Tipperary man first Irish finisher at gruelling event in Wales
Brutally aggressive race in a world class field of elites
The Snowdon Race (Ras Yr Wyddfa) is a prestigious 10-mile (15.5k) international mountain running endurance competition held annually in July in Gwynedd, Wales. First established in 1976, it is widely considered one of the greatest and toughest mountain races in Europe.
Runners start in the village of Llanberis, climb five miles up the steep Llanberis Path to the highest summit in Wales, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) at 1,085 metres (3,560 feet), and immediately sprint back down the same route.
On the back of some recent great form, Dundrum Athletic Club senior Barry Hartnett was selected by the Irish Mountain Running Association to captain Team Ireland to the event. This was Barry's tenth International cap for Ireland and in a brutally aggressive race in a world class field of elites he was first Irish man home in one hour and 16 minutes and was also first V35.
In a post-race interview with Welsh TV, Hartnett admitted that at 44 years it's not getting any easier to make these teams. But his love of the sport is still as strong as ever and his motivation lies more now in showing his kids that with dedication and belief comes great reward.
Barry now sets his sights on the Italian Alps, where he hopes again to make the Irish team to travel to Trofeo Nasego for the European Six Nations Mountain Running Cup.