Brian Crinion reports from from Phoenix Park, Dublin, the venue for the largest duathlon in Ireland and an exciting evening of racing at the Runways Duathlon.

Last Wednesday night's Duathlon was the last in the Runways series for 2008, but proved to be the most interesting and competitive of the series.

The field was stacked with most of the domestic favourites, added to this were David Vaughan (European Age-Group Champion 2008) and a few track runners fresh from the National Championships. In detail the start line had seven previous winners, two national champions, one European champion and one European bronze medallist. This was definitely the most competitive field seen in Ireland for some time.

Men: the Irish Duathlon Champion, Liam Dunne. Last month's winner, Peter Kern. The second place finishers from June & July; John Caffrey & Bryan MacCrystal, who are both on a serious upward curve. Finally we can't forget Ireland's current European Age-Group Champion; David Vaughan, who came over from London for this race.

Women : Keira-Eva Mooney, who finished 3rd in the Europeans for the past two years, as well as Deirdre O'Toole, who was the last winner of the Duathlon League. Monica Marconi (Italy) was aiming to make up for her extra lap in last months race, to repeat her podium success from May. Finally the stand out favourite and undefeated athlete in the first 3 races: Katherina Baldinger. With the combined start, a few of the men's field were expected to blush as Katherina had the potential to run past them!

Others to look out for included Mark Ryan, fresh from the Track & Field National Championships. With a 14min 45sec 5km under his belt, he was always going to the one to watch on the opening run.

How it unfolded...

At 1km
The pace was being set by Kevin English (Clonliffe) & Mark Ryan (Rathfarnham WSAF), with Liam Dunne (Belpark), Peter Kern and Michael Lyons (Fermoy) in close contention, but Vaughan wasn't in the top ten! Meanwhile Katherina set about controlling the women's field.

At 2.5km
Ryan had taken control at the front of the men's field with a 10second gap.

Vaughan showed his class by avoiding the initial sprint, but making his way to 2nd after a controlled start. However Kern, Lyons and Dunne were not letting him open up a gap. The Women's field was Baldinger, Keira-Eva Mooney, Judith Lowrey, Monica Marconi and Barbara O’Hanrahan.

At 5km
Ryan takes the run prime by a clear 20 seconds. Vaughan had dropped the chasers and had a 10 second gap on the other overall contenders.
Baldinger was in control of the women’s field, coming in with Dessie Shorten (who has represented Ireland at Vets level x-country). Mooney, Lowrey, Marconi and O’Hanrahan were all battling for the remaining podium spots.

Bike lap 1
Vaughan takes the lead with Dunne in close contention. Then the chasers of Kern, Lyons, John Caffrey (Belpark - pictured) and Brian Crinion (Belpark) started to make ground on the leaders. Marconi used her Italian biking skills to move up to 2nd spot and sets about chasing the lead.

Bike lap 3
Vaughan holds off the initial surge from Dunne. Meanwhile Colin Bolger (Pulse) and last months 2nd place finisher Bryan McCrystal move up through the field. Deirdre O’Toole retires with a mechanical leaving the 3rd place open for Mooney and Helen White (Sportsworld) to battle it out.

Bike lap 5
Crinion closes in on the lead, while Kern and Caffrey fall off the pace. The women’s field has settled to Baldinger, Marconi and Mooney.

Transtition 2
Five men arrive into T2 within 20 seconds:
Vaughan
Dunne @ 5sec
McCrystal @ 18sec
Crinion @ 20sec
Bolger @ same time
Caffrey and Kern are only seconds adrift, but Kern looks beat.
It’s all still to play for.

Final Run
Vaughan builds his lead to almost 100m at the finish, but Dunne (pictured) never gives up and finishes less than 20sec off the European champion, Vaughan.

Crinion passes McCrystal in the opening few hundred meters and holds on for 3rd. Colin ‘the Yo-Yo’ Bolger initially passes McCrystal, but then gets passed by both McCrystal and the fleet footed Caffrey, but finally regains ground in a sprint finish to just pip Caffrey on the line for 5th.

Baldinger cruises around the final run to ensure that she is the only women to have ever won on this course. Meanwhile Marconi (pictured) has done enough on the bike to hold off the fast finishing Mooney. White has to settle for 4th this time after making the podium on the three previous races.

The male Vets was a reversal of last month with Jonny McCabe (Setanta) coming in ahead of Eamonn Tilley (3Rock).
The annual SuperVet (Over 50) dual between Kevin Grogan and Dessie Shorten was settled with Grogan's strong bike leg.