorporating both the 10 km and 20 km distances this time around and not only the 10 km as in 2022.

A near miss for the 6^th edition

The start was delayed by 30 minutes in order to deal with a fallen tree and other issues caused by Storm Betty the night before the planned race start. Power was still not restored by the time the 20 km runners took off to the sound of Cyril Smyth’s gun at 10 am.

226 out of the 290 registered runners started – a larger no-show rate than normal due in part to blocked roads and heavy rain the day before precluding some runners from travelling. Still the field had more than 10 nationalities – several of whom had travelled from abroad specifically to participate.

The usual 800m lap which precedes entry to the trails and hills of Derrybawn was heavier and more waterlogged than normal but thanks to the great drainage at the Laragh pitches still better than many a cross-country race over the years.

Before the start of the races a minute’s silence was observed in honour of the memory of recently deceased Brian Geraghty, the Sli Cualann men’s captain, and Ned Ward, a long-term stalwart of co-hosts Laragh GFC.

Derrybawn Woodland 10 km / Athletics Wicklow Off-Road Championship (short course)

The day’s results began with Derek Crammond of Parnell AC winning his second consecutive Athletics Wicklow Off-Road title in 40:56 – not quite a fast as his course record from 2022 – but enough to win with a 94 second margin over Padraig O’Flynn (competing in the ‘Open’ race). Third place went to Liam Mooney of Lakeshore Striders who took Gold in the M40 category while being the second fastest Athletics Wicklow athlete home.

Host club Glendalough AC got their first of 12 gold medals on the day when Richard Costelloe crossed the line in 4^th and as the first M45. Seventy seconds later, Sile O’Byrne smashed the women’s course record by nearly 4 minutes with a mark of 44:14. Incumbent record holder – Catherine Devitt of Glendalough – was 2^nd woman in 21^st overall and took gold in the M40 category. Sile also holds the course record on the old 8 km course – discontinued after the 2018 edition.

A new perpetual trophy had been inaugurated for the second championship designed and produced by mountain runner Richard Healy. Whichever club collected most medals (tallied using the Olympic system) would gain custody of the trophy for a year.

As age category runners arrived one by one, a two-way battle shaped up between reigning champions Parnell AC and hosts Glendalough AC. Parnell led 5 gold to 4 by the time individual 10k medals were tallied and 8 to 7 once teams had been confirmed.

Team selection tactics ended up playing a big role – while Parnell strengthened their senior teams, Glendalough bulked out their M35 and M50 teams dividing all team wins between them. In the individual categories other clubs bid in strong however with Lakeshore Striders from Blessington winning the M35, M40 and M70 categories and Inbhear Dee securing the M55 with a strong run from Ronan King. The 20 km results would now prove decisive.

Run the Ridge 20 km / Athletics Wicklow Off-Road Championship (long course)

In the 20 km race, David Power set the early pace ahead of Irish international Edward O’Connor of Brother’s Pearse but the Rathfarnham WSAF runner had to settle for second after O’Connor made a big move on the descent at 14 km to pull clear and win the race in a new course record of 1:29:01. They were followed home by Italian SkyRunner Emanuelle Sacchi.

The women’s race was won by Jog Lisburn Running Club’s Kate Wilton in 1:53 who would be followed by Loraine Creane and the current record holder Hannah Carroll (record: 1:41:59) in third place.

Apart from cash prizes for the podium finishers, the 1^st and 2^nd placed runners could enjoy their pick of Dynafit racing backpacks courtesy of race sponsors Adventure.ie handed out by race director Keith Mulvey and masters of ceremonies – Billy Porter.

In the championship, the 20 km continued well for Parnell when Michael Dowling became the first Athletics Wicklow runner over the finish line in 4^th position overall and a time of 1:38:26. The 20 km course was particularly sloppy this year with the evening’s heavy rain reducing traction on the grassy sections to near-zero.

Inbhear Dee’s evergreen Ben Mooney was not far behind as he took the M60 category and 2^nd overall in the club rankings. 3^rd and 4^th were John Conway and Rene Borg of Glendalough who also took 2^nd and 3^rd in the M40 ranking.

Glendalough now had a two medal deficit to make up which they did when their runners took the MS, M45 and M50 within a 40 seconds window in the race. Alan Kennedy piled on by winning the M55 before Bernie Byrne pulled a medal back taking the F45 for Parnell. Bray Runners got in on the action when Lee Borland had a strong run to secure the M35; ahead of two Inbhear Dee runners. Thus ended the contest for 67 senior medals.

As the dust settled, Glendalough AC could hoist the trophy aloft with a 12 to 10 win on gold medals. The graphic below shows how it played out on the day as seven of the eight clubs competing for senior medal took honours with them home. Clubs in 2024 may be in two minds about how much to bulk out their 20k squads: today it was a productive strategy but there is always the risk of weakening the 10 km squads too much.

JUNIOR RACE 2K

While the 3 km juvenile race had to be cancelled, the younger juniors between 11 to 15 got a go at the new 2 km course. The race was won by local boy Euan Phillips – now living in the UK and competing for Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers – ahead of Inbhear Dee’s Daniel Mitchell (winning the Athletics Wicklow competition) and Adam Craxton from Bray Runners next. Seren Stamper Walsh from Greystones was first in the girl’s race ahead of Layla Dixon, St. Benedicts, and Ailbhe Kelly of Roundwood and District AC.

With juniors added the medal table looks as follows:

A thanks to the crew and partners

A special mention must go to race director Keith Mulvey and Gary Cullen of Laragh GFC who did the lion’s share of marking and organisation surrounding the race and had to deal with a difficult situation on Saturday morning when a tree blocked the main trailhead.

Big thank you to Keith and Gary and to the army of crew who ensured there was never any doubt about where to go and also to the many helping out with course clearing, registration and catering including Wesley Atkinson of NPWS and William Belton of ESB who helped ensure the trail could be cleared.

Also thanks to our sponsors Hiiker, Adventure.ie, and EcoTrail Wicklow who supported our race with prizes, free race entries and marking equipment.