3ROC News 16th March 2016

Well,we were right about the weather for Ajax’s Leinster League event at the Bull Island last Sunday: another great day’s orienteering on a super area. Access to the Bull Island is restricted as it’s an internationally known nature reserve, particularly where water birds are concerned, so we should take the opportunity to run there when we can … and many of us did. Great runs from 3ROC in the form of Amalia Naughton, 1st on the Red course, M16 Cian May, 2nd on the Blue course, Colm Moran 3rd on Brown and Oisín May 3rd on Orange, and Brendan McGrath, 4th on Green. Super courses on a really good map on the doorstep of the capital – what more could you want?

Many of the Juniors were on a training weekend in Limerick and Clare, where M12 Cuan Riordan scored two wins in the Limerick campus sprints.

The urban race theme continues this weekend, with a sprint relay at UCC in Cork on Saturday and an urban race in Kinsale on Sunday: should be a great weekend. Also on Saturday but in the other direction, LVO are running a League event at Slievenagore/Silent Valley in the Mournes.

An alternative event with maps on Saturday is of course the St Patrick’s Festival Treasure Hunt in Dublin. Start between 10 and 1 at the City Hall, teams of up to 4 people, expected time about 1 hour 45 (less if you run). In previous years there was a minimum time you had to take, to prevent out-and-out running, but you need to set your watch carefully or you could be edged out by a few seconds at the end! On-line registration is closed but you can register on the day and it’s free. Details here.

One of the biggest events in Britain, the Jan Kjellstrom O-Festival, is in Yorkshire over Easter and we have at least seventeen from 3ROC running, some under their college clubs banners, and we have three relay teams running.  All eyes will be on M21’s Colm Moran and Eoin McCullough, though on Monday they’ll be on rival relay teams, with Eoin running for DUO and Colm for UCD. The event starts with a sprint at Leeds University on Friday, two individual races in the Yorkshire Dales and a relay on Monday.

After Easter the next events are on the weekend of April 2/3 in Wexford: Sunday April 3rd on the open sand dunes of Kilmore Quay: definitely worth the trip. It’s a Leinster League event which also includes the Irish Student Chmpionships. The dunes are largely grassy, runnable and really nice. The day before there’s a sprint relay, open to everyone, at the JFK Forest Park near New Ross.

That’s all for now: remember to enter the Leinster Championships, the Irish Championships and the Leinster Three-Day, and to volunteer to help at the Leinsters! And don’t forget to “like” the 3ROC Facebook page and the Leinster Championships page – follow the links on the top of this page to get there …