MANN & PARTNERS MILLENNIUM
WAY RELAY & CYCLE
by Chris Quine
Dunnerdale Drinkers in very wet
conditions won Boxing Day's Mann & Partners Millennium Way
relay in a thrilling finish both overhead and underfoot. Individual
star of the day was Ian Gale, being part of the second placed team,
setting the fastest time on the first stage and winning the cycle
event.
The winning team. Dave Corrin,
Ian Ronan, Clifford Keyes and Peter Simpson receive
their award from Elisabeth Davies of Mann &
Partners.
First away at 9.30 am on Boxing Day was
Neil Duggan of Look No Stars accompanied by 5 of the cyclists.
Following some 8 minutes later was Marie Noon for all female SAS (Sad
Old Spinsters) and intending to cycle onto the finish.
However, first to appear out of the
mist at the Brandywell Road was Ian Gale (GTMK) who had set off at
9.46, managing to overhaul all ahead of him. He was following by
Marie Noon.
Making good progress to 6th
on the road - 4th team - was Ian Ronan of Dunnerdale
Drinkers recording the second fastest time for the stage, closely
followed by Mark Preston - Mark also intending to cycle onto the
finish.
Second leg runners faced less misty
conditions but some difficult underfoot conditions, particularly on
the St Luke's track.
First of the runners was Michelle
Kewley (SOS), one minutes ahead of Gareth Bates (GTMK). With a number
of teams coming from the middle order it was still all to run for on
the final two stages.
Fastest on leg two was Darren Gray with
a 37.47 effort some 15 seconds faster than Nick Percival.
Nick
Percival.
With the third stage up hill on the
road to St Marks the leading positions changed little but Clifford
Keyes (Dunnerdale Drinkers) - 27.31 - making ominous progress.
Top performance on this leg came from
16 year old Keith Gerrard pulling back a number of places for his
team (3 young pups and 1 old lag) to bring them in sight of a leader
board position. His 22.49 stint was the 3rd fastest ever
for this leg, since the race was inaugurated in 1979.
Keith
Gerrard.
It was good to see a number of ladies
on this leg with Peel triathlete Kara Shepherd running 7 seconds
faster than Diane Lawrence.
Diane
Lawrence is pictured with team mates
Dave Newton, Nick Percival and Paul
Jackson together with their team manager.
Onto the final downhill stretch to
Castletown 4 teams battled it out over the final stages. Eventually
Dave Corrin (Dunnerdale Drinkers) overhauling GTMK, No Short Cuts and
SOS. Just 57 seconds separated all 4 teams at the finish.
Fastest on this leg was Gianni Epifani
(G 3 Strings) with a time of 34.18, this was somewhat down on the
fastest ever times for this stage, although creditworthy in such
muddy and slippery conditions.
Meanwhile the leading cyclists were far
down the road. First home with a final time of 2.28.06 was Ian Gale,
some 10 mins ahead of Mark Preston, who in turn was some 7 ½
mins up on Millennium Way veteran Tony Varley.
Ian
Gale receives his award from Elisabeth
Davies.
Special mention for 1st lady
Marie Noon who just missed the 3 hour barrier. 12 cyclists finished
in all.
Marie
Noon on School Hill at Crosby.
Two individuals ran the entire route,
Tony Okell (2.51.01) and John Kewley, making his own personal tribute
to the late Bob Baxter.
After the event awards were presented
by Elisabeth Davies of Mann & Partners.
Phil
Mackie - ran 2 legs when the last man
failed to appear.
Thanks due on behalf of Manx Harriers
to all those officials who assisted especially those who stood out in
the wind and the rain.
Fastest Leg 1 |
|
Ian Gale |
00:58:23 |
Ian Ronan |
01:00:16 |
Mark Preston |
01:00:29 |
Peter Kaneen |
01:02:23 |
Brian Osbourne |
01:04:52 |
Marie Noon |
01:08:15 |
Graham Stigant |
01:08:39 |
Paul Jackson |
01:09:01 |
Ian Callister |
01:09:08 |
John Kewley |
01:09:28 |
Tony Varley |
01:12:05 |
Martin Burke |
01:12:34 |
Kevin Martin |
01:14:36 |
Neil Duggan |
01:28:36 |
|
|
Fastest Leg 2 |
|
Darren Gray |
00:37:47 |
Nick Percival |
00:38:02 |
John Halligan |
00:40:41 |
Allan Corran |
00:43:27 |
Bernie Cannan |
00:43:55 |
Alan Bagley |
00:44:13 |
Terry Bates |
00:45:24 |
Mark Varley |
00:45:59 |
Juan Kinley |
00:47:22 |
Bridget Kaneen |
00:48:39 |
Peter Simpson |
00:50:12 |
Michelle Kewley |
00:50:12 |
Gareth Bates |
00:53:03 |
Andrew Titley |
00:53:38 |
|
|
Fastest Leg 3 |
|
Keith Gerrard |
00:22:49 |
Robbie Callister |
00:26:01 |
Keiron Murray |
00:26:42 |
Philip Mackie |
00:27:20 |
Clifford Keyes |
00:27:31 |
Kara Shepherd |
00:29:17 |
Diane Lawrence |
00:29:24 |
Lawrence Dyer |
00:29:52 |
Martin Feeley |
00:33:23 |
Janet Oates |
00:34:11 |
James Coulson |
00:34:28 |
Sue Biggart |
00:36:16 |
Elizabeth Corran |
00:37:41 |
Graham Titley |
00:38:26 |
|
|
Fastest Leg 4 |
|
Gianni Epifani |
00:34:18 |
Chris Quine |
00:36:12 |
Steve Partington |
00:37:06 |
Glenn Butterworth |
00:37:15 |
Keith Callister |
00:38:36 |
Paul Trees |
00:40:00 |
Chris Lee |
00:40:35 |
Dave Corrin |
00:40:50 |
Dave Newton |
00:41:01 |
David Craine |
00:44:09 |
Mike Quine |
00:44:23 |
Lynne McAvoy |
00:45:08 |
John Marchment |
00:45:40 |
Mark Spiers |
00:50:28 |
TEAM
RESULTS & CYCLISTS
All
pictures ( so far) by Murray Lambden.
|