Manx Gas Cross Challenge 2003

Round One, Port St Mary

GB International Gerrard starts in style

The start of the Manx Gas Cross Challenge was delayed by 15 minutes on Sunday; it could in past have been for many reasons, but not due to the numbers of athletes entering. It was the biggest entry seen in a local cross country race for over fifteen years, 129 to be exact, and when has a junior man won the overall Senior race if ever? and can anyone remember when we had ten females entered in the ladies race.

All this on a sunny but windy afternoon on the Port St Mary golf course, The pre-race favorite for the Senior men’s race was new resident Paul Sheard from Pudsey and Bramley athletic club, but he was shown a clean pair of heels by 18 year old Manxman Keith Gerrard, Gerrard and Sheard came through on lap one together but on lap two Keith had pulled clear and went on to win by 50 seconds with Sheard second. The top five place were filled by senior athletes Gianni Epifani, Darren Gray and Nick Percival who respectfully finished in that order after a race long battle. Its been many a year since a veteran didn’t feature in the top five so it was no surprise to see Murray Lambden finishing sixth overall but first in his class with Peter Kaneen who won the 20k walk at the NSC in the morning second and Paul Curphey third. The run of the day came from 50 year old Dave Newton who came home in tenth place overall beating many half his age, but we must also remember that Dave in the not to distant past won many a local cross country race along with many Manx Championship titles.

Cal Partington was the pre-race favorite for the Ladies event and after lap one was well in the lead but due to a stomach upset had to stop, allowing Diane Lawrence to lead the race but Lawrence was being pulled back by Julie Harrison who used her superior speed over the latter stages to win from Lawrence with veteran Lady Lynne McAvoy third and Wendy Ross fourth.

There was a incredible finish in Short Course race between Robbie Lambie and newcomer Richard Cooil there sprint finish was so intense that both athletes went the wrong way, both collapsed to the ground before the shouts of the crowd pointed out there mistake, with Cooil responding the quickest to take the win from Lambie with Alan Corkill and a very slow starting Raymond Cox fourth. Marie Latham came home in tenth place overall to win the Ladies short course event with female motorcyclist Gail Musson second and Nicola Kennaugh third.

The junior races all had very large entries, in the under 11 boys race Dean Kinley was in the lead but turned towards the finish to early before being told to go back by the marshal, he went from first to third but he showed tremendous determination to sprint past Philip Knox and Jack Callaghan to win with Knox second and Callaghan third. The boys thou could not match the outstanding Lauren Whelan she won the under 11 girls race by over a minute beating all the boys in the process, with last years under 9 Champion Emily Ashe moving up an age group second and Danielle Ross third.

The eagerly awaited under 15 boys clash between Lancashire inter county representative Ryan Furlough who had moved up from under 13’s, Track star Ben Brand and Isle of Man Champion and also Lancashire representative Andrew Newton. The race started very quickly with Brand moving to the front with Newton tucked in behind and Fairclough a little behind, on the turn for the start of the last lap Newton had taken a small lead over Brand with Fairclough still in contention just behind. But as the athletes reappeared over the brow of the hill Brand was sprinting clear followed by Fairclough with no sign of Newton, then the much improved Lee Butterworth appeared in third place, talking to lads at the end they said Newton pulled up injured, so first blood to Brand but will he cope on the muddier and tougher course’s as the winter draws on?

Jordan Cain was the only athlete to carry on his winning ways from last season in winning the under 13 boys, from Castle Rushen High school student Tom Bateson with Michael Callister third. Another really good race to watch was the under 13 girls race with four girls battling it out in close company over the country. The eventual winner was Bronwen Kaneen who was just that little bit stronger than Nicola Cooil who was second with Sammy Callaghan third and newcomer Sophie Knox fourth, Sophie’s sister did a littler better in the under 15 girls race coming second to the very much improved Ciara Kaneen who is reaping the rewards of working with Chris Quine's Development Squad, third was Emma Latham.

Making it the only family double on the day was the youngest member of the Kaneen family Sinead who had a good win over Alice Ashe in the under 9 girls with Alexandra Ross third and Sophie Black fourth. Lots of new faces from the southern area in the under 9 boys, but it was Isle of Man champion Eric Kelly who won with four seconds to spare over Jack Garret and unrelated Kevin Kelly third.

