Conditions were awful on Saturday morning in Crawfordsburn Country Park for annual club Christmas Handicap for the Ken and Lynne Hawtin Shield. With plenty of rain about and very strong winds, especially on the coastal stretch, it did not look likely that 36 runners would turn out or the course ladies record would be smashed but both happened. In one of the tighter finishers in the series of Christmas and Spring Handicaps, Craig Thornberry won the Hawin Shield, finishing 6 secs ahead of Rachel Gibson who snatched 2nd place at the death from Melissa Eccles. It was Rachel’s day though as she defied the conditions to take the course record for ladies and claimed the £50 prize put up a few years ago by Gerry O’Boyle for the first club girl to break 20 minutes over the Crawfordsburn course.
Colin Caldwell, Les Wilkinson and John McGarvey were 2nd, 3rd and 4th men and Katie Moore and Valerie McDonough were 3rd and 4th ladies. Craig McMeechan was the 1st junior. Fastest net times on the day were 17:58 and 18:07 by Denis Scott and Francis Marsh. Rachel and Melissa ran 19:45 and 21:46. Andrew Muir took time off from his Mayoral duties to run 24:42.
Interestingly the ladies finished in the race in exactly the same order as their actual net times. In other words, no girl beat a higher rated runner wheras the first half dozen or so men all did.
Thanks to all those who turned up, to Ken and Lyne for the trophy and to all who marshalled and officiated. Brian Smith and Norman Lellyett were responsible for the course, Gillia Weir for the arrangements and David Seaton and Barry Scarth for the handicapping.