2003 Sprint Report

New Year Sprint winner David Lauder of Hawick. Photo: Grossick Photography

David Lauder of Hawick clinched victory, the gold medal and £6000 first prize, by the narrowest of margins in the 2003 and 134th New Year Sprint, held at Musselburgh Racecourse on 27th and 28th December 2002.

Lauder, who had a successful summer season that included victory in the Morebattle sprint handicap, snatched first place from David Gilmour of East Kilbride by just one hundredth of a second. Many in the crowd thought that Gilmour had secured victory, but the photo-finish picture clearly showed Lauder in front, thanks to his finishing dip.

For the third year running, hopes of a first-ever female victor in the Sprint were dashed. Although two women qualified for the final - Karen Steede of Jedburgh making her third final appearance in as many years - and the favourite, 16 year old Gemma Nicol from Dunfermline & W. Fife AC who represented Scotland in the Manchester Commonwealth Games in the 4x400m relay, neither could stamp their authority on the race.

Following the same successful format as last year, the cross-ties and final were held in conjunction with the Christmas National Hunt horse race meeting, treating hundreds of race goers to the exciting spectacle of close finishes that handicap foot-races is famed.

This year the event reached a much bigger audience still as Channel 4 broadcast the Sprint final nationwide, giving many people their first taste of open handicap foot-racing, and hopefully boosting the profile of this enthralling sport.

The introduction of 1600m Open and 800m Youths handicaps was widely hailed as a success. These races, held in front of the grandstand and necessitating tight bends, replaced the cross country races which used to tour the entire racecourse with runners out of site for long periods.

Going was heavy on both days of the New Year Sprint meeting, but the runners were grateful that the drizzle of the first day didn't continue for the day of the final. A headwind on the second day resulted in slower times in the Sprint cross-ties, but as last year, the wind dropped for the final.

The photos on this page, other than those of the New Year Sprint, are taken from the New Year Sprint video by John Wilson, Hawick.

New Year Sprint (110m Open Handicap) heats
Long odds favourite Gemma Nicol (21.25m) threw down the gauntlet by winning her heat in 11.30 secs - easily the fastest time. Selkirk man Geoff Keen (11.25m), who followed in her wake as did former winner and veteran champion Eric Smart of Gateshead Harriers (12m), both qualified for the cross-ties as fastest losers. David Lauder (11.75m) was next fastest up, with Karen Steede (21.5m), 2nd in the final in the last two years, and Craig Sowerby of Seaton AC (9.75m) in the English Lake District posting similar times. Ian Smith of Longniddry (13m) was next fastest. Veterans took two heats - Gemma's mother Wendy also from Dunfermline & W. Fife AC (30.5m) took the last, and slowest heat while Brian "Chico" Woods of Jedburgh (25m) continued his successful season by taking heat 8.

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New Year Sprint cross-ties
The first cross-tie saw Gemma Nicol coast to victory in 11.61 secs - the fastest of the round. A. Selby of Morpeth Harriers (8.5m) led the chase but was beaten by a good metre. Brian Woods in third place joined Selby as qualifiers for the final.

Gemma Nicol winning the first cross-tie from A. Selby (yellow bib). Photo: Grossick Photography.

The second cross-tie went to form with Craig Sowerby striding to victory in 11.74 secs. Former winner James Cunningham of Haddington (8.5m) followed Sowerby by a metre and qualfied for the final. John Steede of Jedburgh (22.5m), former veteran world champion over 400m, completed a fine season in which he reached a remarkable 13 finals during the summer, by coming third but failed to make the final.

Craig Sowerby winning the second cross-tie from John Cunningham. Photo: Grossick Photography.

David Lauder powered his way to victory in the third cross-tie as expected, but David Gilmour of East Kilbride (11.25m) chased him all the way and was only 0.5m down at the tape. The race was a lot closer than unexpected as Gilmour's heat winning time was almost half a second slower than Lauder's. Gilmour joined Lauder in the final. Veteran Thomas Daffurn was third.

