3ROC News 8th February 2017

The 2017 Leinster League starts this Sunday with Setanta’s event at Djouce Woods. Start times are as usual 11 to 1 with the full range of League courses from yellow (easy) to Brown (Long and difficult). It’s a good area for beginners, with plenty of tracks and spectacular views of Powerscourt Waterfall and the surrounding mountains, but there is some inevitable climb as the area is steep in places. The League will run right through to the beginning of December with the usual CNOC event on the Curragh, but there are some new areas in use this year including Ballyward, near Manor Kilbride, which hasn’t been used since the late 1970’s. During March we also have a chance to run on the Bull Island in Dublin Bay, an event which in recent years has attracted large numbers and sunny weather, so it’s one not to miss.

On Saturday evening, the Dublin by Night series continues with the GEN event at Larch Hill scout centre, Rockbrook; start times 6 to 7 pm. Two courses but only for M/W16 and above.

There will probably be more details of both of these events on the IOA Forum this week.

Last Sunday we had a blast around Trinity College planned by our own Eoin McCullough, which led to a dead-heat on the Long course between first-cousins Colm Hill and Kevin O’Boyle from CNOC. Kev started a minute behind Colm but never actually caught him. It’s really interesting to look at their routes on Routegadget here. The critical part of the course for the pair was getting Control 2 right: the description showed it to be on the lower level while lots of runners went the wrong way and couldn’t get down to the control and had to make a detour which added maybe another minute to the leg: that’s a long time in a sprint race. (If you haven’t used Routegadget, just select the Long course on the right, click on the runners with asterisks which show that they have put in their routes, and click “Start”.) This will simulate a direct race between them as if they had started at the same time. Add Angus Tyner to the mix while you’re at it.

Interestingly, Colm and Kev were only seconds apart in the night event the evening before at Rockbrook Park.

The racing was intense, with three dead heats in the top ten places, including 3ROC’s M16 Aidan McCullough and CNOC’s Niamh O’Boyle for 8th.

Don’t forget the 3ROC AGM this Friday at Ballinteer St John’s GAA Club, Grange Road, at 8 pm. We’ll be giving out lots of money to our members who represented Ireland internationally, so come along and support them as we go into our 41st year. remember you can pay or renew your annual subscription online here. Come along and get your membership cards and 3ROC pens, and see the full range of club O-suits, training jackets, warm hats etc… and of course meet the rest of the club members!

The location is right beside Marlay Park, close to Lidl. See the map here. The No 16 bus goes right past it.