1986 – Manx Airlines 20km Walk
Murray Lambden reported for the Manx Gazette:
Just as there is a vast difference in standard between the average club walker and the international walker, Ian McCombie showed last Saturday afternoon what a vast difference exists between many internationals and a world class walker.
McCombie won the Manx Airlines / Boundary Harriers 20km invitation walk at King George V Park, beating the three other international walkers in the line up by over six minutes.
In doing so he achieved the qualifying standard for the European Championships, and with slightly more favourable conditions, he may have got closer than 75 seconds to his own British best performances.
Ian McCombie is Britain’s number one 20km walker and on his third visit to the Island he was determined to satisfy his own high standards. Previously he had been disappointed to be beaten in last year’s Manx Airlines 30km, and to be well below his best in last year’s Lugano Cup final (even though he was still the first British walker to finish).
This time he was well pleased. He tore away from the rest of the field around 25 laps of the shortened 805 metre roadway (shortened when the roadway was diverted to mane way for Boundary Harriers new clubhouse), and he recorded his second fastest time ever. A cold wind slowed him slightly although conditions were bright and sunny and considerably better than the previous day.
As expected, National 50km Champion Les Morton (Sheffield) , Chris Smith (Leicester) and Steve Partington (Boundary Harriers) formed a three way battle for second position But after being given a joint 10km time of 45.49, Morton (who was not prepared to gamble too soon, having spent the night between returning from warm weather training and coming to the Island sleeping on Manchester Airport lounge floor) speeded things up dramatically.
His break was to prove decisive and incredibly he covered the next 10km in 43.53 to secure 2nd spot. Steve Partington (who looked so comfortable initially) tried to minimise the gap but eventually “blew up”, and was to be passed by Chris Smith who took a minute out of Steve on the final lap. Chris had stood in for Martin Rush at short notice, and was disappointed with his time, as was local hero Steve Partington.
Not so Steve Taylor. In placing fifth he improved his best time by four and half minutes (96.10) and having already broken through at 10km, we await anxiously to see if a similar breakthrough is possible at the Commonwealth Games distance. Veteran Allan Callow walked his normal consistent, if unspectacular, 20km race ahead of 46 year old Frank Huntley, Sheffield’s Mark Byrne and John Cannell (who was well bellow his best only reviving his training earlier in the week, after a work accident where he had broken his ribs).
Ralph Martin, who came away from Boundary Harriers dinner at the Palace Hotel as winner of both the winter league and the novice trophies was his usual determined self to finish the walk.
Hopefully the race, which was a perfect mixture of pleasure and disappointments will inspire future generations of Manx walkers as few sports on the Island have such opportunities to see Olympic athletes testing themselves to the limits.
|
Position |
Christian Name |
Surname |
Time |
Club / Country |
|
1 |
Ian |
McCombie |
01:23:51 |
Cambridge Harriers |
|
2 |
Les |
Morton |
01:29:52 |
Sheffield United |
|
3 |
Chris |
Smith |
01:33:44 |
Leicester Walking Club |
|
4 |
Steve |
Partington |
01:34:42 |
Boundary Harriers |
|
5 |
Steve |
Taylor |
01:36:10 |
Boundary Harriers |
|
6 |
Allan |
Callow |
01:38:58 |
Boundary Harriers |
|
7 |
Frank |
Huntley |
01:43:44 |
Boundary Harriers |
|
8 |
Mark |
Byrne |
01:48:27 |
Sheffield United |
|
9 |
John |
Cannell |
01:57:00 |
Boundary Harriers |
|
10 |
Ralph |
Martin |
02:07:25 |
Boundary Harriers |