Dunboyne AC has the honour of hosting the 2017 Leinster Athletics Intermediate, Masters & Juvenile Development Cross Country Championships, at the Cow Park, Loughsallagh on Sunday 15th January next. Having hosted County, Provincial and National events with great success over the past few years the Club is taking on the task of running a Leinster Championship on this occasion. The Intermediate & Juvenile Relay categories draw on all but the very top runners in the area, with the Masters category drawing the top athletes over the age of 35 from the province, some of whom will be familiar faces to all, ex-national champions and representatives of Ireland at international level.

Venue

The venue itself, the Cow Park, is located between Dunboyne and Clonee. It’s an area of 28 acres of commonage acquired by the local sporting organisations and managed by the Cow Park Trust. It’s particularly suitable to Cross Country running, with athletes running on a well surfaced one mile loop around the perimeter of the two fields. Planning for the event began over 3 months ago, when Dunboyne AC were asked to host the event. At that time Club set about making preparations for the day, an operation with the involvement and support of many committed Club members.

Racing

Both Club and County teams will compete at the meet for provincial honours. Underage athletes from the age of U-12 to U-16 compete in teams over various distances according to their age group. It’s then the turn of the Masters men’s and women’s races with athletes competing over 6kms and 4kms respectively. The Intermediates conclude the day’s racing with the men taking on an 8km course and the women 4km. Intermediate grade is an open age category with all athletes eligible apart from a small few who have achieved a podium result in previous competitions.

Dunboyne’s Juveniles have performed excellently this cross country and indoor season and are sure to continue their good form whilst representing Club & County at this meet. Our Seniors have a large number of athletes competing, representing Dunboyne and Meath: our teams have led from the front all winter and will be expected to be at the business end of things come the end of the Intermediate and Masters races. Races on the day begin at midday and conclude some time before 3pm. The schedule of events is as follows:

U12 Girls Relay at 12:00 noon

U12 Boys Relay

U14 Girls Relay

U14 Boys Relay

U16 Girls Relay

U16 Boys Relay

Master Women – 12:50 pm – Estimated Time

Master Men – 1:15 pm – Estimated Time

Intermediate Women – 1:45 pm – Estimated Time

Intermediate Men – 2:05 pm – Estimated Time

The entries list for the adult races has been published and can be seen HERE.

Parking, number collection and refreshments

Athletes can collect their numbers at the registration desk at the Cow Park.

Free parking is available at the Irish Rail Car Park which is just 500m from the Cow Park.

Some parking is also available at Dunboyne Athletic Club on the Rooske Road, about 1.5KM from the Cow Park.

There is strictly no parking allowed at the Cow Park for anyone other than Dunboyne AC officials involved in race logistics.

Refreshments will be available on the day at the Cow Park: soup, sandwiches, snacks and hot drinks.

Good luck!

It remains for the Club to wish all those competing on the day the best of luck.