Results of the Churchtown South 5 mile road race - Thurs 29th July 2011

A total of 485 runners turned out for the 3rd race in the Ballycotton Summer Series. Remarkably enough, that exactly equals the record number that turned out last year. As you can see from the graph above, the number only 4 short years ago was down at 269, a number considered pretty normal now for most of the smaller races in the Cork region. You'd have to wonder if we are the peak now? Will it flatten out or decrease over the next few years?

The winner of the mens race in Churchtown South was Alan O'Shea of Bantry AC in a time of 25:08 (5:01 per mile), almost a full minute clear of his nearest rival. Cillian O'Leary of Raheeny Shamrock ran 26:02 to finish 2nd while Roy Fahy od East Cork AC ran 26:17 to finish 3rd.

In the womens race, Eagle AC made a clean sweep of it by winning the top 3 positions. Rhona Lynch won the race in 30:19 and now leads the Ballycotton Summer Series overall. Ann-Marie Holland ran 30:44 to finish 2nd while Maura Regan ran 31:42 to finish 3rd.

In the prize giving after the race, a special plaque was awarded to John O'Leary of Leevale AC. John  has won his age-category a total of 100 times (from M40 up to M70) in the Ballycotton Summer Road Race Series. Of the 131 Summer 5-Mile Races that have taken place, John has ran in 129 and has finished first in his category on 100 occasions. Now aged 72, he ran his first race at Shanagarry in 1978 and hasn't missed a Summer 5-miler since! Pictured above is Seamus Hartnett presenting John with a plaque in honour of his achievement.


Results.........the full results can now be seen HERE