The countdown to Ireland’s first Spar European Cross country Championships began this week with the launch of tickets for the event, which can be purchased from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide and on www.ticketmaster.ie
This will be the first time that Ireland has hosted a European Athletics Championships and provides a great boost to Irish athletics, not least to some of the Westmeath athletes who could be involved in the Championships on December 13 at Santry Demesne in Dublin.
Mullingar Harriers’ Martin Fagan was a member of last year’s European Cross Country team along with fellow club mate Mark Christie and it is hoped both athletes will be in medal form when the event takes place on Irish soil at the end of the year.
Tickets for the event are priced at €20 for adults and €10 for u16, while a special family ticket which will admit two adults and a maximum of four children is available at a price of €40. Athletes and officials will be able to apply to their local club for a discounted ticket to the event with details to be sent to all clubs next week. The discounted rate for club members is €10 for adult with all juvenile members gaining free access tickets.
Anne Keenan Buckley, Athletics Ireland Team manager for the Spar European Cross Country Championships, is confident the Irish team and its Waterford contingent will give the home fans plenty to cheer about. “To have the Spar European Cross Country Championships in Ireland could not have come at a better time for our athletes. We will have top class runners in each of the groups, including the likes of Mary Cullen, Fionnuala Britton, Martin Fagan, and the Ffrench O’Carroll twins. It is a long time since Ireland had such a great range of athletes in cross country and it will provide very exciting viewing for everyone at Santry Demesne in December,” Keenan Buckley said today.
Liam Hennessy, President of Athletics Ireland, believes this is a momentous occasion for Irish athletics. “This is the first time we have had the honour of hosted a European Athletics Championships and to be able to host such a prestigious event is a great honour and challenge for us. This will be a huge boost to athletes across the country and with our proud tradition in cross country running through the likes of Catherina (McKiernan ), John (Treacy ), and Sonia (O’Sullivan ) it gives Irish athletics the opportunity to take centre stage again on December 13,” Hennessy said.
The 16th Spar European Cross Country Championships take place on December 13 in Santry Demesne, Dublin. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster outlets nationwide or through www.ticketmaster.ie More information on the event can be found on www.dublin2009.ie
