Shona Heaslip wins National Senior Cross Country Title & Leevale AC secure team win

The National Cross Country Championships were held in Abbotstown, Dublin on Sunday the 26th of November.

In the Senior women's race, Shona Heaslip of An Ríocht AC in Kerry broke away from a group of four in the last lap to take the national title.

Great photo from Gearóid Ó Laoi showing Shona Heaslip on her way to winning the 2017 National Senior Cross Country Championship title

In the women's team event, Michelle Finn's 3rd and Lizzie Lee's 4th place finishes helped Leevale AC secure the Gold. Claire McCarthy and Sinead O'Connor were the other scoring members of the team.

28:31 1 Shona  Heaslip An Riocht A.C. An Riocht A.C. (A)
28:38 2 Kerry O'Flaherty  Newcastle & District AC Newcastle & District AC
28:44 3 Michelle Finn Leevale A.C.  Leevale A.C. (A)
28:51 4 Lizzie Lee  Leevale A.C.  Leevale A.C. (A)
29:16 7 Laura  Crowe An Riocht A.C. An Riocht A.C. (A)
29:43 10 Claire McCarthy Leevale A.C. Leevale A.C. (A)
30:25 18 Sinead O'Connor Leevale A.C. Leevale A.C. (A)

Club Team Points Place Club Positions Points
1 Leevale A.C. (A) 3, 4, 10, 18...35 pts
2 Dundrum South Dublin A.C. (A) 9, 11, 12, 14...46 pts
3 An Riocht A.C. (A) 1, 7, 50, 54...112 pts

Photo from Leevale AC of their Gold medal team

The same four Leevale athletes of course also represented Cork in the inter-county competition to take Gold there as well.

Full results of the women's race

In the men's competition, Mark Hanrahan of Leevale AC finished 6th while the East Cork AC team finished in 7th place, just ahead of Leevale AC in 8th.

Full results of the men's race

Photos...
1) Kieran Carlin of Finn Valley AC has 529 photos HERE
2) Athletics Ireland have a small gallery HERE
3) Gearóid Ó Laoi has a few photos of the start of the women's race HERE