Press Release, Tues 30 Sep 2014

Around 250 runners, representing 68 teams, converged on Houston last Saturday, to compete in the annual George Cummings Trophy Road Relay Race with the start and finish in South Street.

The mens race, 4 laps of 2.7 miles over the country roads around the village was won by Shettleston Harriers, who retained the Trophy, finishing just ahead of the local Kilbarchan Athletic Club, with Inverclyde Athletic Club 3^rd.

Winning time was 51 minutes 51 seconds, just 4 seconds of a margin ahead of the Kilbarchan quartet of Euan Trout, Callum Hawkins, Gavin McArdle and Euan Gillham, with Callum having the fastest time of the day, 12 minutes 11 seconds for the 2.7 miles circuit. Kilbarchan’s B team also performed well, with a quartet of Graham Evans, Sam McNair, Cameron Dickson and Conor Thomson, finishing 8^th in a time of 58.24 and their C team, which included Alan Craig, Norman Groves, Steven Hill and John McLaughlin, was 29^th in 69.16.

Inverclyde AC won the womens race over 3 laps, time 47.52, ahead of Ron Hill Cambuslang  and Kilmarnock Harriers, with Kilbarchan finishing 4^th and 5^th. The Club’s Senior team of Natalie Sharp, Maica Rodriguez and Elaine Eadie, finished in 49.19, just 9 seconds in front of their B team of Kerry MacAngus, Laura Stark and Sarah Dempsey. Kilbarchan C team of Rebecca Craig, Lucy McKellar and Emma Fulton was 12^th in the Ladies race, time 54.00 and their D team of Sandra Houldsworth,  Lorraine Sharp and Lindsay McKinnon, was 20^th in 63.34. Fastest lap was 15.32 by Inverclyde’s Julie Gordon with Laura Stark fastest local athlete at 15.41, just ahead of Natalie Sharp 15.45.

Arthur Smith