154th New Year Sprint - Meeting Report
After a three year hiatus from both Musselburgh Race course and a new year's day New Year Sprint, it was great to be back in the traditional routine with the 154th meeting, writes David Rothwell.
It was a much shorter wait for glory for Scott Tindle though. Having been pipped at the post at the 153rd meeting just 5 months ago, Scott went one better and claimed the title of the 154th winner of this historic event. A magnificent glass trophy, gold medal and £3500 prize accompanied this achievement.
Scott and Cameron Tindle are only the second pair of brothers to win the New Year Sprint, with Cameron victorious in 2015.
New Year Sprint winner Scott Tindle with family and coach Bruce Scott (Bruce is on Scott's left).
Photo: Alan Raeburn.
Scott, running for TLJT off a 6.5 metre start, was made to work hard for his victory by youngster Gkontouin Imante of Shettleston Harriers. Thanks to a bad slip at the start (despite wearing regulation length grass spikes), Scott relinquished much of his 3.5 metre advantage over Gkontouin soon after the gun went and was forced to dig deep to keep his advantage to the line, where they were separated by only a few inches. Gkontouin's impressive performance in his first New Year Sprint surely marks him out as a big name for the future.
Scott Tindle winning the New Year Sprint from Gkontouin Imante with Euan Urquart (nearest camera) third, Greg Kelly (yellow bib) fourth, Murray Blair (furthest from camera) sixth and Gordon Armstrong (green bib) seventh.
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
The athletes enjoyed running in front of a big crowd for the final, a far cry from the COVID enforced smattering of souls for the 152nd and the small gathering of stalwarts for the 153rd.
Conditions for the second day were relatively benign for the time of year. Temperatures were well above freezing with a slight headwind for the cross-ties turning to a cross wind for the final. Going was moderately heavy.
Promoter Frank Hanlon was hospitalised a few days before the meeting and so sadly was unable to attend what he had previously announced would be his final New Year Sprint promotion.
Back to the Sprint final, it was left to Euan Urquhart of VP Glasgow AC (9.0 metres) to bring home the rest of the field, with backmarker Greg Kelly of East Kilbride (0.5 metres) on his shoulder. Another two and a half yards back came Iain McEwan of of Whitemoss AC (8.5 metres) who just held off Murray Blair Lasswade AC (6.0 metres). Gordon Armstrong of TLJT (9.0 metres) was closely beaten into seventh place with Sean O'Hara Morpeth Harriers in eighth.
Cumbie Bowers provided the traditional betting interest, both at Meadowbank and Musselburgh. Come the final, Scott was off the board, Gkontouin was at 7/2, Gordon at 3/1 and Euan at 4/1.
Curiously, almost half the finalists came through from the same heat at Meadowbank - Scott, Euan and Gkontouin all ran in the sixth heat.
Earlier in the day, Scott stamped his authority on the event winning the first cross-tie in 12 seconds dead, the fastest up by three tenths of a second. Ethan Pottie, who was second in the same tie, failed to qualify for the final by just 0.02 seconds. Gordon Armstrong took the second tie in 12.30 seconds with second place Sean O'Hara qualifying as a fastest loser in 12.54 seconds. Euan Urquart, who was fastest in the heats, won the third tie in 12.40 seconds ahead of Greg Kelly in 12.45 seconds and Murray Blair in 12.53 seconds who both qualified. Gkontouin claimed the fourth and last tie in 12.30 seconds with second place Iain McEwan qualifying with 12.48 seconds.
The 154th meeting kicked off at a very wet and windy Meadowbank Stadium on 30th December. With the atrocious weather forecast to subside at noon, David Rothwell, deputising as meeting manager for the ill Frank Hanlon, took the decision to delay the start of proceedings by an hour. This decision paid off and saw the first event start in dry and calm conditions - the sun even came out after a while.
The first final of the day, the Youths 90 metres Handicap, saw Cameron Kennedy of Aberdeen AC (15 metres) narrowly hold off Craig Tindle of TLJT (12 metres) with Ava Lees of TLJT (15.5 metres) a couple of yards back in third. One of the two fastest losers, Eloise Scott of Lasswade AC (16 metres) was three yards back in fourth, followed by the other fastest loser Olivia Muir of Harmeny AC (15.5 metres) and Daniel Lawson of Kelso (9.5 metres) in sixth.
The main event, the New Year Sprint lived up to expectations with some close heats and fast times thanks to the lull in the wind. Fastest up was Euan Urquart in heat 6 in 11.34 seconds, with Scott Tindle and Gkontouin Imante joining him in the cross-ties. Both Iain McEwan (heat 5) and Ethan Pottie (heat 7) came down in 11.42 seconds with Murray Blair also qualifying from heat 5. Gordon Armstrong won the fourth fastest heat (heat 1) in 11.50 seconds and he was joined by Sean O'Hara and Mateo Hughes in the cross-ties.
