MANX WEATHER

Manx Gas Challenge gets underway

The 2004-5 Manx Gas Cross Challenge series is launched in Port St Mary, on Sunday as the annual Cross Country road show travels to all corners of the Island. 

Over 230 competitors took part last year in the six event challenge programme more than treble the usual entry.

Many athletic enthusiasts believe it started a major change in fortunes of athletics on the Isle of Man, many new faces have appeared and  competed in Road Running, Track & Field and Fell Running a few have beaten the old guard, Cross Country was no exception. Last year the first round event at Port St Mary was won by a 17 year old (Keith Gerrard) who went on to represent England and then Great Britain on the world stage this left new Island resident Paul Sheard to win the Manx Gas Cross Challenge with the Manx Cross Country Championship going to newcomer Andy Cannell with another young athlete Darren Gray as runner –up. I expect Cannell and Gray to turn out on Sunday, Sheard is doubtful due to injury you then add Gianni Epifani, Paul Clarke, Mike Garrett and Nick Percival plus the unexpected newcomer who like Sheard could be working a three year contract on the Island and they could turn out to give the race that little extra.

The only change in the Veteran’s class is the name, from now on the Vets are to be called Masters I expect Andy Fox, Murray Lambden, Keith Callister and Peter Kaneen if he decides to turn out to give us a master class in Cross Country running. Middle distance Champion Julie Harrison came through the field last year to beat ten other females that was a first in itself after race favourite and leader of the race after two laps Cal Partington pulled up with a upset stomach, the Challenge series winner was Abbie Harrison who completed the whole series, can’t tell you in advance who will turn out in the ladies on Sunday but if it’s anything like last year it will be a classic.

There’s always a good turn out from the younger generation in the junior events and Sunday will be no exception with many trying very hard to follow in Junior Great Britain International Keith Gerrards footsteps. The ones to watch are Lee Butterworth, Ryan Fairclough, Andrew Newton, Tom Bateson, Jordan Cain but to name but a few in the boys events and Nicola Cooil, Rachel Franklin, Lauren Whelan, Emily Ashe and Sinead Kaneen in the girls events.

Another event which takes place next summer will also spice up this winter Cross Country and that’s the Island Games in the Shetland Isles, because many local athletes will be out to prove their fitness and impress the selectors.

Sundays Timetable

1.00 PM                   Report and sign on, Course open for inspection

2.00 PM                   Under 9 Girls

2.05 PM                   Under 9 Boys & Under 11 Girls

2.10 PM                   Under 11 Boys & Under 13 Girls

2.20 PM                   Under 13 Boys & Under 15 Girls

2.30 PM                   Under 15 Boys & Under 17 Girls

2.30 PM                   Under 17 Boys & Junior Ladies

2.45 PM                   Short Course

2.45 PM                   Masters, Seniors & Junior Men

2.45 PM                   Veteran & Senior Ladies

Manx Gas Cross Challenge dates:-

Round One              Sunday 17^th October 2004                      National Course, Port St Mary

Round Two             Sunday 31^st October 2004                      Nobles Park, Douglas

Round Three           Sunday 14^th November 2004                 Crossags Farm, Ramsey

Round four              Sunday 18^th December 2004                  Driney Farm, St Johns

Rounds Five & Six to be confirmed

Round One: National Course, Port St Mary                                     Sunday 17th October 2004

Gerrard produces awesome display

Great Britain Junior International Keith Gerrard was the star attraction on Port St Mary Golf Course on Sunday, but not at golf, the Port St Mary Golf Club had again given up the lower part of their course on a beautiful Sunday afternoon for the first round of the Manx Gas Cross Challenge.

Gerrard was a class act he broke his own course record by exactly one minute in an awesome display of front running he went away from the start ran up hills as if they weren’t there his winning margin over runner up  Darren Gray was just over two minutes. Gray had a race long battle with Paul Clarke and only broke away on the last lap, Gray improved his personal best by just over 30 seconds, Clarke had the consolation of winning the Masters race (Veterans). The Isle of Man Cross Country Champion Andy Cannell meanwhile was also involved in a race long tussle with another masters runner Andy Fox for fourth place, Cannell had to improve his personal best by over a minute and a half to beat Fox by just five seconds. Murray Lambden in sixth place was the first home in the masters over 45 class with Dave Newton taking the over 50’s in 13^th place.

The class act in the Ladies race was Cal Partington taking the chequered flag with over three minutes to spare over runner up Bridget Kaneen, third place went to last years Manx Gas Champion Abigail Harrison.

Most of the junior races had many of the watching parents on tenterhooks, the timekeepers couldn’t split the first two in the under 9 girls, Alice Ashe won by the thickness of her vest from Sinead Kaneen, Jordan Cain was well in the lead of the   under 13 boys race, Richard Seed never gave up and sprinted hard for the line but Cain held on to win by one second, exactly the same happened in the under 13 girls Rachael  Franklin was also well in the lead but Lauren Whelan never gave up and sprinted for the line also to be beaten by one second.

Ten year old Jake Nathan faired a little better with a three second victory over Jack Garrett in the under 11 boys race, Garrett had the consolation of being presented with a trophy just before the start for his performance in the Isle of Man Track and Field Championships. Another close finish included two of the rising stars of athletics, Lee Butterworth and Andy Newton, Butterworth was well in control and had about a 40 second advantage over Newton with a lap to go in the under 17 boys race, then suddenly Newton started to up the pace and chase after Butterworth he failed to stop Butterworth winning his first ever Challenge race after years of trying by just five seconds.  

Newcomer Sarah Astin was the surprise package in the under 11 girls beating the very talented Emily Ashe by over 10 seconds. Many youngsters from Port St Mary Schools took part best of the bunch was Alex Long he finished third in the under 9 boys just behind Terence George from Murrays Rd School neither could match the pace of the winner from Port Erin Joe Callaghan he won with a minute to spare. You can’t hold athletics event without a Kaneen winning something and this time it was Ciara in the under 17 girl’s her performance was even more impressive in the fact that she beat the very talented Rhian Evans into second place, and last years champion Stephanie Lace into third. There was also very good wins for Nicola Cooil in the under 13 girls over local tennis star Katie Tinkler no doubt keeping fit for her trip to Wimbledon next year and Tom Bateson in the under 15 boys his work with the middle distance development squad over the summer showed he is heading in the right direction.

Not many in the short course event, Steve Bennett just held out to beat last years winner Richard Cooil with runner up last year Robbie Lambie third, the only lady entered was Gail Musson in 5^th place who was over the moon with her improvement from last year.

Our thanks to all the officials on the day and to the poor golfers nobody could have predicted such a warm sunny afternoon if it had rained they might have been happy, and finally a big thank you to Port St Mary Commissioners and Greenkeeper Stewart Corlett for their help and support.  

   RESULTS

               Under 9 Girls