Pegasus junior makes NI World Trophy squad!

Ballymoney runner Jason Wilson has pulled off a major success at Rostrevor, Co Down over the weekend with selection for the Northern Ireland mountain running team heading to Ovrannaz in Switzerland for the World Mountain Running Trophy!  Countries such as the USA, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Eritrea and the world famous Kenyan runners will just be a few of the countries in attendance at this prestigious event.

The race was over 4.5 miles in distance and included 1950 feet of climbing over a very wet course.  Jason has been training for this trial over the past 9 months with a few minor injuries not slowing the 18 year old Bendooragh Road lad! The Rostrevor route was based on the actual Swiss course so provided a perfect test for all involved.  In the end Jason ended up 15 seconds (46:30) behind the trial winner Ciaran Collins of Omagh Harriers (46:15), but will be hoping to come in first NI runner when it matters!  Congratulations from Pegasus AC on Jason’s marvellous success and wish him the best of luck in just under a months time for the biggest race of his short career.

A week earlier saw the Scott and Gault 10 miler and 2 Pegasus runners in attendance over the fairly hilly course at Ballyclare (organised by East Antrim Harriers).  Chris Denton ran a fairly competitive race for 11th overall and a time of 1 hour and 4 minutes, good considering he will be running a marathon in less than a few days from today.  Sonia Knox was also running and managed an excellent 3rd female overall, with City of Derry’s Anne Paul winning comfortably.

Also on this day was the Lurig Challenge hosted by Glens Runners starting at the centre of Cushundall.  The race had Peter Bell and Jason Wilson competing in the 145 strong field.  The main feature of this race is that competitors can slide on their bums most of the way down the mountain without getting serious cuts from rocks as Lurig is fairly bare of rocks.  Jason ended up with one of his best ever senior results with 14th position overall and 2nd junior in 33:17.  Peter (a North Pole marathon competitor) didn’t have the best of races but still ended up 3rd Vet 50 in 38:54.