Cross Country race - general view (© Getty Images)
Lisbon, Portugalknown Torres Vedras International Cross is far away now from the era in which the race attracted the presence of great international athletes, including the likes of former World Cross Country champion Salah Hissou, among others.
This year, the organisation only reached out to national runners, dangling a “special carrot”: the winners would receive automatic entry onto the national team for next month’s European Cross Country Championships in Dublin.
Yesterday (15) on a cloudy and windy day, the runners faced the tough Torres Vedras course with the spectators assisting vocally, enthusiastically encouraging the runners especially during the very competitive finishing sprints, which saw only five seconds separating the first four runners in the men’s contest.
At the finish line, José Rocha (third in last year’s 10,000m European Cup) took the victory over the 9600m course in 31:41. Two seconds behind him was Licínio Pimentel, who was two seconds ahead of Ricardo Ribas.
Finishing fourth was Alberto Paulo five seconds behind the winner. Paulo will compete in Oeiras next weekend, the kick-off of the IAAF Cross Country Permit season.
In the women’s run, some small problems at the start put favourites Jessica Augusto and Inês Monteiro, the second and third place finishers in last year’s European Cross Country Championships, out of the competition. The athletes claimed that the start was called too early and they weren’t even in the call room.
With those two candidates out of the field, Dulce Felix, a member of the reigning continental champion team, proved to be the strongest and ran away with the race, winning by 15 seconds from Anália Rosa in 18:32 over the 5200m course. Sara Moreira, another of the members of the European team championship winning squad, finished third.
For the winner, this was a “Good race, and I achieved my goals with the win and being selected for the national team.”
The Portuguese season continues next Saturday 21 November with the Oeiras International Cross Country, the opening leg of the IAAF Cross Country Permit Meeting season 2009/2010.
António Manuel Fernandes, for the IAAF
Leading Results -
MEN (9600m):
1. José Rocha, POR 31:41
2. Licínio Pimentel, POR 31:43
3. Ricardo Ribas, POR 31:45
4. Alberto Paulo, POR 31:46
5. Sérgio Silva, POR 32:18
6. Paulo Gomes, POR 32:48
WOMEN (5200m):
1. Dulce Felix, POR 18:32
2. Anália Rosa, POR 18:47
3. Sara Moreira, POR 18:59
4. Mónica Rosa, POR 19:31
5. Sandra Teixeira, POR 20:41
6. Lilian Silva, POR 21:12
This year, the organisation only reached out to national runners, dangling a “special carrot”: the winners would receive automatic entry onto the national team for next month’s European Cross Country Championships in Dublin.
Yesterday (15) on a cloudy and windy day, the runners faced the tough Torres Vedras course with the spectators assisting vocally, enthusiastically encouraging the runners especially during the very competitive finishing sprints, which saw only five seconds separating the first four runners in the men’s contest.
At the finish line, José Rocha (third in last year’s 10,000m European Cup) took the victory over the 9600m course in 31:41. Two seconds behind him was Licínio Pimentel, who was two seconds ahead of Ricardo Ribas.
Finishing fourth was Alberto Paulo five seconds behind the winner. Paulo will compete in Oeiras next weekend, the kick-off of the IAAF Cross Country Permit season.
In the women’s run, some small problems at the start put favourites Jessica Augusto and Inês Monteiro, the second and third place finishers in last year’s European Cross Country Championships, out of the competition. The athletes claimed that the start was called too early and they weren’t even in the call room.
With those two candidates out of the field, Dulce Felix, a member of the reigning continental champion team, proved to be the strongest and ran away with the race, winning by 15 seconds from Anália Rosa in 18:32 over the 5200m course. Sara Moreira, another of the members of the European team championship winning squad, finished third.
For the winner, this was a “Good race, and I achieved my goals with the win and being selected for the national team.”
The Portuguese season continues next Saturday 21 November with the Oeiras International Cross Country, the opening leg of the IAAF Cross Country Permit Meeting season 2009/2010.
António Manuel Fernandes, for the IAAF
Leading Results -
MEN (9600m):
1. José Rocha, POR 31:41
2. Licínio Pimentel, POR 31:43
3. Ricardo Ribas, POR 31:45
4. Alberto Paulo, POR 31:46
5. Sérgio Silva, POR 32:18
6. Paulo Gomes, POR 32:48
WOMEN (5200m):
1. Dulce Felix, POR 18:32
2. Anália Rosa, POR 18:47
3. Sara Moreira, POR 18:59
4. Mónica Rosa, POR 19:31
5. Sandra Teixeira, POR 20:41
6. Lilian Silva, POR 21:12
