2004 Sprint Report

George Charlton of North Shields in the North East of England, snatched victory, the gold medal and £6000 first prize in the 2004 and 135th New Year Sprint at Musselburgh Racecourse on 7th January 2004. Gary Wilson of Hawick, who was giving Charlton a slender 1.5m start, just failed to make up the difference and took second place just 2/100 second behind.

Winner of the 2004 New Year Sprint - George Charlton of North Shields. Photo: John Grossick Photography

Charlton, who had posted the second fastest heat time, was a beneficiary of the postponement of the second days racing. Heavy frost resulted in cancellation of the Christmas National Hunt meeting, so the second day's running was postponed until the following week to coincide with the first National Hunt meeting of the new year. By then, favourite K. Wilson of Kelty, who had run the fastest heat, suffered a hamstring injury in training causing him to withdraw from the cross-ties, leaving the way open for Charlton to take the honours.

With 3 women in the final, the odds had never looked better for a first ever woman victor. Elaine Telford of Morpeth Harriers put up a fine performance as front marker, but stumbled close to the tape when it looked as though victory was in her grasp. It was left to Karen Cochrane (formerly Steede) to lead the women's charge, but she was narrowly beaten into third place despite a battling performance.

New Year Sprint (110m Open Handicap) heats
The crowd had to wait until the 16th and final heat for the fastest time of the day when K. Wilson of Kelty (9.75m) produced a fine run to overhaul veteran J. McStewart in 11.42 secs as both runners qualified for the next round. Next fastest up was G. Charlton of North Shields (15.5m) who beat P. Brown of Cramlington (13.5m) by a metre in 11.45 secs in heat 5. Chris Gillie of Newcastle (11.5m) had to dig deep to catch Gemma Nicol of Dunfermline & WF AC (20m) in a time of 11.47 secs in heat 6. Elaine Telford of Morpeth H (25m) won heat 15 impressively in 11.48 secs. Experienced New Year Sprint finalist Karen Cochrane was a convincing winner in heat 11 with a time of 11.51 secs.

Other heat winners of note were backmarkers C. Telford of Border H (4m) in heat 12, Irishman J. O'Donaghue of Leeiole AC (5.25m) in heat 8 and L. McDermid of Victoria Park AC (6.5m) in heat 10. 70 year old veteran and frontmarker Matt McMahon of Carlisle (33m) held on impressively to win heat 11.

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New Year Sprint cross-ties
The first cross-tie was an enthralling race with front marker 70 year old Mat McMahon of Carlisle (33m) putting up a fine performance to lead until just 5 metres from the line. Karen Cochrane, though, had the finishing speed to pip McMahon for victory, with Ian Smith of Longiddry (13.5m), P. Brown of Cramlington (13.5m) and G. Keen of Selkirk (10.5m) following very closely behind. Veteran J. McStewart of Armadale (29.5m) came through ahead of McMahon. Just 1 metre separated all the runners.

Karen Cochrane winning the first cross-tie from Ian Smith (lane beyond Karen). Photo: Grossick Photography.

Gary Wilson of Hawick (14m) sewed up the second cross-tie early on with a polished performance, winning by 2 metres from Chris Gillie of Newcastle (11.5m) in the fastest race of the round. Sharon Curtis of Dunfermline & WF AC folllowed closely in third place.

Gary Wilson winning the second cross-tie from Chris Gillie. Photo: Grossick Photography.

In the third cross-tie Elaine Telford of Morpeth Harriers held her lead from start to finish, only coming under pressure in the last couple of strides from fast finishing back marker J. Cunningham of Haddington (8.5m). Veteran D. Grieve of Hawick (15m) was a metre back in third place.

Elaine Telford winning the third cross-tie from John Cunningham. Photo: Grossick Photography.

George Charlton of North Shields (15.5m) produced a determined performance to take the fourth cross-tie with Gemma Nicol of Dunfermline & WF AC in second place just holding of the powerful finish of C. Cochrane of Jedburgh (7.25m). Veteran G. Armstrong of Edinburgh (17.75m) was half a metre behind in fourth place.

George Charlton winning the fourth cross-tie from Gemma Nicol. Photo: Grossick Photography.

New Year Sprint final
Front marker Elaine Telford capitalised on her 25m start leading for most of the race. 10 metres out victory still looked to be hers. However, a stumble a few metres out combined with determined finishes from 3 other runners, saw her hopes dashed. Karen Cochrane appeared to take the lead from Elaine, but she was just pipped to the line by a matter of inches by winner George Charlton and Gary Wilson.

George Charlton (pink bib) winning New Year Sprint from Gary Wilson (purple bib) and Karen Cochrane (dark blue bib). Photo: Grossick Photography.

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90m Open Handicap
J. Bryce of Dunfermline & WF AC (29m) hung on to claim victory in a desperate finish from fellow veteran B. Douglas of Harmeny AC (23m) by just 1/100 second. A yard and a half behind in third place was backmarker C. Telford of Border H. (3.75m) who only a few minutes earlier had won the 120yds backmarkers race. M. Fleming of Kelso (13m), J. O'Donaghue of Leeiole AC (4.75m) and Lesley Steel of Pitreavie AC (19.5m) all finished within 1/100 second of each other.

J. Bryce (wearing white bib) beating B. Douglas in the 90m Open final.

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90m Veterans Handicap
In a repeat performance of the 90m Open final, J. Bryce of Dunfermline & WF AC (29m) claimed victory by the narrowest of margins in a photo-finish from B. Douglas of Harmeny AC (23m) by just 1/100 second. A. Crawford of Annan (10m) was 3 yards down in third place, followed by D. Grieve of Hawick (11m) who just overhauled J. Rutherford of Jedburgh (21m) for 4th place, and J. Hogg of Hawick (17m).

J. Bryce (wearing white bib) beating B. Douglas in the 90m Veterans final.

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120 yards Backmarkers Handicap
A field of class performers saw scratchman C. Telford storm through for victory from T. Cunningham of Lanark AC (3.75m) who just got the better of C. Fleming of Inverclyde AC (5.25m). L. McDermid (2.75m) in fourth place was closely followed by G. Gattinby of Edinburgh (3.25m) and B. Middleton of city of Edinburgh AC (4m).

Craig Telford beating T. Cunningham and C. Fleming in the Backmarkers Handicap.

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1600m Open Handicap
The 1600m race saw a finish worthy of a sprint competition. B. Hands of Strathclyde Univ. (225m) appeared to have done enough to secure victory. However, a fast finish from J. Newsom of Pitreavie AC (90m) saw both runners dip on the line in what appeared to be a dead heat. The photo-finish equipment revealed that Hands won by just 5/100 seconds. Hands also won the event last year.

B. Hands (in red) winning the 1600m from J. Newsom.

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90m Youths Handicap
The 90m Youths race saw victory go to odds-on favourite B. Mulgrew of Dalkeith (22m), whose heat winning time was the fastest by over half a second. Mulgrew's father and grandfather were both former winners of the New Year Sprint. The rest of the runners crossed in a blanket finish with R. Charters of City of Edinburgh AC (20m), who was pulled 1m for a false start, edging out L. Young of Jedburgh (17m). G. Young of Jedburgh (17m) was just 1/100 second behind in fourth place.

B. Mulgrew demolishing the field in the 90m Youths final.

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800m Youths Handicap
In the 800m Youths race J. Crawford of Annan (220m) won with room to spare from S. Devenney of City of Edinburgh AC (145m). Charlotte Knox of Selkirk (190m) was third.

J. Crawford approaching the finishing line in the 800m Youths. S. Devenney is about 15m behind.

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