Two brothers from Ballakermeen High School dominated the under 17’s event with Aaron Whipp just getting the better of brother Ashley with Josh Masterson third. Dawn Georgeson had to work very hard to beat newcomer Stephanie Lace in the girls under 17 event, and I have a feeling that if Lace becomes more involved in sport, she could by next April be number one.

So ended a really exciting first round, don’t forget round to is at Noble Park in Douglas not Ramsey as advertised, a big thanks to Port St Mary Commissioners for the use of the golf course on the day and to all the hard working local official who very much enjoyed working with the large entry.

Roll on 9^th November.

Round 1 RESULTS
		SHORT COURSE

1	116	Richard Cooil	UNA	V40	11.50
2	87	Robbie Lambie	Western AC	V45	11.58
3	45	Alan Corkill	Manx Harriers	SEN	12.19
4	19	Raymond Cox	MH	V40	12.34
5	38	Andrew Cowley	MH	J/M	12.42
6	42	Simon Callister	UNA	SEN	13.20
7	119	Tony Fallon	UNA	V40	14.15
8	77	Steve Callaghan	MH	V40	14.21
9	37	Brian Cowley	MH	V50	14.26
10	54	Marie Latham	MH	VL	14.41
11	92	Gail Musson	UNA	VL	16.07
12	34	Nicola Kennaugh	UNA	SL	16.27
13	33	Jackie Kennaugh	UNA	VL	16.52
14	29	Caitriona Farrant	IOM Vets AC	VL	18.18
15	117	Wendy Fallon	UNA	VL	18.33

		Senior Ladies

1	90	Julie Harrison	MH	SL	18.36
2	99	Diane Lawrence	MH	SL	18.45
3	124	Abigail Harrison	UNA	SL	21.52
4	112	Janet Oates	WAC	SL	22.15

		LONG COURSE	Senior & Junior Men

1	39	Keith Gerrard	MH	J/M	24.50
2	43	Paul Sheard	Pudsey & Bramley	SEN	25.40
3	89	Gianni Epifani	MH	SEN	25.50
4	103	Darren Gray	MH	SEN	26.28
5	98	Nick Percival	MH	SEN	26.46
6	129	James Cannell	Northern AC	SEN	28.42
7	7	Keiron Murray	MH	SEN	29.38
8	102	Phil Mackie	WAC	SEN	30.15
9	106	Michael George	UNA	SEN	32.02
10	91	Adrian Harrison	NAC	SEN	32.07
11	59	Lawrence Dyer	NAC	SEN	34.10
12	86	Mark Redmayne	WAC	SEN	34.37
13	128	Paul Devereau	UNA	SEN	35.28
14	88	Robbie Lambden	MH	J/M	48.35
	9	Paul Jackson	MH	SEN	DNS

		Under 11 Boys

1	72	Dean Kinley	WAC	U11B	8.12
2	61	Philip Knox	St Marys	U11B	8.13
3	75	Jack Callaghan	MH	U11B	8.14
4	22	Tom Kelly	MH	U11B	8.26
5	2	Joshua Brand	MH	U11B	8.33
6	11	Daniel Fox	NAC	U11B	9.03
7	27	Mark Firth	Ballasalla	U11B	10.28
8	125	Jack Masterson	St Marys	U11B	10.39
	16	Jake Nathan	WAC	U11B	DNS

		Under 11Girls

1	17	Lauren Whelan	MH	U11G	8.08
2	4	Emily Ashe	MH	U11B	8.34
3	49	Danielle Ross	MH	U11G	9.09
4	8	Fay Latham	MH	U11G	9.20
5	13	Natasha Stevens	MH	U11G	10.28
6	20	Caitriona Cox	MH	U11G	10.42
7	85	Katie Danes	Rushen P	U11G	10.44
8	25	Eleanor Teare	NAC	U11G	11.18
	105	Lucy George	Murrays Rd	U11G	DNF
	6	Deanne Fairclough	NAC	U11G	DNS

