Its Mid-October, meaning we are in the cross country season, complete with wind, rain and mud. No gentle build-up, its serious from the start with the main item being selection for the Masters International to be held next month in Glasgow. The Comber Cup is up for grabs but this year it was held in Belfast at the Dub Playing Fields on Saturday. Good results for North Down included 1st F35 for Roberta Dornan. 4th F40 for Stephanie Hambling, 2nd F45 for Debbie Matchett, 2nd and 4th M65 for Brian Smith and Fred Murdoch, 1st M60 for Terry Eakin, 3rd M35 for Mark Weir and 7th M50 for Gerry Coy. That was enough to earn selection for all apart from Fred and Gerry who are reserves, while David Seaton was added to the M65 team.
In addition, in the non-selection races, Charlie Quinn was 3rd in the U16 boys 4K race, Jessica Craig and Kerry Speers were 2nd and 3rd in the Open Ladies 5K, while in the Open Mens 8K, Darren McKee, Thomas Simpson and John McGarvey were 3rd, 8th and 11th, a useful team grouping.
The event was followed in the evening at the Freemason’s Hall in Arthur Square by the Masters Association Annual Dinner and Prize-giving for the past year. Roberta Dornan collected silver in the Masters 10K Championship, silver in the Masters cross country Championship and won her age group in the Masters XC League. Stephanie Hambling won silver in the Masters 10K Championship and was 2nd F40 in the league and Debbie Matchett won F40 gold in the 10K Championships. Roma McConville won bronze at XC. For the men Terry Eakin won gold at 10K and XC and silver in the league, David Seaton won gold at 10K, silver at XC and bronze in the league, Mark Weir won silver at XC, Brian Smith won bronze at Xc and silver in the league, Norman Lellyett and Pat O’Driscoll won bronze in the league and Gary Swenarton won bronze at 10K.