MENTION Albufeira to many Irish people and they'll immediately think sand, sunshine and scrumptious seafood.

The popular Algarve resort attracts hordes of tourists, many of whom might be surprised to hear that it has a famous cliff-top cross-country course that hosts a big Santa Claus fun-run annually and is also hosting the European Cross Country championships tomorrow.

The 'Caminhada do Pai Natal' (literally 'the march of Father Christmas') will provide tomorrow's curtain-raiser and less than two hours later in the women's junior race Ciara Mageean, Ireland's hottest young athletics prospect, will step on to the 'Acoteias' course hoping to breach a gap of 16 years.

That's how long it is since Catherina McKiernan won ......