		Under 13 Boys

1	80	Jordan Cain	MH	U13B	5.48
2	10	Tom Bateson	CRHS	U13B	5.56
3	40	Michael Callister	MH	U13B	6.03
4	79	Richard Seed	MH	U13B	6.15
5	83	Gregory Danes	CRHS	U13B	6.24
6	18	Michael Whelan	MH	U13B	6.25
7	63	Jack Leece	CRHS	U13B	8.54
8	32	Timothy Kennaugh	St Ninians	U13B	DNS
9	35	Sam Ingham	WAC	U13B	DNS

		Under 13 Girls

1	71	Nicola Cooil	CRHS	U13G	6.20
2	76	Sammy Callaghan	MH	U13G	6.26
3	67	Bronwen Kaneen	MH	U13G	6.30
4	48	Sophie Knox	St Ninians	U13G	6.28
5	56	Rebecca Whipp	Ballakermeen	U13G	7.04
6	66	Leanne Garrett	MH	U13G	7.08
7	62	Helen Moore	St Ninians	U13G	7.35
8	57	Charlotte Moorley	Manor Park	U13G	8.40
9	95	Zoe Temple	CRHS	U13G	DNF

		Under 15 Boys

1	1	Ben Brand	MH	U15B	11.08
2	5	Ryan Fairclough	NAC	U15B	11.15
3	108	Lee Butterworth	MH	U15B	11.28
	78	Andrew Newton	CRHS	U15B	DNF
	30	Peter Kennaugh JNR	MH	U15B	DNS
	36	Neil Cowley	CRHS	U15B	DNS

		Under 15 Girls

	69	Ciara Kaneen	MH	U15G	6.06
	47	Amy Knox	St Ninians	U15G	6.40
	55	Emma Latham	MH	U15G	7.07
	12	Stacey Trafford	MH	U15G	DNS

		Under 17 Boys

1	46	Aaron Whipp	Ballakermeen	U17B	16.58
2	52	Ashley Whipp	Ballakermeen	U17B	17.03
3	104	Josh Masterson	MH	U17B	19.41

		Under 17 Girls

1	41	Dawn Georgeson	CRHS	U17G	13.36
2	23	Stephanie Lace	QE2	U17G	13.45

		Under 9 Boys

1	64	Eric Kelly	MH	U9B	3.54
2	65	Jack Garrett	MH	U9B	3.58
3	21	Kevin Kelly	MH	U9B	4.18
4	118	Jack Fallon	Ballacottier	U9B	4.38
5	74	Joe Callaghan	MH	U9B	4.44
6	114	Kumat Patel	PSM	U9B	4.44
7	73	Edward Quirk	Phurt le Marrey	U9B	4.52
8	107	Terence George	Ballaquayle	U9B	5.13
9	120	Robert Quine	PSM	U9B	5.53
	113	Arand Patel	PSM	U9B	DNF

		Under 9 Girls

1	68	Sinead Kaneen	MH	U9G	4.19
2	3	Alice Ashe	MH	U9G	4.23
3	50	Alexandra Ross	MH	U9G	4.27
4	53	Sophie Black	Murrays Rd	U9G	4.44
5	26	Beth Teare	NAC	U9G	4.48
6	82	Madelene Bridle	Rushen P	U9G	5.09
7	84	Alice Danes	Rushen P	U9G	5.14
8	115	Annabel Grainger	Onchan	U9G	5.39
9	28	Kelly Firth	Ballasalla	U9G	5.53
10	93	Keira Temple	Valayeelt	U9G	5.53
	15	Clara Nathan	WAC	U9G	DNS
	31	Emma Kennaugh	Onchan	U9G	DNS

		Veteran Men

1	44	Murray Lambden	MH	V45	28.24
2	70	Peter Kaneen	MH	V40	29.02
3	24	Paul Curphey	MH	V40	29.20
4	100	Dave Newton	MH	V50	29.23
5	126	Keith Callister	MH	V40	30.03
6	81	Phil Cain	MH	V45	30.36
7	96	Keith Lowe	MFR	V40	31.10
8	122	Mike Gellion	IOMVAC	V45	31.47
9	58	Alan Bagley	MH	V45	32.42
10	127	Phil Crowe	IOMVAC	V40	32.52
11	123	Peter Cooper	IOMVAC	V50	33.14
12	97	Robbie Callister	MFR	V60	35.06
13	109	Kevin Martin	NAC	V40	35.22
14	94	Stuart Temple	MFR	V45	35.48
15	14	Alan Pilling	IOMVAC	V50	36.17
16	121	Peter Quine	UNA	V40	DNF

