IAC men are national champs
Published 27 Oct 2010 14:00
0 Comments
Share this
click to enlarge
WINNERS: Inverclyde’s A team, from left, Mark Pollard, Dan Mulhare, Craig Ruddy and Andrew Douglas.
INVERCLYDE AC’s senior men’s A team have been crowned men’s champions at the national cross-country relay championships for the third time in the club’s history.
The team of Andrew Douglas, Mark Pollard, Craig Ruddy and Dan Mulhare triumphed over a 4k trail at Cumbernauld Park on Saturday.
The championships, celebrating their 10th year at this venue, had good conditions on the day.
Andrew Douglas forced the pace at the front on the first leg for the A team, closely followed by club-mate Chris MacKay, of the B team.
Chris, with a point to prove, sprinted away from Andrew to reach the change-over first.
This was also the first time Inverclyde have had teams finishing first and second on the first stage. Chris and Andrew clocked the third and seventh fastest overall times.
Mark Pollard set off in pursuit of the club’s B team man Graeme Hyett on the second leg. Mark eventually caught and passed Graeme, and rallied near the finish to retain the lead for the A team.
Mark clocked the 11th fastest overall time. Graeme dug in to bring the B team home in fifth place.
Club captain Craig Ruddy produced another storming run to clock the fourth fastest overall time on the penultimate leg to increase the gap on second-placed Shettleston Harriers.
Dan Mulhare, on the anchor leg, set off in the lead, with Shettleston’s top athlete, Tewoldeberhan Mengisteab in pursuit.
The large travelling Inverclyde support were getting slightly anxious at this point, but they needn’t have worried as Dan produced Inverclyde’s run of the day to open the gap further to cross the line with arms aloft to take the title for Inverclyde from Shettleston Harriers, with Central AC third.
Dan and Tewoldeberhan also clocked the fastest and second fastest overall times respectively.
The B team finished in an excellent 12th place, with PBs from Andrew Campbell and Sean Gaffney.
The C team of Thomas Jamieson, Neil McLaughlin, Jude Boulton and Graeme Forbes all ran excellent PBs.
Campbell Cromar was the fastest for the D team, with another PB coming from John Smillie. The incomplete E team of Robert Gray, Damien Mallet and David McKenzie also all ran PBs.
In the ladies race over the same distance, Emma Rice produced a storming PB run to finish in 12th place for the A team on the first leg.
Rhona Bushfield also had a strong run to finish 14th on the second leg. Unfortunately, Rachael Bushfield on the anchor leg had to drop out with an asthma attack.
Emma Fulton also had a solid run for the incomplete ladies B team.
The ladies’ winners were Dundee Hawkhill from Kilbarchan AAC anchored by the fastest lady Elspeth Curran with a PB run of 14.22, with Fife AC third.
Thanks to all the club’s supporters on yet another exciting day.
Thanks also to Inverclyde Council, Riverside Inverclyde, National Semiconductor UK and Hardies Coaches for their support.
RESULTS - A team: A Douglas 12.56, M Pollard 13.08, C Ruddy 12.47, D Mulhare 12.27. B team: C MacKay 12.43, G Hyett 13.49, A Campbell 14.28, S Gaffney 14.25. C team: T Jamieson 15.01, N McLaughlin 15.18, J Boulton 15.24, G Forbes 16.11. D team: J McFadden 16.35, C Cromar 16.30, R Shaw 17.29, J Smillie 17.55. Incomplete E team: R Gray 17.10, D Mallet 17.53, D McKenzie 17.58.
Ladies A team: E Rice 16.15, R Bushfield 16.58. Incomplete Ladies B team: E Fulton 23.06.
l THIS Saturday, Inverclyde AC hold their Ferguson Cup 5.2-mile conceding handicap road race.
This is the second and first handicap race in the club’s winter championship.
Changing and registration is at the clubhouse, with the race starting at 2pm.
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 27 Oct 10
Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our Sport archives.