Fair conditions saw the backmarkers put through their paces, with both Greg Kelly and Ethan Pottie scorching down the track to record 3.5 yards inside even time, using old school measuring. Gkontouin Imante was comfortably inside even time, Sol Stewart was bang on even time and the eventual winner, Scott Tindle, recorded narrowly outside even time. Some serious sprinting by those athletes. For the younger generation, "even time" equates to running the old 100 yards in 10 seconds dead and is a yardstick for class sprinting.
The 800 metres Open Handicap, originally planned as two heats, was condensed into a straight final. Front marker Jennifer Beattie of Kilmarnock H & AC (190 metres) appeared to pay the price for running a very swift first lap but somehow found the reserves to fight to the finish in what was a very gutsy victory in 1:53.8. Backmarker Michael Cairns of Kilbarchan AC (40 metres) cut through the rest of the field for second place, with Matthew Fleming of Kelso (135 metres) in third. Kevin Wood of TLJT (160 metres) was fourth with Dean Whiteford of Innerleithen (90 metres) fifth and John Thomson of Glenrothes (125 metres) sixth.
Veteran front marker Ramsay Sloss of Lasswade AC (59 metres) ran away with victory in the 200 metres Open Handicap in 21.44 seconds. Second was Abigail Harrison Inverness (XXX metres) with Ewen Bradley of Skye (13 metres) leading the pack, in third. Ramsay Blair of Lasswade AC (14 metres) was fourth, Evie Renwick of TLJT (32 metres) fifth and veteran Gordon (Albert) Eland of Great Broughton was sixth. The 200 metres Open was also scheduled to be run in heats, but ended up as a straight final.
The popular 800 metres Youths Handicap with fifteen runners saw Leah Buchan of Harmeny AC (160 metres) triumphant in 1:58.9 from Matthew Fox of Shettleston Harriers (40 metres) with Olivia Inglis of Law & District AC (160 metres) in third. Amber Cunningham of Lothian RC (220 metres) was fourth with Jessica Inglis of Law & District AC (90 metres) fifth and Harry Fleming of Kelso (240 metres) in sixth place.
Presentations for the above were held immediately preceeding interval.
The 90 metres Veterans and 90 metres Ladies Handicaps followed the interval; both events were run as straight finals.
In the Vets, second front marker David Edelman of Giffnock North AC (26.5 metres) won comfortably in 9.32 seconds with season competitor Cameron Smith of Central AC (10.5 metres) the runner up and last year's winner Keith Kong of Lasswade AC (12.5 metres) in third. John Fleming of Kelo (10.5 metres) was fourth with the evergreen Gordon (Albert) Eland of Great Broughton (30.5 metres) fifth and the 129th New Year Sprint winner James Cunningham of Haddington (11.0 metres) sixth.
Evie Renwick of TLJT (6.5 metres) was a clear winner in the Ladies in 10.44 seconds from Kerry Morris of Team East Lothian (5.0 metres) who in turn was a good distance ahead of the 153rd New Year Sprint winner Downie of Edinburgh AC (Scratch). A yard or so back was Zoe Blair of Jedforest AC (6.0 metres) with Caris Brus of TLJT (8.5 metres) in fifth and Fiona Steele of Douglas (12.0 metres) in sixth.
After a period of relatively calm, the wind picked up and the temperature dropped for the final finals of the day: the two age group Youths 200 metres Handicap events.
A big field of 13 for the aged under 13 event saw domination by the Lees family with frontmarker Robyn (57 metres) beating sister Ava (34 metres); both representing TLJT. Following closely on Ava's heels was Morven Kenny of Team East Lothian (50 metres) with Freddie Wilson of TLJT (32 metres) fourth, Maya Buchan of Harmeny AC (53 metres) in fifth and Joe McDade of Jedforest AC (53 metres) in sixth.
In contrast to the busy under 13 event, only five runners contested the under 16 version. Craig Tindle of TLJT (23 metres), brother of one New Year Sprint winner at the time, but brother of two New Year Sprint winners a day later, won with yards to spare in 22.44 seconds. Daniel Lawson of Kelso (20 metres) was second, also with a few yards to spare, from Tess Renwick of TLJT (30 metres) in third. Molly Hunter of Kilmarnock Harriers (28 metres) was fourth with Lewis Fleming of Kelso (32 metres) in fifth.
A final presentation was held in the shelter of the stand before all and sundry beat a hasty retreat to living room fires.