European Athletics Team Championships - League 1 - Heraklion 2015

SitUbuSit

The European Athletics Team Championships - League 1, featuring Ireland kick off tomorrow in Heraklion, Greece at 12pm Irish time.

The official website is here
http://www.heraklion2015.gr/index.php/en/

The EAA website is here
http://www.european-athletics.org/competitions/european-athletics-team-championships-first-league/

The timetable is here
http://www.european-athletics.org/mm/Document/EventsMeetings/General/01/27/57/27/ETCH1L2015-Timetable_Neutral.pdf

Official entry list is here
http://www.european-athletics.org/mm/Document/EventsMeetings/General/01/27/63/28/ETCH1L-FinalEntriesforwebsite_Neutral.pdf
(note that Kelly Proper has unfortunately pulled out of the 200m will illness and will be replaced by Amy Foster)

And most importantly, there's a live stream from 2pm Irish time on Saturday and Sunday here
http://webtv.ert.gr/webtv/ert/tv/share/sport.html
(unclear yet if this includes/excludes Greek commentary)

Chivito550

Looking forward to this. Anticipating a strong showing on the track, and a dismal performance in the field, which is the norm. Our Javelin representative has a PB 10m less than everyone else! Really hard to have any chance of challenging for promotion with such glaring weak events.

My guess is about 8th/9th overall.

Black Menorca

Why are our Athletes not in Baku?

These 'European Games' in Azerbaijan are strange.

Some sporting organisations are embracing them yet others are keeping their distance.

Clearly European Athletics Federation is thumbing its nose to Baku with the European Team Championships on today.

Chivito550

Black Menorca wrote: »

Why are our Athletes not in Baku?

These 'European Games' in Azerbaijan are strange.

Some sporting organisations are embracing them yet others are keeping their distance.

Clearly European Athletics Federation is thumbing its nose to Baku with the European Team Championships on today.

Because we have a European Championships already that gets strong attendances, publicity, TV coverage and is a very historical and prestigious event. Other sports don't have this luxury. The European Games needs athletics more than athletics needs the European Games.

Black Menorca

Chivito550 wrote: »

Because we have a European Championships already that gets strong attendances, publicity, TV coverage and is a very historical and prestigious event. Other sports don't have this luxury. The European Games needs athletics more than athletics needs the European Games.

I agree with you totally.

Though there is an Athletics programme in Baku tomorrow and Monday.

This whole Baku thing stinks to be honest. The Azerbaijani leader spending his billions promoting himself.

clear thinking

No joy on that link?

Chivito550

clear thinking wrote: »

No joy on that link?

Yeh not working for me.

Chivito550

Black Menorca wrote: »

I agree with you totally.

Though there is an Athletics programme in Baku tomorrow and Monday.

This whole Baku thing stinks to be honest. The Azerbaijani leader spending his billions promoting himself.

I'm a sports enthusiast and even I can't get remotely excited by that event. I'll watch Katie Taylor's fights but that's about it.

Pherekydes

Black Menorca wrote: »

I agree with you totally.

Though there is an Athletics programme in Baku tomorrow and Monday.

This whole Baku thing stinks to be honest. The Azerbaijani leader spending his billions promoting himself.

The athletics program in Baku is actually the European team championships 3rd league (the lowest level). To put it in context, Ireland is in the first league.

Black Menorca

Pherekydes wrote: »

The athletics program in Baku is actually the European team championships 3rd league (the lowest level). To put it in context, Ireland is in the first league.

I didn't know that. Thank you for the info.

Chivito550

4th place after 16 events on 112 points. 10 points off third. Top 3 get promoted. Would be a big ask but they are doing well at the moment. Even the field eventers are picking up ok points.

Chivito550

Well this really didn't seem to capture the imagination it seems. Ireland finished up 6th, an improvement on our 7th places from the last 2 years. This puts us 18th in Europe, pretty good going considering how much more popular athletics is on the continent than it is here, and how much better their facilities are. If there was more focus on field events in this country, it's not impossible that we could challenge for a promotion spot. By contrast our footballers look likely to not even make the top 28 in Europe (if they fail to grab a playoff spot for Euro 2016). Worth thinking about when you see all the media hoopla surrounding a home draw with Poland, yet there is a public perception that we aren't much good at athletics!

