Des Woods led Mourne Runners to a clean sweep and Karen Alexander demolished the course record by over 4 minutes at the Glenariff Mountain Race last Saturday. The girl from the Sperrins produced a scintillating new course record while the men from Mourne Runners dominated the Glenariff Mountain Race for the third year running.

The Ballymena Runners promotion covered 6 miles with 1,100 feet climb and was the second race in the NIMRA Grand Prix Series. The race is now in its 8th year and was once again sponsored by North Antrim Food producers, Glens of Antrim Potatoes. This year saw a record entry of seventy four runners take part in the tough mountain event.

The race started in Waterfoot and Des Woods led the record field into a strong headwind on the opening flat section along the glen. Edward Hanna and Stephen Cunningham were in contention as the leaders began the tough 1100 feet climb up the South face of the Glen with Armagh’s Paul McAnespie, Gary Bailey and Johnny Steede climbing well closely behind. However, Woods powered clear on the climb and the NI Champion effectively had the race in the bag as he turned at the top with a good lead.  As they came back down off the mountain Woods and Cunningham were well clear of each other and the chasing pack as they headed back along the glen to the finish at Waterfoot.

Karen Alexander continued her tremendous form as she notched up her fifth consecutive win on the mountains. The Sperrin Harrier smashed the course record by 4 minutes and 25 seconds with a time of 48:48 as she cruised to another impressive win. This followed on from her course record in the first Grand Prix race at Binevenagh three weeks ago and her win in the opening NI Championship race at Slieve Gullion last week. Charlene Haugh of Mourne Runners is also in great form having been runner up at both Binevenagh and Slieve Gullion. At Glenariff she clocked 51:33 and finished 1 minute and 40 seconds inside the previous course record of 53:13 set by Sharon McBurney in 2003.

Mourne Runners were team winners with Andy Gregg (Larne AC) taking the Master Trophy finishing well up the field in tenth overall. Dominic McGreevy (Newcastle AC) claimed the male over 50 category with a strong run in twelfth place overall. The other master’s prizes were won by Dale Mathers (over 45), Stewart Cunningham (Mourne Runners) (over 55), Jim Patterson (Mourne Runners) (over 60) and Shileen O’Kane (BARF) Women’s over 35.

Next Saturday 21 March NIMRA hold a mountain Running Training Day at Meelmore Lodge in the Mournes. Further details are available at www.nimra.org.uk The mountain racing action continues on Saturday 4 April whn NIMRA host the opening round of the British Championship at Slieve Bearnagh in the Mournes. The prestigious event is also the second race in the NI Championship. The 4 mile course also climbs the peaks of Meelbeg and Meelmore with a total climb of 2,700 feet.