OFFICIALLY it was New Year’s Day though it was actually January 2 when East Down AC’s first club handicap race took place.
There was a very strong wind as the runners assembled at Tyrella Beach for the 12 noon start.
The route, a brilliant mixture of beach, boardwalk and grass, had been identified as an appropriate arena by Declan Teague, with a challenging three-and-a-bit laps of a 1.6 mile circuit marked out to make up the five-mile challenge distance.
Handicapper in chief Liam Keenan had worked long into the night to calculate fair time penalties for those who had ‘form’, with the intention of all 35 starters crossing the finish line together. Much to the relief of the timekeepers and line judges, this did not happen, but apart from the unknown quantities it worked out pretty well.
With the assistance of a strong tailwind the first group, comprising Paul and Tom McMeekin, Catherine Woods, Tara Findlay and John Oakes, set off with a start ranging from six to 20 minutes over the other groups and while everyone tried their utmost Paul and Tom retained their advantage to cross the line in first and second places ahead of first lady Lisa Milligan.
My handicap was not the time, but the requirement to continuously put one leg past the other.
I reckon my left leg is sponsored by Long John Silver, only there’s more life in his and despite on one occasion making a passable attempt at digging in the sand with my face for buried treasure, I managed to get round. Might have a word with Jake the Peg for next year though.
But everyone enjoyed it, especially the soup and sandwiches laid on afterwards at Minerstown Tavern and the superb Christmas cake provided by Declan’s mum. She may have missed the New Year’s Honours list but was unanimously awarded an MBE — Minerstown Baker Extraordinaire — by the assembled crowd.
After the refreshments Paul was presented with the magnificent John Cullen Cup and it is hoped that it will be the first of many annual jousts for this coveted trophy. Paul nominated the Cystic Fibrosis Trust to be the recipient of the entry fees.
The results are in finishing order only, as due to a technical hitch the times could not be accurately recorded (the stopwatch was ped in the sea between start line and finish and developed hypothermia but the culprit has been deported).
Results
1 Paul McMeekin
2 Tom McMeekin
3 Lisa Milligan
4 Betty McCartan
5 Helen Vint
6 Brian Donnelly
7 Linda Cunningham
8 Gareth Kimpton
9 John Findlay
10 Tom McClean
11 Denis McKay
12 Peter Morgan
13 Stephen Heasley
14 Stephen Shannon
15 Colum Surginor
16 Gavin Oakes
17 Michael McKeown
18 Charlie Ataliotis
19 Declan Teague
20 Brendan Teer
21 Cheryl Denvir
22 John Oakes
23 Philip Vint
24 Tracey McDowell
25 Mark McDowell
26 Raymond Milligan
27 Ryan Hagen
28 James Magennis
29 Ethan Braniff
30 Gary McLoughlin
31 Wendy Findlay
32 Tara Findlay
33 Catherine Woods
34 Joe Quinn
35 Liam Keenan