Even with a few non
starters, the addition of late entries saw
46 lining up for the Castletown Health Store 20
miles on Sunday. (Picture by Stan
Hall)

Winner Ian Gale (165) is pictured
with runner up Paul Curphey (182) and third placed
Murray Lambden (picture by Robbie Lambden)

Stan Hall photographed ladies
winner Janine Cringle (168), runner up Catriona
Dryden (167), and fell runners Simon Skillicorn
and Dave Young during the early stages. Dave
Young was the first veteran over 55 to finish.

Tony Okell was flying in the early
stages but was forced to retire with blisters. Winner
Ian Gale is in the background (165) (Stan Hall)

Ian Gale – started fast but, despite
slowing, hung on to win by more than 1 lap! (Picture
by Steve Partington)
MORE
PICTURES FROM STEVE PARTINGTON
OFFICIAL RESULTS (thanks to Mike
Gellion)
Position |
Surname |
Christian Name |
Time |
Prize
|
1 |
Gale |
Ian |
2:01:43 |
1st
|
2 |
Curphey |
Paul |
2:04:35 |
2nd
|
3 |
Lambden |
Murray |
2:04:43 |
3rd
|
4 |
Callister |
Robbie |
2:08:31 |
1st vet over 45
|
5 |
Radcliffe |
Richard |
2:15:00 |
|
6 |
Skillicorn |
Simon |
2:15:32 |
|
7 |
Crawford |
Ian |
2:18:12 |
|
8 |
Postlethwaite |
Alan |
2:18:39 |
1st vet over 50
|
9 |
Hughes |
Peter |
2:20:25 |
1st vet over 40
|
10 |
Sinclair |
Nigel |
2:20:51 |
|
11 |
Young |
Dave |
2:24:29 |
1st vet over 55
|
12 |
Looker |
Jeff |
2:26:33 |
|
13 |
Doyle |
David |
2:28:55 |
|
14 |
Watt |
Gareth |
2:32:50 |
|
15 |
Redmayne |
Mark |
2:34:02 |
|
16 |
Bell |
Martin |
2:35:48 |
|
17 |
Trees |
Paul |
2:36:56 |
|
18 |
Callister |
Ian |
2:39:22 |
|
19 |
Gosnell |
Andy |
2:40:01 |
|
20 |
Evans |
Gareth |
2:40:06 |
|
21 |
Dyer |
Lawrence |
2:46:31 |
|
22 |
Hollingsworth |
Alan |
2:47:20 |
|
23 |
Looker |
Dave |
2:50:55 |
|
24 |
Cringle |
Janine |
2:51:41 |
1st woman
|
25 |
Dryden |
Catriona |
2:52:18 |
2nd woman
|
26 |
Osbourne |
Kevan |
2:53:46 |
|
27 |
Pilling |
Alan |
2:56:58 |
|
28 |
Cochrane |
Jason |
2:59:19 |
|
29 |
Furner |
Sue |
3:04:19 |
3rd woman
|
30 |
Cubbon |
Andrew |
3:05:44 |
|
31 |
Foster |
Susan |
3:06:48 |
|
32 |
Hall |
Moira |
3:13:39 |
1st woman vet over 50
|
33 |
Salt |
Sally
Ann |
3:19:03 |
|
34 |
McAleer |
Richard |
3:20:42 |
|
35 |
Hall |
Geoff |
3:23:30 |
|
36 |
Ackroyd |
Sue |
3:34:45 |
1st woman vet over 45
|

