GREENOCK Glenpark Harriers Holds Willow Bowl Race
THE Willow Bowl conceding handicap race around Greenock Cut is one of the most popular events among senior members of Greenock Glenpark Harriers.
Starting at the Long Dam near Overton, the runners are sent off westbound in reverse handicap order. They travel up the stony road and down into Cornalees before joining the Cut and racing back to the start.
The first person across the line is the winner of the Willow Bowl. This year the wind was unusually coming from the east, making the last four flat miles or so along the cut a tough prospect into the breeze.
In recent years, an additional prize has also been awarded to the first veteran runner across the line. Last year, Eric Lindsay won the Tommy Knight Trophy for this feat, and this year he went one step further by winning the Willow Bowl itself.
Eric had a commanding lead of almost one minute over Fiona MacFarlane, who took home the Tommy Knight Trophy this year. Eric has been running well in his first couple of years as a Harrier, and this was perhaps his best performance yet.
The same can be said for Fiona, who has now been unlucky to finish second in the last two handicap races. With four races to go in the handicap championship, both Eric and Fiona are battling it out as the top two runners.
In the scratch races, Sue Hewitson once again asserted her dominance on the trail. Sue has won the ladies’ scratch race every time she has run it — four times in the last five years.
Sue ran just under 56 minutes for the 7.8-mile course, her second fastest time in those four victories. Fiona MacFarlane and Marian Monk both broke the hour mark to claim second and third respectively. Marian claimed the vetern-45 title and Terri Wall took home the veteran-55 crown.
Elsewhere there were some really strong runs from Debbie McKenzie, Heather Lafferty and Lynsey McLaughlin.
One person who is more than comfortable on the hills is ultra marathon specialist Kev Craig who showed that he has some good speed on the shorter routes too.
After a steady start up the hill, Kev threw everything at it from there to the finish line to take the men’s race by the narrowest of margins.
In a conceding handicap race, runners are often not starting with their main competitor, and Andy McCall had started two minutes after Kev, and had to wait until they compared watches at the end to see he had just been pipped at the post by 10 seconds.
In third place was Andrew Osborne, who had an incredible race. He took two-and-a-half minutes off his time from the year before, despite tougher conditions. Andrew finished ahead of a number of the club’s top guys, like last year’s winner Kevin O’Donoghue, who was fourth.
Elsewhere there was another brilliant run from Oliver Reilly in fifth place, who continues to improve race on race. James McFadden had another great run, with a high placing in the handicap standings, as did Callum Gorry who had a superb run, taking seven whole minutes off of his time from last year.
Craig Hyslop ran well in his first club race, and Graeme Boyce too in his longest run to date. Kev Craig was the veteran-40 winner, with Paul Monaghan taking the veteran-50 crown.Danny McLaughlin took the veteran-60 and Frank McMahon the veteran-70.
The club thanks all the volunteers who helped with the event, and race sponsor and club member Dick Hodelet.
Results:
Kevin Craig 46.31, Andrew McCall 46.41, Andrew Osborne 47.26, Kevin O’Donoghue 47.29, Oliver Reilly 47.36, Steven Campbell 48.1, Chris Mooney 49.14, Paul Monaghan 50.04, Stephen Hanley 50.57, Chris Jones 51.59, Gordy Hepburn 53.39, Eric Lindsay 54.02, Paul McAuley 54.23, David Roberts 54.28, James McFadden 54.3, Sue Hewitson 54.5, Chris Watson 55.33, Craig Hyslop 56.14, Ross Paul 56.41, Stuart Austin 56.53, Owen Atkinson 56.58, Graeme Boyce 57.08, James Doherty 57.12, Campbell Cromar 57.49, Ian McKee 58.06, Robert Dolan 58.46, Danny McLaughlin 58.46, Ross Slater 59.05, Fiona MacFarlane 59.27, Callum Gorry 59.35, Marian Monk 59.57, Viki Smith 61.18, Graham McGrattan 63.08, Robin McAuslan 64.13, Debbie McKenzie 64.29, Jim Cuffe 64.37, Frank McMahon 64.52, Lisa Boonsanong 65.17, Liam McFadden 67.11, Marianne Mckay 67.47, Heather Lafferty 68.29, Terri Wall 68.53, Lynsey McLaughlin 69.17, Lucas Bezian 72.22, Sharon Black 72.41, Sandra Devine 72.56, Susie Gillies 57.18, Elaine Medinelli 76.2, Yvonne Prager 77.35, Matthew Young 82.56, Angela Nelson 90.51
