New York City, 13 November 2004 - Friendly rivals and both Providence College graduates, Dubliner Mick Byrne (Iona) and Ray Treacy's (Villierstown, Co Waterford) Providence men's teams competed at the Northeast Regional on the hallowed grounds of Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx Borough of New York City. Whilst the goal of the Regional race is to qualify for the NCAA Championships, which was virtually assured for both teams, the subplot was for pride and affable bragging rights. On the record, the coaches would say it doesn't matter much as long as they qualify without injury or incident.

Providence, with its tradition of success has had the upper hand over the years but recently Byrne's Iona Gaels have had the better of the Friars. When the season began, Iona was ranked ahead of Providence. After the Gaels had a mediocre performance at the Pre-National meet coupled with a solid effort by PC at the Big East, the two teams flip-flopped. Byrne said before the meet, "Ray isn't coming down here to get second."

Treacy's women's team which has been ranked #2 behind Stanford for the entire season was the overwhelming favourite to win the women's team title and even more so for individual honours with Kim Smith leading the team. Team hopes for Iona College women are at least a season away.

The ladies' race was first on the day in the abhorrent conditions. Gale force winds accompanied by sub-freezing wind chills relentlessly pummeled the wiry women as they traversed the 6-kilometre course. Providence pair Kim Smith (Auckland, New Zealand) and Sligo's Mary Cullen took the early lead as expected. After the mile mark, Cullen bothered by a slight calf niggle fell back a bit providing Columbia a glimmer of hope. Smith continued to bury the field, something she has done all season long since arriving back in America after representing New Zealand in the Athens Olympics. Smith comfortably won in 20.08.8 more than 20 seconds clear of runner-up and PC teammate Fiona Crombie (Christchurch, New Zealand) in 20.29.9.

Columbia who came into the wwekend ranked #19 took full advantage of running on their home course and Mary Cullen's down day. Unfortunately for the Columbia Lions, the Friars had too much talent along with Crombie's second consecutive meet with an impressive run in the finishing straightaway. Providence won with 54 points (1st, 2nd, 11th, 19th & 21st) with Columbia in second place with 67 (4th, 10th, 16th, 17th & 20th).

The top Irish finisher was Mary Cullen in 12th place overall in a time of 21.12.2 followed by teammates Deirdre Byrne (Avoca, Co Wicklow) in 15th with a time of 21.09 and Waterford's Róisín Quinn placing 62nd with a time of 22.43.8.

Iona College's Emmily Chelanga (Marakwet, Kenya) narrowly missed qualifying as an individual for a second successive year placing 10th in 21.07.2.

This season marks the 16th-consecutive season that the Providence College women's team automatically qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships.

The Stony Brook women's team which is coached by Wexfordman Andy Ronan placed 15th with 443 points.

The Iona and Providence men's teams entered the race ranked 15th and 16th respectively in the Men's Cross Country Rankings. The anticipated outcome of the race promised to be every bit that tight. The men's race went off shortly after 1.00 pm with the wind chill now a balmy 30°F or -1°C.

Providence College junior Martin Fagan ambitiously took the lead from the start. Fagan has had a brilliant season thus far and is in fine form. He immediately challenged the talented field and perhaps a more formidable foe, the uncompromising wind. Emanating confidence and conspicuously equipped with Paula Radcliffe hosiery the Mullingar lad led for nearly three kilometers before being captured by the bipedal peloton.

The defending champion was Iona's Richard Kiplagat (Marakwet, Kenya) but he's not as fit as last year still feeling the effects of missed training after keyhole surgery in June. Kiplagat was content to stay near but not at the front until the final circuit around Van Cortlandt Park. The athlete's final 400 metres is in full view of the frenetic fans that line the finishing straight. At the 6-mile mark, it looked as if Kiplagat was going to repeat as champion. He had a narrow lead over Yale's Lucas Meyer and Cornell's Bruce Hyde.

Hyde was intimately familiar with the finish line. Hyde was beaten by less than a second by Ethiopian Kassahun Kabiso here in September at the Brother Doyle Iona Meet of Champions. He no doubt learned his lesson as he pipped Kiplagat at the line pouncing into first with just a few metres remaining. Hyde won in 30.36.1 with Kiplagat in second at 30.36.5.

While Iona and Providence fans tried to shield the wind and tally the points as the athletes crossed the line in a colourful throng, Ray Treacy was wearing his perpetual poker face trying to disguise a faint Cheshire grin. The cross-country calculator in his head had his harriers at least five points ahead of Iona. For the math challenged it was an exhilarating end to a race within the race.

Kiplagat was second, that's two points for the home team. Nearly ten seconds would elapse before the first Friar would cross the line.

Unexpectedly, it was Patrick Moulton (Pelham, New Hampshire) that finished first for the Friars. What happened next is the second-best way for a cross-country coach's dream to end - a blanket finish. Providence had two more runners pass before Iona's second runner. Dylan Wykes (Ontario, Canada) ran 30.48.8 followed by a suffering Fagan in 30.49.9.

The next Iona finisher was Sean Connolly from Tallaght, Co Dublin grabbing 9th (31.08.2) immediately followed by teammate Stephen Chemlany (Kapsokwony, Kenya) in 31.11.8. With three runners in, the team score was now Iona 21 points and Providence with 15 points - remember low score wins! The 6-point cushion was not really tested as PC's Mike DeCoste (Duxbury, Massachusetts) placed 12th (31.15.0) followed by Iona's Mark Smyth from Sligo in 14th in 31.30.7. After four runners, PC led by 8 points. Completing the scorers, the critical #5 runners were fittingly, a pair of Irish runners. Iona took the next spot with Dundrum's Robert Connolly placing 21st (31.46.9) followed by Providence senior Patrick Guidera from Clonmel, Co Tipperary running 31.49.9 for 24th spot.

The final score was Providence 51 points and Iona with 56. This was so much fun that the two teams will face-off again with the soon-to-be epic battle of Providence versus Iona College - the Sequel taking place at the NCAA Championships on Monday, 22nd November.

Brian Farrell from Wicklow who competes for Stony Brook University ran 32.23.7 on the 10-kilometre course to place 47th overall with the Stony Brook men's team placing 18th with 383 points.

This season marks the 10th-consecutive season that the Providence College men's team have advanced to the NCAA Cross Country Championships.

Eamonn O'Connor (Dundalk, Co Louth) placed 104th for Brown University in a time of 33.23.3.

Complete Results of the 2004 NCAA Cross Country Regional Races