		Veteran Ladies

1	111	Lynne McAvoy	UNA	VL	20.28
2	51	Wendy Ross	MH	VL	21.08
3	110	Linda Kelly	UNA	VL	21.31
4	101	Michelle Kewley	WAC	VL	22.40
	60	Cal Partington	MH	VL	DNF

Manx Gas Cross Challenge

Nobles Park, Round Two November 9

Cross Country on the up as Sheard wins round two

Over a hundred runners descended on Nobles Park for the second round of this winter’s Manx Gas Cross Challenge, the total now registered to run in the series is 162 with another 32 new athletes signing up on the day, a pleasant problem for the organiser’s if they all decide to turn up and run in one of the rounds.

Today’s event at Nobles Park was well managed and organised by the IOM Veteran Athletic Club and they should be complimented.

New resident Paul Sheard from the Pudsey & Bramley Athletic Club won the senior men’s race but only after a race long tussle with Darren Gray who is starting to regain his form of the latter stages of last years series. The evergreen veteran athlete Andy Fox was third with Mike Garrett making a welcome debut over the country fourth, second vet home and 5^th overall was Murray Lambden who just edged out Chris Quine who only decided to run that morning, Andy Cannell and Andy Watson two athletes I feel will break into the top six shortly were 7^th and 8^th respectively.

Cal Partington won the ladies race over a minute clear of the rest of her field, runner-up Julie Harrison was in turn a minute ahead of newcomer, and clubless namesake Abigail Harrison, followed by a fast finishing Janet Oates who just failed to catch Wendy Ross (4^th) crossing the finishing line.

Tony Okell missing from many local events since his disastrous run in the Manx Mountain Marathon last Easter won the short course event in style with fellow vet Raymond Cox second from junior runner Andrew Cowley, also many new female faces in the short course event which was good to see.

The run of the day came in the junior races Lee Butterworth was leading right up until the final 30 metres of the race in the under 15 boys event when he was overtaken by the very fast Ben Brand, but he still held on to beat IOM champion Andy Newton and last years under 13 boys IOM champion Ryan Fairclough third and fourth respectively.

In round one at Port St Mary Stephanie Lace ran in the under 17 girls race but eagle eyed race official Bridget Kaneen had noticed that Lace had entered the wrong age group, so did daughter Ciara speak to mum on the way home? I don’t think so, because Lace beat Kaneen to win the under 15 girls by 5 seconds.

We all knew that Jordan Cain was practically unbeatable in the under 13 boys, so the race would be on to fill the positions behind him, extraordinarily was the fact that Tom Bateson second at Port St Mary in round one, Michael Callister third and Richard Seed fourth would come home in exactly the same positions in round two.

A surprise winner in the under 13 girls race was Sophie Knox who finished fourth on her debut in round one beating the very promising duo of Nicola Cooil 2^nd and Sammy Callaghan 3^rd. It was even more surprising in the boys race when brother Philip runner-up in round one beat the winner Dean Kinley by over 15 seconds and became the first boy to beat Lauren Whelan whose domination of the under 13 girls age group in all events is well documented. It was also nice to see Sam Black a very successful track athlete making his debut on country coming home in third place just behind Kinley with Jack Callaghan fourth. The race behind Whelan was a very close affair with Emily Ashe just edging out Fay Latham for second, Latham in turn was getting the better of Danielle Ross who’d finished ahead of her in round one.

In the under 9 girls class it was up to Alice Ashe to carry on the family tradition left by her sister Emily who completely dominated the under 9 girls class last year, to win with Sinead Kaneen second and Alexandra Ross third.

