The 2015 Clonliffe Grand Prix Series when on tour last night for the first of the Malahide Castle rounds. Tonight was the 21st running of the McCarrick Plate, the 2 ½ Mile scenic route through the trees around the parameter of Malahide Castle grounds. This event has been continuously sponsored by Eugene McCarrick for all of those 21 years for which Clonliffe is most grateful.
On what was a cold blustery night, for the end of May, the runners were grateful for the shelter provided, it would have been an altogether different affair had the race taken place in the great wide open.
The course is a complete lap around the paths and trails of the Castle grounds and being an open handicap the handicapper sent the ‘slower’ athletes off first down to the scratchman.
Alan Worrall was sent of mid pack and cutting through the field like the proverbial knife through butter finished top of the heap to win the McCarrick Plate and in the process bag maximum points in the Grand Prix Series. Alan’s actual time was a none too shabby 15.41. Second was Karen Kinsella (actual time 17.29) and 3rd Jason Blake (actual time 18.41).
The fastest time recorded on the night was Thomas Sherlock’s 12.57.
Once again there was a great turnout of athletes with almost 60 starters toeing the line.
After races on three successive Thursdays there is now a two week gap until the 7th round on Thursday June 11th in the Morton Stadium which is the 800m.