Waterford Viking Marathon 2024
On Sunday, June 23rd, Waterford hosted its 12th annual WLR Waterford Viking Marathon, attracting a record-breaking crowd of over 3,500 runners. The event showcased the city’s scenic highlights, with participants crossing two bridges, traversing the Greenway, enjoying the lush Mount Congreve Gardens, and finishing in the vibrant Waterford City Centre.
The marathon began at 9 am under a brightening sky, with runners setting off from the Mall in Waterford’s historic Viking Triangle. After a spirited warm-up led by the Mayor of Waterford City and County Council, Cllr Jason Murphy, athletes embarked on their journeys. The course, which included the longest single span bridge in Ireland, was lined with enthusiastic supporters and enlivened by bands and DJs.
Alexander Wallace of St. Coca’s A.C. clinched victory in the full marathon with an impressive time of 2:26:49, receiving a rapturous welcome as he crossed the finish line on O’Connell Street.
Beth O’Connor was the first woman to finish, clocking in at 3:14:19.
In the Half Marathon, Pat Fitzgerald secured the top spot among men with a time of 1:14:00, while Linda Grogan led the women at 1:25:49.
The Quarter Marathon saw Andrew Connick winning with a time of 33:06, and Kealey Tideswell was the fastest woman, finishing in 25:54.
This year also featured the inaugural Autism Friendly Run, held in collaboration with AsIAm and Autism Friendly Waterford. The run began at 9:30 am, with Paul Lee being the first to cross the finish line, cheered on by friends and family.
The event was widely praised as a huge success by participants, organisers, and supporters alike. With 350 volunteers ensuring everything ran smoothly, the marathon was a testament to community spirit and meticulous planning.
Waterford Viking Marathon 2024 was proudly supported by WLR, Waterford Council, Bausch & Lomb, Sunlife, Carten Controls, Joma Sports, Flahavan’s, DG Foods, Sanofi, Medite Smartply, House of Waterford Crystal, Panda, Alfie Hales, Mag 365, and Blue Butterfly Coffee, Blanco Nino.
The date has been set for next year, 22nd of June 2025. Looking forward to seeing you all there!