CHANNEL SWIM - Tuesday 6th March 2012 - QUB PEC

Calling all swimmers!

Charity swim in the PEC pool on the 6th of March to raise money for an MRI scanner at Children’s Hospital on the RVH site. The aim is to swim the distance of the English Channel, 21 miles, ~1350 lengths. Fast lane is reserved for 12 hours to complete this challenge, which will be very tough. Looking for as many volunteers as possible to swim as part of this relay team. You should be able swim around about a mile (64 lengths) in 30 minutes. Call for volunteers for 30 minutes and 60 minutes slots and longer if you can manage it.

If you are interested, please drop an email with your name, your mobile number, how long you can swim for (30 or 60 minutes), and what times best suit you. We have the fast lane from 7:30am to 7:30pm. The email address is:

MRIchannelswim@gmail.com

For more info click on this link to a PDF poster for the event.

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT

 

This is Jack who weighed in at 7lbs 15 ounces at 4.52am on Monday morning(Jan 16). Already he’s a Legend as he slept right through on his first night home (that can’t last).

Many congratulations to mum Ruth and dad Matthew Wilson and of course to granddad Robert.

Jack has been booked to run the Belfast Marathon relay in May 2030.

 

MOIRA SUCCESS

Lots of eye-catching performances at the Moira X-Country races on Saturday (Jan 14).

Barry Rankin’s son Robbie, at 18 running his first senior race, finished third. Vaughan Purnell, clocked a decent time and a highest finish to date of 17^th. Johnny Davis, in his first grass outing of the winter, won his age group, (his daughter Ella won the girls U18 race) and with Vaughan, Jonny Hooper and Colm Hanratty completed a strong Invictus representation – although Colm reportedly said it was his first and last cross country (apparently he’s currently rethinking that).

Legend of the Year Shileen O’Kane continued her fine form finishing 7^th overall in the women’s race.

RESULT: Men(4 miles): 3rd Robbie Rankin 21:40. 17th(3^rd) Vaughan Purnell 24:01. 25th(1^st) Johnny Davis 24:54. 34th Jonny Hooper 25:37. 38th Colm Hanratty 26:19.

Women(3 miles) 7th(1^st) Shileen O’Kane 19:02. 10th(1^st)Ruth Magill 19:13. 13th(1^st)Anne Sandford 19:40. 17th(2^nd)Finn McCourt 20:19. 19th(1^st)Mary Mackin 21:25. 27th(2^nd)Maureen Oliver 24:01.

WEEK-END AWAY TRIP OFFER

Fancy a challenging week-end away among the lakes of Killarney? The challenge is The Wild West Run (half-marathon)- mainly off road from Kenmare to Killarney; and, the next day, climb Ireland’s highest peak, Carrauntoohil in MacGillycuddy’s Reeks. (Or bike ride)

Here’s the Itinerary:

Fri, Feb 24 at 5pm  Leave Belfast.

10pm arrive Killarney. Stay Scott’s Hotel (€30 a night approx)

Sat, Feb 25 at 11am Wild West Run. (€38  includes bus to start) + evening entertainment.

Sun,Feb 26 at 10am  Carrauntoohil climb.

4pm leave Killarney.

9pm arrive Belfast.

If you’re interested contact Ed on 07740818389.

GET NEDDLED

New Legends recruit Paul Wright is an acupuncture specialist. He’s based on the Malone Road. Don’t know his rates but you can contact him on 07917188938 or at paul@wrightacupuncture.co.uk.

CARROLL ON PODIUM

Paul Carroll started the new year the way he’d ended the old on the podium. Paul finished third at the NI and Ulster X-Country Champs at a very muddy Scotstown,Monaghan.(Jan 7)

Men – 3  Paul Carroll 30:34. 61^. Greg McClure 39:03

Women- 14^.(2^nd) Shileen O’Kane 20:27.15(1^st)Ruth Magill 20:44.18(2^nd)Anne Sandford 20:56. 21(2^nd) Finn McCourt 21:34.28(1^st)Mary Mackin 22:31. 46(2^nd)Maureen Oliver 25:47. 

