2008 Sprint Report
16 year old Craig Robertson of Gala ran the race of his life to claim the gold medal and 4000 pound first prize at the 2008 and 139th New Year Sprint held on 28th and 39th December 2007 at Musselburgh Racecourse.
Craig produced the biggest upset seen in a New Year Sprint final during its 8 year staging at Musselburgh. Starting the final as an outsider at odds of 10/1, and running from an unfavourable outside lane, Craig held off 4/5 favourite David Rae of Hawick by inches to secure his name in the history books.
Robertson demonstrated that it is possible to win the Sprint without showing the fastest times in the earlier rounds. He won his heat in only the ninth fastest time, and his cross-tie winning time was the slowest and 2 metres slower than the quickest cross-tie. Shrewd observers would have noted his ease of victory in both races, which he won by a good metre, suggesting reserves of speed yet to be tapped.
Rae, at 33 the old man of the race, had been heavily backed throughout the meeting. He had earned his tag of favourite by winning the fastest heat and by the winning his cross-tie in a time just 0.01 secs slower than the fastest cross-tie. Rae was British Professional Sprint Champion over several distances back in 1999 and was twice a winner of the Youths 90m Championship at the New Year Sprint meeting in the early 1990s.
Another outstanding performance from a 16 year old saw Josh Crawford of Annan earn third spot just 0.12 secs behind the winner. This represented a big improvement over his performances in the earlier rounds. Josh was the winner of last year's 90 metres Youths Handicap.
Just behind in fourth place was Iskan Barskanmay of Hawick who built on his impressive form throughout the summer games that had seen him rewarded with victory in the 110m Open handicap at Morebattle.
The final of the New Year Sprint was notable for having no female representative for the first time in 7 years.
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The conditions were not conducive to fast running in the heats - there was a light head wind and the ground was quite heavy. It was, however, particularly mild.
In heat 1 veteran Tom Bradley of Edinburgh (21.5m) produced a typically determined performance to win by a metre from Jonathan McKenna of Aberdeen (10m) in the slowest time of the day of 12.50 secs.
Newcomer to the New Year Sprint Iskan Barskanmay of Hawick (9.75m) just managed to overhaul Linda Nicholson of Peebles (27m) to win heat 2 in the fast time of 11.98 secs. The 2/1 long odds favourite Steven Charters of Edinburgh AC (5.5m) failed to progress beyond the heat.
Veteran Peter Brown of Cramlington (12.5m) won heat 3 in a convincing fashion in 12.25 secs from a field that included the winner of the 1991 New Year Sprint, and fellow veteran, Douglas Donald from Mid. Masters (12m).
Another veteran who showed steely determination was Drew Bryson of Hawick (20m), who just got the verdict in heat 4 from youngster John Armstrong of Longniddry (9.75m) in 12.04 secs.
Gareth Gattinby in heat 5 was the first backmarker to taste victory in the heats, beating teenager Josh Crawford of Annan (10m) by a metre in 11.97 secs.
Heat 6 saw "all runners go" and Craig Robertson of Gala (9.5m) - the eventual winner of the final - pulled clear of the field with 10m to go to win in 12.06 secs.
Antony Daffurn of Shettleston H. was a very comfortable winner of heat 7 in 12.33 secs.
Heat 8 saw a close finish with Wallace McGowan of Dunfermline & WF AC just holding off Duncan Cleat of Edinburgh AC (7.25m) in the joint second fastest heat winning time of 11.93 secs.
Heat 9 belonged to another veteran - Graeme Armstrong of Edinburgh (16m) - whose strong finish kept backmarker Greg Turnbull of Jedburgh (5.75m) at bay by a metre at the finish in a time of 11.93 secs - the joint second fastest heat.
In heat 10 David Rae of Hawick (8.5m) finished impressively with a metre to spare from the handicap backmarker Craig Fleming of Harrow AC (2.5m) with Mathew Fleming of Kelso (12.25m) showing well. The winning time was 11.89 secs - the fastest of the day.
Veteran Alan Crawford of Annan (13m) delivered his trademark powerful run which was all but enough to secure victory in heat 11 - backmarker Tommy Ashby of Innerleithen (7m) just taking him on the line in 12.17 secs.
Eric Smart of Gateshead H. (13m), yet another evergreen veteran, produced a finish worthy of a runner half his age, to win heat 12 emphatically from Walter Hunter of Polmont (20m) in 12.02 secs.
Heat 13 went to Cameron Smith of Tullibody (8.5m) who won with room to spare from backmarker Michael Barvik in 12.05 secs. Craig Sowerby of Seaton AC (7.5m) and Gary Wilson of Hawick (11.75m) were other noteworthy performers.
