Smith Shield Spring Handicap and Cross Country Awards

 

The Smith Shield for the Spring Handicap has for several years been held over the Crawfordsburn Trail but this year it was run from the track on the out and back route to Ballygilbert on the carriageway (4 miles). Awards from the recent cross country season were presented after. Brian Barron and Julie-Anne Donaghy are very different runners. Brian helped win the Belfast Marathon Relay a week ago and ran off scratch. Julie-Anne is a newbie from the Bangor parkrun with one club run behind her and ran off 11 minutes. Its a handicap and in terms of competitive they are equals – Julie won it by 3 secs.

Les Wilkinson, Jessica Craig, Jamie McMeechan and Valerie McDonough were all within half a minute or so of the winner. Brian in 22:21 and Jessica with 25:45 min by far had the fastest male and female net times, prompting a search for course records. Plenty of handicaps to Ballygilbert have been held but with slight course differences but the courses for Monday’s race and one last October were the same and were fast. Based on these , we can say the course record is 20:20 by Stephen Wylie in October with Brian a second behind in 20:21 on Monday. Jessica has a clear ladies record on her 25:45.

A very good night was held, due in no small measure to the bake-off girls and to organiser and handicapper Davie Seaton. Thanks are due to them and all who assisted on the course..

34  runners completed the course.

smith shield 14 pd

Winter awards for the recent cross country season were presented after the race and these are summarised below. Congratulations to all on a bumper season

2013-2014 Winter Awards