Breffni Challenge smashes records
Records were smashed last weekend as the Breffni 3 Province Challenge recorded its highest number of entrants in the competition's history, Michelle Taite writes.
The 21st challenge, which took place last Saturday, July 30, was hailed a huge success with 785 participants, despite the rainy conditions.
Event spokesperson, Carol McEnerney, was delighted with the turnout: “It was a fabulous weekend. There was a wee drop of rain but it didn’t seem to deter anybody. The 100km cycle, which was the biggest of all the events, had 170 participants.”
The event saw athletes flocking from all corners of the country and beyond. “There were people travelling from as far as Letterkenny, Kildare, Cork and Belfast. We had people from a minimum of 28 counties. We had quite a few people from the UK as well. Some people local to Cavan even travelled home from America to attend,” says Carol.
The event provided five different route options.
The two most competitive categories included the 10km and the half marathon run. Entrants in each of these categories were chip timed and prizes were given to the top three in each event.
Colin Beades came first in the half marathon with an impressive time of one hour, 55 minutes and 25 seconds. He was followed closely by John Scott in second and Dave Slater in third place.
James Miney secured gold in the 10km run, having finished the route in 36 minutes and 41 seconds. Silver was awarded to Martin O’Reilly, while Griffin Kearney bagged bronze.
The remaining three categories, which are not timed, include a 30km cycle and a 10km and 5km family fun run.
The 5km brought people of all ages together for a fun walk/jog/run, and saw the eldest entrant of the weekend taking part. “Margie Gormley is 84 now. She took part in the 5km walk with her son and granddaughter.”
The Breffni Challenge is a charity event, which takes place every year, raising money for three different charities - St Luke's Oncology Trust, Breast Cancer Research Ireland and Cavan/Monaghan Palliative Care. Over the past two decades, it has raised more than €1M for these cancer charities.
“We’re still counting the money raised at the weekend. We still have quite a lot of sponsorship cards coming in and we’re constantly getting donations still, even on the street.”
The Breffni Challenge will be hosting a presentation night to award the funds to the deserving charities.
“It’ll be a while before we have the total but we will be having a presentation night at sometime, possibly in early November where we will be donating the funds raised to each charity.”
* For more photos from the event, see this week's print edition of The Anglo-Celt in shops now.