The Grand Prix series continues on Tuesday night (note Tuesday not Thursday) next September 24th at 8.00pm with one of the jewels in the crown The Walker Cup, a 4 mile track race in the Morton Stadium. The Walker Cup was presented to the club some 47 years ago in 1966 by the Walker family. The Walkers have a long long association with Clonliffe Harriers and the Walker name in woven into the history of the club going right back to the early years of the black and amber.
Way back in 1895, only some nine years after the founding of Clonliffe Harriers, the Walker name appeared for the first time when Clonliffe won the National Junior Cross Country with a team featuring George Frazer Walker. In 1925 the Clonliffe team that won the National Senior title featured three Walker names: C.N. Walker, A.P. Walker and C.C. Walker. Also in the 1920s both George Frazer Walker and Charles George Walker were National 4 Mile Champions. Then in the 1950`s George Frazer Walker`s grandson, Frazer Walker, was National Marathon Champion (1957). When the family presented the Walker Perpetual Cup to the club it was for a 4 mile race, in recognition of the exploits of George and Charles as National 4 mile champions.
Tuesday will see the Grand Prix Series continue to honour the Walker name as the athletes battle it out over 16 laps on the Morton Stadium. The top three in the last round were all ladies so on Tuesday the men will look to turn the tables. With only a handful of races remaining in the 2013 series things are tight at the top of the leaderboard. Before the 10,000 results were added in the leaderboard was showing Colm Breen 1st, Deirdre Fitzsimons 2nd and Shane Casey 3rd and with Deirdre having placed 3rd last time out maybe a change of leader is about to occur. Tuesday will tell the tale. Again please note that as the indoor will close at 9.00pm it would be best to use the Clonliffe dressing rooms on the night.