The Grand Prix Series returns after the summer break on Thursday night with round 12 The Walker Cup, 4 mile track race in Morton Stadium.
This will be the 52nd running of the Walker Cup which goes back to 1966, when football really did come home, but not since! The Walker Cup was presented to the club by the Walker family that year. The Walkers had a long tradition with Clonliffe Harriers going right back to the near foundings of the club when George Frazer Walker in 1893 joined the then 7 year old club, two years later he was on the Clonliffe National Junior Cross Country team that won the first National title for the young club. Some seven years later he was club President.
George`s four sons were also Clonliffe Harriers, the Clonliffe National Senior Cross Country winning team featured three of the four: George, Charles and Albert. George Junior followed in his father`s foot steps and was Clonliffe President in 1936.
In turn George junior`s sons also became members of Clonliffe, these third generation Clonliffe Walkers included Frazer. In 1953 Frazer became the third generation Walker to win the National Cross Country team title.
Since Terry Purcell became the first winner of the Walker Cup in 1966 Clonliffe athletes have ran the 16 tours of Santry as a cinder, tartan and now mondo track battling for the honour of winning this prestigious race. Last year`s winner was Stephen Tracey with Sean Doran setting the fastest time (21.16)
With 11 of 16 rounds now gone this really is the business end of the series. The club 10,000 championship on September 13th for the Bonass Trophen for men and Cup for women will conclude the track races before the series heads to Malahide for the 10 mile on October 13th and then back to Santry for the final two rounds on the country the Irwin Cup November 10th and the Horan Cup November 24th.
Current leaderboard after 11 rounds shows Mick Gleeson leading on 263, from Conor Jennings 221 and Mandy McMenemy 219. Leaderbord click: Grand Prix 2018 results after Rd 11