London bound. Andrew
Cubbon (163) is heading for the Flora London marathon
for the second year in a row next month while the
top female in Sunday’s Castletown Health Store 20
miles, Janine Cringle (168) makes her debut. Parish
walk third placer from 2002, David Doyle (number
hidden) has already run the New York Marathon (also
in 2002) but he will be staying closer to home this
year competing in the Close Private Bank Isle of
Man Marathon on 15 August. (Picture by Murray Lambden)
|
20
MILE REPORT BY MIKE GELLION
A record number of forty-five athletes, twice the
size of last year’s entry, participated in Sunday’s Open 20 Mile Road Race at
the N.S.C. Among the regular runners were a significant number of newcomers,
many tackling a long distance event for the first time.
The race, sponsored by John Grady of Castletown
Health Stores and organised by the Isle of Man Veteran Athletes’ Club, involves
running forty laps round the perimeter road and is one of the most gruelling,
both mentally and physically, on the local fixture list. As such, it has become
an essential part of their training for those athletes competing in next month’s
London Marathon.
Fortunately the weather was sunny and almost
windless, a sharp contrast to the poor conditions of the last two
years.
Almost a quarter of the field had registered on the
line rather than pre-entering, taking the organisers by surprise and causing
consternation among the overworked lap-scorers on the first couple of circuits.
To the rescue came timekeeper Judy Morrey, taking on lap-scoring duties herself,
and calling out runners’ numbers with an aplomb that suggests she may have a
future as a bingo caller!
Race record-holder and favourite Tony Okell moved
immediately to the front, followed by his chief rival on the fells, Ian Gale. By
the half-way stage Okell’s lead seemed insurmountable, and his powerful display
of front-running looked certain to give him a third win after his victories in
2000 and 2001. The effort was causing his feet to blister badly, however, and
when first-aid and a change of footwear failed to improve matters, he was forced
to retire after thirty laps.
This left the way open for Gale, now over a lap
clear of his closest persuers and moving very comfortably, to take first place
and cruise across the line in a time of 2hrs 01mins 43secs. He thereby added the
20 Miles to his Manx Mountain Marathon and IOM Marathon titles – a fantastic
achievement!
For spectators, undoubtedly the most exciting
aspect of the race was the tremendous battle for second place between friends
and training partners Paul Curphey and Murray Lambden. After running virtually
shoulder to shoulder for fifteen miles, Curphey then made a series of surges to
try and break his rival, but each time Lambden fought back gamely, and even took
the lead himself. Curphey finally prevailed, however, and won this private duel
by a mere eight seconds, also maintaining his incredible record of never having
finished outside the first three in this event since 1993.
Robbie Callister made light of his recent
competitive inactivity to finish fourth and first veteran over 45. Richard
Radcliffe, Simon Skillicorn, Ian Crawford, and Alan Postlethwaite occupied the
next four positions, and will be pleased with their pre-London
form.
Last year’s winner Peter Hughes was ninth, Nigel
Sinclair continued his tremendous improvement with a well-deserved tenth place,
followed by the evergreen David "Doc" Young. There were also noteworthy
performances from newcomers Jeff Looker, David Doyle, Gareth Watt, and Mark
Redmayne.
In 24th place overall, Janine Cringle was first
woman home, closely followed by Catriona Dryden. Sue Furner was third, while
Moira Hall (over 50) and Sue Ackroyd (over 45) took the veteran
honours.
Although at the back of the field, Andrew Cubbon,
Susan Foster, Sally Ann Salt, Richard McAleer, and Geoff Hall all showed great
determination to complete the forty laps. In all, thirty six runners finished
the event.
After the race the winners were presented with
their trophies by Judy Morrey on behalf of the sponsor, John Grady and
Castletown Health Stores. The hire of the N.S.C. perimeter road for several
hours makes this a particularly expensive fixture to promote, so the
I.O.M.V.A.C. is most grateful for this support. The club would also like to
thank Manx Harriers for the use of their clubhouse.
Thanks also to those who gave up their Sunday
morning to assist; timekeeper Judy Morrey, lap-scorers Brenda Charlton, Margy
Killey, Sarah Goldsmith and Enid Watson, and Arnie Jacobs and Lisa Nixon who
manned the drinks station. |
Paul
Curphey (182) grits his teeth and heads for his 11th
top three position in a row in the Castletown Health
Stores 20 miles.
Picture by Steve Partington;
stats by Murray Lambden
Position |
Year |
Time |
2 |
1994 |
2:01:02 |
1 |
1995 |
1:59:00 |
2 |
1996 |
1:58:31 |
2 |
1997 |
1:58:38 |
3 |
1998 |
2:02:57 |
1 |
1999 |
2:02:14 |
3 |
2000 |
2:07:19 |
3 |
2001 |
2:02:27 |
1 |
2002 |
2:04:49 |
2 |
2003 |
2:06:11 |
2 |
2004 |
2:04:35 |