GLENS HANGOVER

Well done to the 5 Legends who got over the New Year celebrations quickly enough to do The Race Over The Glens( Jan 2)

Results: 28 Steve Begley 39:29. 30 Peter Morrison 40:05.57 Greg McClure 43:09.58 Anne Sandford 43:14.123. Mary Mackin 48:50.

WHAT A CRACKER

Close to 200 teams plus several family combinations turned out for the Xmas Cracker in Castlewellan(Dec 27).

Best placed – and after a slight hiccup- prize winners in the mixed category were Vaughan Purnell and Shileen O”Kane. Other prize winners included Ruth Magill, Anne Sandford,Finn McCourt, Maurice Savage and Iryna Kennedy.

Results: 22. Vaughan Purnell + Shileen O’Kane 1:14.04. 43.Peter Morrison + Shane Quinn 1:19.14.49. Ruth Magill + Eric Montgomery 1:20.39.58.Greg McClure + Jason Radcliffe 1:23.11.67^.Anne Sandford + Megan Wilson 1:24.05.74^. Brian Hamilton + Michael Hunter 1:26.09.80. Kieran McVeigh + Paul Kernaghan 1:27.21.84. Desi McHenry + Ryan McHenry 1:27.51. 93. Ricky Cown + Willie J Brown 1:30.00.109^. Finn McCourt + Andy Edwards 1:33.05. 152.Emma Bamford + Heather Bamford 1:42.43. 153 Ed Smith + Simon Turner 1:42.50.161. Donal O’Kane + Zdzislav Malkioki 1:45.18. 162 Michael McCormick + John McCormick 1:46.47.180. Maurice Savage + Iryna Kennedy 1:56.42.185.Fraser Buchanan + K.Buchanan 1:59.56.187. Francis Gorman + Mannix McAlister 2:06.20.

Christmas Track Session

Christmas cheer at the track. Festivities kicked off with "Up and Down The Drain" followed by "The 39 Steps". Once the hills were out of the way it was on to the track for the "100m Backwards", the "400m Pick-Up" and "Devil Takes the Hindmost".

Competitors could only win once which is just as well as Kieran McVeigh strolled through the first 3 events. No surprise that Matt Wilson then took the two "proper" running events. Ruth Magill scarificed aerodynamic's in favour of a pair of fluffy ears.

Results:
Down the Drain: (1st)Kieran McVeigh 25.30 =new record= (2nd)Vaughan Purnell 26.00 (3rd)Matthew Wilson 28.20

39 Steps: (1st)Matthew Wilson 16.00 (2nd)Kieran McVeigh 17.10 (3rd=) Vaughan Purnell/Ed Smith 21.32 (Record is 14.20)

100m backwards: (1st)Kieran McVeigh 20.22  (2nd)Vaughan Purnell 25.37 (3rd)Matthew Wilson 28.57 (record is 19.00)

400m Pick-Up: (1st)Matthew Wilson 1:11 (2nd)Kieran McVeigh 1:14 (3rd)Vaughan Purnell 1:16 (record is 1:05)

Devil Take The Hindmost: (1st)Matthew Wilson =12 laps in 16 mins 35 secs= (2nd)Vaughan Purnell (11 laps) (3rd) Greg McClure (10 laps)

GIRL POWER AT AWARDS NIGHT

No woman may have made the shortlist for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year – but they dominated  a glittering 18th Legends Awards night at  the Stormont Hotel (Dec 3) both on and off the dance floor.

The Donnellys Cup recognising international recognition went to Invictus member Judith Lowry [far left] for her super showing at the World Duathlon Champs in Spain. The other nominees were : Heather Bamford,Ruth Magill and Hanna Shields.