Notwork Error

Chivito550 wrote: »

Well this really didn't seem to capture the imagination it seems. Ireland finished up 6th, an improvement on our 7th places from the last 2 years. This puts us 18th in Europe, pretty good going considering how much more popular athletics is on the continent than it is here, and how much better their facilities are. If there was more focus on field events in this country, it's not impossible that we could challenge for a promotion spot. By contrast our footballers look likely to not even make the top 28 in Europe (if they fail to grab a playoff spot for Euro 2016). Worth thinking about when you see all the media hoopla surrounding a home draw with Poland, yet there is a public perception that we aren't much good at athletics!

Zero TV coverage didn't really help it's cause either. If it isn't on TV, only the hardcore fans will watch it and streams don't advertise the sport to the public.

Chivito550

Notwork Error wrote: »

Zero TV coverage didn't really help it's cause either. If it isn't on TV, only the hardcore fans will watch it and streams don't advertise the sport to the public.

RTE.ie have an article on their website about the announcement of the team, then don't even bother to write anything about the performance over the last 2 days.

average_runner

Chivito550 wrote: »

Well this really didn't seem to capture the imagination it seems. Ireland finished up 6th, an improvement on our 7th places from the last 2 years. This puts us 18th in Europe, pretty good going considering how much more popular athletics is on the continent than it is here, and how much better their facilities are. If there was more focus on field events in this country, it's not impossible that we could challenge for a promotion spot. By contrast our footballers look likely to not even make the top 28 in Europe (if they fail to grab a playoff spot for Euro 2016). Worth thinking about when you see all the media hoopla surrounding a home draw with Poland, yet there is a public perception that we aren't much good at athletics!

I think you will find there is a decline in the numbers watching the Irish Soccer team. Success brings the numbers and you need to catch the public heart also.

Look at the hurling in Nolan Park yesterday, Wexford have performed poorly over the last 5 years or more, a bit of hope and there was 19000 at the game. Fair enough we got hammered but better days ahead.

That's what athletics need to do, but we got to realise we only have a population 3-4m.

Chivito550

average_runner wrote: »

I think you will find there is a decline in the numbers watching the Irish Soccer team. Success brings the numbers and you need to catch the public heart also.

Look at the hurling in Nolan Park yesterday, Wexford have performed poorly over the last 5 years or more, a bit of hope and there was 19000 at the game. Fair enough we got hammered but better days ahead.

That's what athletics need to do, but we got to realise we only have a population 3-4m.

I never know where this false hope comes from in the sunny south east.

average_runner

Chivito550 wrote: »

I never know where this false hope comes from in the sunny south east.

You got to believe, what else can we do. 1996 was a great year:D

Notwork Error

average_runner wrote: »

You got to believe, what else can we do. 1996 was a great year:D

Ah ffs! Can't even get away from that final on a running forum.:mad::pac:

shiibata

Chivito550 wrote: »

Well this really didn't seem to capture the imagination it seems. Ireland finished up 6th, an improvement on our 7th places from the last 2 years. This puts us 18th in Europe, pretty good going considering how much more popular athletics is on the continent than it is here, and how much better their facilities are. If there was more focus on field events in this country, it's not impossible that we could challenge for a promotion spot. By contrast our footballers look likely to not even make the top 28 in Europe (if they fail to grab a playoff spot for Euro 2016). Worth thinking about when you see all the media hoopla surrounding a home draw with Poland, yet there is a public perception that we aren't much good at athletics!

Would say, we were top dogs on the track if relay points were omitted(Dutch picked up 45/48 and the Czechs 40/48) but as you mention, in the field, only the Swiss are below us:(

average_runner

Notwork Error wrote: »

Ah ffs! Can't even get away from that final on a running forum.:mad::pac:

Could be worst, could of mentioned 1994 final:eek:
So yesterday was a bad day in the Gaelic Grounds for you?

Notwork Error

average_runner wrote: »

Could be worst, could of mentioned 1994 final:eek:
So yesterday was a bad day in the Gaelic Grounds for you?

Yeah, not a great day for either of us:(. Tipp are a class act this year though and I could see that one coming. Lacking pace in the backline and giving up way too many goals to have any chance of getting the W.

menoscemo

I watched the whole stream over both days.
Very consistent performance all round. A little disappointing that we didn't manage to get the overall win in any of the 40 events though

average_runner

Notwork Error wrote: »

Yeah, not a great day for either of us:(. Tipp are a class act this year though and I could see that one coming. Lacking pace in the backline and giving up way too many goals to have any chance of getting the W.

Tipp were my pick from the start this year, they are really up for it. Kilkenny v Tipp final would be likely