Alan Hollingsworth made a fine debut in 22nd
position in the Castletown Health Store 20 Miles
on Sunday. Its hard to tell whether he is smiling
or grimacing under the shades.

but Martin Bell is definitely grimacing as he
finishes for the seventh time on Sunday.
But check out these times for the past four finishes:
Year Time
2000 02:35:59
2001 02:35:56
2003 02:35:34
2004 02:35:48
Just 25 seconds difference!!
Pictures and stats by Murray Lambden

Gareth Evans, Sue Furner and
Andy Gosnell during Sunday’s Castletown Health Store
20 Miles.
Sue returns to London next
month having already run 15 marathons since 1997. Her PB was in Florence in
2002 – 4.04.02. She has run in London twice 1998 and 2003 and her best in London
was 2003 – 4.07

Kevan Osborne completed all 40 laps of the
NSC roadway in 2:53:46.

Matching socks and matching strides.
Husband and wife team Moira and Geoff Hall.
Pictures by Murray Lambden

Less than: |
01:50:00 |
02:00:00 |
02:10:00 |
1982 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
1983 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
1984 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
1985 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
1986 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
1988 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1990 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
1993 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1994 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
1995 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
1996 |
0 |
2 |
8 |
1997 |
0 |
3 |
6 |
1998 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
1999 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2000 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
2001 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2002 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2003 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2004 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
The above stats (by Murray Lambden) show an all
too familiar trend in Manx athletics. There
has been an encouraging number of new runners taking
part in the 20 mile run highlighted by a record
in last Sunday’s event. But the standard,
whilst a little better this year, at the front of
the field, has a long way to go before it reaches
the levels of earlier years. No runner has broken
2 hours since 2001 and the number beating 2 hours
10 minutes is only half the peak in 1996. Please
note, my stats do not include 1987, 1989, 1991 and
1992 for which I’ve failed to track down the results
as yet. The event was not held in at least
one of those years.
But Janine Cringle’s time was the best by a woman
for 6 years. Leading times by women:
Position |
Surname |
Christian Name |
Time |
Year |
Club / Country |
3 |
Lockley |
Margaret |
2:05:37 |
1982 |
Manx AC |
6 |
Oddie |
Maureen |
2:13:32 |
1988 |
North
Derby |
11 |
Gomer |
Anne |
2:18:21 |
1986 |
Manx
AC |
10 |
Noon |
Marie |
2:23:21 |
1998 |
Isle
of Man Veteran Athletes Club |
9 |
Gomer |
Anne |
2:24:30 |
1988 |
Manx
AC |
14 |
Quirk |
Stephanie |
2:25:33 |
1990 |
Western
AC |
16 |
Wilson |
Doreen |
2:27:08 |
1990 |
Manx
AC |
13 |
Gomer |
Ann |
2:27:34 |
1985 |
Manx
AC |
17 |
Gomer |
Anne |
2:28:16 |
1990 |
Manx
AC |
16 |
Gomer |
Anne |
2:35:58 |
1983 |
Manx
AC |
15 |
Gomer |
Ann |
2:38:33 |
1984 |
Manx
AC |
20 |
Bathgate |
Christine |
2:49:24 |
1996 |
Isle
of Man Veteran Athletes Club |
24 |
Cringle |
Janine |
2:51:41 |
2004 |
Unattached |
25 |
Dryden |
Catriona |
2:52:18 |
2004 |
Unattached |
15 |
Kewley |
Michelle |
2:54:27 |
2003 |
Western
AC |
15 |
Moore |
Shirley |
2:57:48 |
2002 |
Manx
Harriers |
17 |
Furner |
Sue |
2:59:45 |
2003 |
Isle
of Man Veteran Athletes Club |
NB – Manx record was set off island by Brenda
Walker in 1993 and is 2 hours 0 minutes and 1 second
20 MILE DATABASES NOW UPDATED
TO INCLUDE 2004 RESULTS
By
year
By
fastest time
By
runner’s names
copyright
(c) 2004 Murray Lambden. All rights reserved.
[email protected]
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