Rostrevor to Newcastle Relay

22nd March 1997

Well done to the Westie squad that headed over to Ireland at the weekend for the Rostrevor to Newcastle Relay.

It was deceptively warm and sunny at the race start in Rostrevor as the fourteen teams, four of which Westies, set off on the first leg – a gruelingly steep three mile road section. Part time-Westie John Donnely arrived back for Westie A team just ahead of Matt ‘floaty’ Ogston who handed over to Sandy and Drew. Next back was Captain Manny for Westies mixed, followed by Lynne for the Westies Women. So far so good. As we left the first changeover point, however, the clouds lowered and the temperature dropped.

Despite the worsening conditions, Sandy had a cracking run for the A team to arrived back in third place overall and hand over to Archie for the second road section. Jane arrived back next for the women’s team, handing over to Pat for the second road section. Meanwhile Drew and Lesley and several other of the second leg runners were still scrambling around in the thick mist. In the surprise result of the day Moira destroyed Pete on the road section, taking more that ten minutes off her previous pb for the distance. (The scalped Pete was later heard mumbling something about a mix up with the times, but Moira is sticking to her story.)

At the third changeover Archie handed over to new signing Chris Speight while the rest of us fourth leg runners waited in the wind and rain for the ‘mass’ start at two o’clock. There were ugly scenes as the seven of us jostled for pole position.

After confidently following Elspeth for the first mile, John and myself made the fatal navigational error of going up the wrong hill. Chris was going well until on reaching the summit of the mist shrouded Slieve Donard discovered he was compass-less and subsequently took a less than direct route back to Newcastle. Elspeth, meanwhile, not to be out done by the Westies men, lost her way searching for the elusive Mourne Wall that reputedly leads to the summit of Donard, making it a stunning 100% Westies-lost-in-the-mist last leg.

Newcastle A won the mens and BARF the women’s titles (results in the next newsletter). But as I always say, when I lose, its the taking part that’s important and any disappointment in the results were soon forgotten after a great night out and a splendid pack run on the Sunday with the Carnethy mob. Special thanks must go to the captain for an excellently organised weekend.