New International Grade race course measurer in Cork...

One of the most important features of any road race is that it should be measured accurately. This is usually done by suitable trained people using a Jones counter. Irish National Grade Measuring courses are run by Athletics Ireland and this is the most common qualification. There are however higher levels which are recognised at an International level.

John Quigley (Eagle AC) from Cork has now been appointed Road Race Measurer Grade 'B' by AIMS and the IAAF. Following some 6 years as an Irish National Grade Measurer, John underwent an approval process comprising an initial scrutiny/observation by an AIMS/IAAF Grade A Measurer, followed by the submission of measurement documentation from six major race measurements and a final measurement exercise under Hugh Jones, AIMS International Measurement Administrator for English-speaking Europe and Africa.

The final measurement exercise took place in London on the final weekend of last August.  The exercise involved measuring the 2012 London Olympic Marathon course, and took place in the early hours of each night/morning, starting at 2:00am, to avoid central London's heavy traffic. John is now authorised to measure races up to and including regional IAAF Championships, in effect all races except Olympic and World Championships.

There are now 7 Irish AIMS/IAAF Measurers; One Grade A measurer (AAI's Tom McCormack) and six Grade B Measurers: T J Beattie (Loughrea AC), Thomas Clinton (Navan), Jim Gonnelly (Dundalk), Martin Kearney (Dublin), Billy Kennedy (Dublin), John Quigley (Cork).  There are approx. 230 AIMS/IAAF Measurers worldwide.