3ROC News 15 January 2017

Happy New Year everyone!

We have just run our first event of 2017, the first Dublin by Night event in the Phoenix Park last night (January 14th). We had about 60 out, roughly 30 on each of the two courses. CNOC’s Hugh Cashell had a 5 minute winning margin over Setanta’s Angus Tyner, with GEN’s Gavan Doherty third on the 8.2 km Long course. IOA Fixtures Secretary Fergal Buckley (Kerry O) had the fastest time on the 4.2 km Short course, with 3ROC’s Una May close behind. The results are here.

It was a grand night for a run in the Park, although the fantastic full moon didn’t appear until later in the night.Thanks to the OPW for permission to run the event, and to control placers Brian Hollinshead, Trina Cleary, Aidan McCullough and course planner John McCullough; to control collectors Mary O’Connell, Aidan and John McC and Eoin Dunne; and to helpers Emma McAuley, Deirdre Nagle, Lindie Naughton and Nora Lee.

We don’t have any immediate plans for running more events until our Leinster League at Carrick Mountain on April 23rd, but who knows? The other Leinster clubs will also be in action, starting with Dublin by Night 2 at Massy’s Estate next Saturday (21st January) and a local event at Donadea, Co. Kildare on Sunday 22nd. Some of the regulars will be away next weekend at the Edinburgh “Big Weekend” featuring a night sprint on Friday, an urban race on Saturday and a cross-country event on Sunday.

3ROC AGM: We have put the date of the club’s Annual General Meeting back by a week to Friday February 10th, at Ballinteer St John’s GAA Club on Grange Road, Ballinteer (or is it Rathfarnham?). One of the highlights of the evening will be the distribution of the grants to 3ROC members who represented Ireland internationally in 2016, in support of our elite athletes.

We plan to do some technical training for members in the next couple of weeks and we’ll be in touch about that shortly. Don’t forget that club subscriptions are due now for 2017 – again, we’ll be in touch with members about that separately.

Don’t forget to keep an eye on our Facebook page here for updates, and don’t forget to enter for the 3 days of sprint orienteering in Armagh on February 17-19 (see here) and for the Jan Kjellstrom O-Festival in the south of England at Easter (see here) – entry fees go up on 29th January.