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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 9th November.
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