Eric (Cantona) Kelly was in a real hurry in the under 9 boys race as soon as he crossed the finishing line in first place he carried on running straight out of a scene from a bank robbery he jumped in Mums car and was gone muttering something about a live football match on the telly! In second place came Jack Garrett who a least waited 10 seconds to shake the hand of third place runner Kevin Kelly.

NEXT ROUND: Crossags Farm, Ramsey 23^rd November 2003.

I also take this opportunity to apologise to the family & friends of those running at Nobles Park, who had taped the Liverpool v Manchester United match to watch after the Cross Country, unfortunately some of the athletes who had just finished asked me to shout out the score.

		Senior Ladies

1	60	Cal Partington	MH	VL	21.59	1
2	90	Julie Harrison	MH	SL	23.26	1
3	124	Abigail Harrison	UNA	SL	24.27
4	51	Wendy Ross	MH	VL	25.23	1
5	112	Janet Oates	WAC	SL	25.27
6	101	Michelle Kewley	WAC	VL	25.50
7	136	Ann Cain	MH	VL40	26.27	1

		LONG COURSE
		Senior Men, Vets, J/Men

1	43	Paul Sheard	Pudsey & Bramley	SEN	31.15
2	103	Darren Gray	MH	SEN	31.30
3	148	Andy Fox	MH	V40	32.01
4	146	Michael Garrett	MH	SEN	33.31
5	44	Murray Lambden	MH	V45	33.41
6	142	Chris Quine	MH	SEN	33.53
7	129	Andy Cannell	NAC	SEN	34.27
8	155	Andy Watson	MH	SEN	34.51
9	162	Steve Partington	MH	SEN	35.08
10	126	Keith Callister	MH	V40	35.20
11	24	Paul Curphey	MH	V40	35.36
12	81	Phil Cain	MH	V45	35.59
13	102	Phil Mackie	WAC	SEN	36.26
14	96	Keith Lowe	MFR	V40	37.13
15	106	Michael George	UNA	SEN	37.47
16	91	Adrian Harrison	NAC	SEN	38.06
17	123	Peter Cooper	IOMVAC	V50	38.37
18	160	Mark Redmayne	WAC	SEN	38.51
19	9	Paul Jackson	MH	SEN	38.55
20	58	Alan Bagley	MH	V45	39.27
21	156	John Crellin	MH	V50	39.43
22	59	Lawrence Dyer	NAC	SEN	39.53
23	134	Les Brown	MH	V50	40.17
24	152	Steve Locking	MH	V40	41.32
25	135	Paul Trees	IOMVAC	V45	41.51
26	14	Alan Pilling	IOMVAC	V50	41.52
27	147	Gareth Watt	UNA	SEN	42.03
28	153	Ian Callister	MH	V50	43.39
29	109	Kevin Martin	NAC	V40	44.10
30	77	Steve Callaghan	MH	V40	44.27
31	88	Robbie Lambden	MH	J/M	58.16

		SHORT COURSE
		Senior Men, Vets, J/M & U17

1	145	Tony Okell	MH	V40	7.32
2	19	Raymond Cox	MH	V40	8.09
3	38	Andrew Cowley	MH	J/M	8.53
4	45	Alan Corkill	MH	SEN	8.56
5	7	Keiron Murray	MH	SEN	9.01
6	159	Phil Motley	IOMVAC	V50	9.03
7	42	Simon Callister	UNA	SEN	9.12
8	158	Rob Cowell	Ramsey G	JM	9.37
9	37	Brian Cowley	MH	V50	10.19
10	92	Gail Musson	UNA	VL	10.36
11	54	Marie Latham	MH	VL	10.37
12	143	Sue Callister	UNA	VL	11.30
13	29	Caitriona Farrant	IOMVAC	VL	12.58
14	149	Karen Locking	MH	VL	12.58
15	141	Lyz Moore	UNA	SL	13.27

		Under 17 Boys

1	46	Aaron Whipp	Ballakermeen	U17B	18.55
2	104	Josh Masterson	MH	U17B	21.28

		Under 17 Girls

1	41	Dawn Georgeson	CRHS	U17G	13.58

		Under 15 Boys

1	1	Ben Brand	MH	U15B	11.41
2	108	Lee Butterworth