Location confirmed for 2024 Mayo Women's Mini-Marathon
An athlete receives the applause of well wishers as she approaches the finish line on Tone Street after completing the Mayo.ie Western People Women’s Mini-Marathon in Ballina last year. Picture: David Farrell Photography
The board of Mayo Sports Partnership (MSP) has agreed to hold this year’s Mayo.ie Western People Women’s Mini-Marathon in Ballina.
Members of the board recently held a meeting where it was unanimously agreed to stage the event in Ballina for the second year in succession. The Mini-Marathon had been held in Castlebar since its inauguration in 2010 but was moved to Ballina last year to coincide with the town’s 300th anniversary celebrations.
A motion to bring the Mini-Marathon back to Castlebar is on the agenda at Monday’s meeting of Mayo County Council and was raised by Cllr Donna Sheridan.
In response to Cllr Sheridan’s motion, Head of Community Engagement with Mayo County Council Deirdre Finnerty said a consultation was undertaken by the MSP in conjunction with the event partners.
“Following these discussions, it was agreed that Ballina will host the 2024 Mayo.ie Western People West of Ireland Womens Mini Marathon – celebrating Women Participating in Sport.”
The response further stated that expressions of interest for hosting the 2025 event will be welcomed from all four municipal districts later this year.
“Recognising the interest from across Mayo and in the interest of fairness and equity going forward, the organisers have confirmed that expressions of interest (with set criteria), will be invited from all 4 Municipal Districts to host the 2025 event. Upon receipt and following a comprehensive evaluation process by the organisers a successful location will be selected for 2025.”
The Chairman of Mayo Sports Partnership and Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council Cllr Michael Loftus said the board believes that Ballina “would be the most appropriate location based on the success we had last year”.
“We went with what we felt was best for the Women’s Mini-Marathon. We had full support from all agencies involved in staging the event and had them all informed of our plans.”
Cllr Loftus said that the MSP will correspond with all four Municipal Districts later this year and ask them to submit proposals to host the event in 2025.
“We felt that was the appropriate thing to do, to give every Municipal area the chance to host,” he said.
“A two-year stint would be the correct thing to do, we went forward with that premise.”
