[Not a valid template]The winners of the Club Handicap events are becoming progressively younger and the trend was continued in the 2005 Smith Shield. Clare Scott became the youngest winner yet, just holding off the challenge from an in-form Pat O’Driscoll while Jordan Neill ran the fastest net time. After the race, Club Awards for the recent cross country season were presented in the various categories.
Up until now, Clare has been known better known as Lauren’s sister but she has worked very hard in training recently and will be a serious player. She was first to set out in the handicap and was never headed despite Pat and Jordan closing in at the end followed by the usual flood of closely-spaced finishers. Jordan was fastest overall in 17.43 with Pat, Jordan, Jamie Stewart and Michael Dyer all having pbs over the course.
Michael Patterson with 21.07 also had a pb over the course and the time is a new U15 Boys course record for the event. Thomas Simpson was also well inside the previous record.
Unfortunately four of the athletes, including our winning Junior Girls team, showed little aptitude for orienteering and all went astray.
After the race, awards were presented for the past Winter season. A sign of the overall health of the club is that there was a winner in every category including two new ones, the Pat O’Driscoll Shield for Over 60 men (we ‘re all getting older) and the Daphne Hamill Shield for Veteran Women.
The recipients were:-
U13 Boy Darren Kelly U13 Girl Leigh McWha
U15 Boy Thomas Simpson
U15 Girl Jessica Craig
U17 Boy Jordan Neil U17 Girl Nicola Simpson
U20 Youth Jamie Stewart Open Female Kerry Iveston
Open Male James Budde Veteran Female Lynne Wilson
Vet O40 Tony Wall
Vet O50 George Bell
Vet O60 Ken Hawtin