The fourth and final cross-tie saw victory go to the favourite Karen Steede but she only just held off the challenge of Ian Smith by half a metre.

Karen Steede winning the fourth cross-tie from Ian Smith. Photo: Grossick Photography.

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New Year Sprint final
As the gun went to set the final under way, odds on favourite at 4/7 Gemma Nicol flew out of her blocks and soon pulled back the 3.75m advantage enjoyed by Brian Woods. Two-thirds of the way through the race Gemma had an apparently unassailable lead with Karen Steede and Brian Woods left in her wake. But in the final twenty metres Gemma appeared to falter and the field closed in rapidly. With 5 metres left she had surrendered her lead to leave Lauder and Gilmour battling it out for victory. With both runners appearing to cross the line together, the photo-finish was called for and several minutes later first place was awarded to Lauder. Gemma held on to third place by a foot from Karen Steede. Strong finishes from backmarkers Sowerby and Selby weren't quite enough to get them amongst the medals and they had to settle for fifth and sixth places. Woods maintained his form to finish just behind in seventh place with Cunningham in eighth place. Just one metre separated the first 6 runners - a fine testament to the handicapping system and the handicapper Adam Crawford.

David Lauder (blue bib) winning the final from David Gilmour (nearest camera) and Gemma Nicol (pink bib). Photo: Grossick Photography.

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90m Open and Veterans
W. McGowan of Stirling (14m) produced the fastest time in the 90m heats running away from the field in 9.65 secs. Geoff Keen (9m), who was unlucky to be drawn in Gemma Nicol's heat in the 110m, showed fine form easily winning heat 7. Other fast times came from D. Prowse of Hawick (9.5m) with 9.73 secs and veteran Eric Smart (10m) with 9.76 secs. Veteran Mat McMahon of Carlisle (26m) still managed to win his heat despite being pulled 1m for a false start.

The first cross-tie, which doubled as the veterans final, saw B. Douglas of Harmeny AC (24m) and John Robertson of Logieriat (16.75m) neck and neck at the line. The photo-finish finally decided the race in favour of Eric Smart who had produced a barn storming finish. The second cross-tie was the fastest with Prowse just gaining the edge over Keen. The third cross-tie went to McGowan with Gary Wilson of Hawick (11m) also qualifying for the final. Keen gained revenge over Prowse in the final in a tight finish with McGowan close behind in third place.

Geoff Keen finishing inches ahead of D. Prowse (wearing black tights) in the 90m Open final. W. McGowan is close behind.

Eric Smart in lane 3 (lane 1 nearest camera) winning the Veterans final from J. Robertson (lane 5) and B. Douglas (lane 2) in a blanket finish.

Back markers Invitation Handicap
The backmarkers invitation handicap was won in convincing fashion by front marker James Cunningham (4.75m). Backmarker Nick Smith running off scratch overhauled the rest of the field, but found Cunningham too strong, and came a good second. In a battle for third place Ian Horsburgh (3m) just got the better of Ken Campbell (2.5m) who in turn just held off Ross Linnet (2.5m). B. Rund (1.75m) was sixth.

James Cunningham comfortably winning the Backmarkers Invitation from Nick Smith.

1600m Open handicap
B. Hands of Motherwell (240m) produced a strong finish to earn a comfortable victory from A. Anderson of West Linton (235m) with A. Jenkins of Cambuslang H. (235m) in third.

B. Hands leading A. Anderson into the home straight in the 1600m.

90m Youths Handicap
The 90m Youths was a dramatic affair as backmarker P. Swan of City of Edinburgh AC (5.5m) just took the tape from front marker Stacy Brand of Hawick (20.5m).

P. Swan (wearing black tights) pipping Stacy Brand in the 90m Youths.

800m Youths Handicap
The 800m Youths was won by near backmarker C. Robertson of Dunfermline and W. Fife AC (50m) who took the lead half way down the home straight from G. Gibson of Dunfermline & WF AC who came second. S. Devenney of City of Edinburgh AC (145m) was third.

C. Robertson taking the lead from G. Gibson in the home straight of the 800m Youths.

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