[Not a valid template]It was an exceptionally busy Saturday with action on a lot of fronts but North Down still managed to get a team to Blackpool with a first time venture into the British Athletic League Cup. Despite the town being drenched by the heavy storms which continued to sweep across England on Saturday the team were second in the Blackpool semi and look sure of a place at Bedford on 18th August in at least the Golden Jubilee Plate and possibly the Golden Jubilee Cup.
The BAL Cup has been transformed this year into the 10 in 100 Cup in a search for a shorter sharper format that reduces travel though clubs like ours will always have to travel. 10 in 100 is 10 events in 100 minutes with a minimum 8 athlete quota and regionalised rounds. North Down had a braak when we got a bye at the quarter final stage and got the most convenient semi final for travel. With 6 semis the semi final leaders and two best seconds go into the final for the Golden Jubilee Cup and the 8 best non BAL clubs go into the Golden Jubilee Plate final, both at Bedford on 18th Aug. This weekend was hardly a convenient date but we had to run with it.
[Not a valid template]Given the format only 2 athletes could double up apart from the closing Medley Relay of 400-200-200-400m. Those to go twice were Brendan McConville and Jeremy Harper and Brendan got us off to a great start by winning the 400m hurdles in 56.4 sec. He later took the pole vault with one effort at his 4.40m entry height (conditions were awful in the field and safety doubtful so competeitors tended to sit with what they could live with). Jeremy took 2 seconds at discus and shot with 46.66m and 13.64m while in the other field event Neil McArdle was 4th with 12.40m. Peter Glass was 6th in 12.1 sec at 100m, James Niblock 5th at 200m with 23.8 sec, John Carlisle 4th at 800m in 1:59.2 min, John Saulters 3rd in 50.7 sec at 400m and Robin Brown 6th at 3000m in 9:41.3 min.(pb).
[Not a valid template]The closing Medley Relay was the piéce de resistance. Though the team had performed admirably with everyone performing to their level they had no right to expect to win the relay given the results in the individual events. In fact they were never headed and way over expectations. Brendan took the first 400m in the last stride, Peter took a a narrow lead extended slightly by James in the two 200m”s and John Saulters just ran away with the closing 400m, the team finishing in 2:29.7 min.