Newcomer to the Sprint, Paul Donaghy of Durham, running off the short mark for a veteran of 10.5m, claimed the final heat, heat 14, by half a metre from fast finishing Scott Robertson of Dunfermline (10.5m).
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The first cross-tie saw Iskan Barskanmay very quickly into his running and soon up to Wallace McGowan's shoulder. Barskanmay continued his charge to the finish where he was very nearly caught by the fast finishing Josh Crawford who also qualified for the final. McGowan finished well for third place. The winning time was 12.29 secs.
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Iskan Barskanmay (second from left) winning 1st cross-tie from Josh Crawford (right).
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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In the second cross-tie Linda Nicholson held on well, but Craig Robertson's finishing power proved overwhelming as he swept passed to finish with a metre to spare in the slowest cross-tie time of 12.33 secs. Drew Bryson pipped Linda for second place.
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Craig Robertson (right) winning 2nd cross-tie from Drew Bryson (white vest).
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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Gareth Gattinby appeared to have the third cross-tie won with just metres to go, but Antony Daffurn produced a finishing burst that gave him a convincing victory, albeit by a narrow margin. Daffurn's winning time of 12.13 secs was the fastest of the cross-ties.
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Antony Daffurn (yellow bib) winning 3rd cross-tie from Gareth Gattinby.
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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David Rae produced another classy display to win the fourth cross-tie in 12.14 secs. Cameron Smith was half a metre behind with Duncan Cleat a further metre behind. Both runners qualified for the final as fastest losers.
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David Rae (yellow bib) winning 4th cross-tie from Cameron Smith (left).
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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For the first time for many years the final had the semblance of a scratch race, rather than a handicap race, with only 4 metres separating all 8 runners. The front marker was sitting on only 10m.
As the runners got into their stride it was Barskanmay who had the initial advantage, making the most of his sharp start. By 70 metres, Craig Robertson running "blind" in lane 8 had taken the lead with David Rae moving into second place. Robertson confounded many spectators by maintaining his form right through the finishing line to win by a foot from David Rae. Josh Crawford produced the other finish of the race to grab third place from Barskanmay. Gareth Gattinby finished 2 metres back in fifth, just inches ahead of Antony Daffurn who held off Duncan Cleat for sixth place. Cameron Smith trailed in last. The winning time was 12 secs dead.
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Craig Robertson (left) winning the New Year Sprint from David Rae (right) and Josh Crawford (second from left)
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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The finish of the 90 metres was a very close affair with Ross Prowse of Uphall (7.75m) just getting ahead of Alan White of Jed Track (9m) in 10.19 secs. Mathew Fleming of Kelso (9.5m) held third place a foot in front of veterans Walter Hunter of Polmont (16.5m) and Paul Donaghy of Durham (7.75m) who were awarded the same time. Greg Turnbull of Jedburgh (4.5m) came sixth.
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Walter Hunter, second in last year's Vets final, went one better this year to gain victory in 10.05 secs in a tense finish in which just one foot separated the first 3 runners. Paul Donaghy (7.75m) was second with last year's winner Tony Bowman of Leeds City AC (22m) in third. Two metres back was James Beattie of Kelty (21m) with Alan Crawford just failing to make up the 11m advantage enjoyed by Beattie. Gary Wilson finished a metre and a half behind in sixth - a respectable performance considering he appeared to tweak his hamstring at the end of his heat.
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Michael Barvik of Edinburgh (6.5m) won the battle of the backmarkers by half a metre from Ewan McCombie of Edinburgh AC (7.75m) in 12.47 secs. A metre behind was Craig Fleming of Harrow AC (2.5m) with just inches separating him from Steven Charters of Edinburgh AC (5.5m) and Greg Turnbull of Jedburgh (5.75m). 2006 New Year Sprint winner Cumberland Bowers of Glenrothes (4.5m) was sixth.
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The 1600 metres Open was won with 30 metres to go by Craig Robertson of Pitreavie AC (80m), better known as a 400m and 800m runner. Craig's winning time was 4 mins 25.9 secs. Ryan O'Hare of Edinburgh AC (145m) overtook long time leader Derek Scott of Hawick (220m) with just metres to go for second place. Steven Fox of Seaton AC (125m) was fourth and near backmarker Colin Welsh of Border H. was fifth. Robert Inglis of Lothian RC (165m) was sixth.
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The result of the 90 metres Youths final was virtually a foregone conclusion after Kieran Kivlin of Edinburgh AC (13m) won his heat over 0.3 secs faster than the next fastest heat. Kieran did not disappoint in the final which he had won at the 70 metre mark. Elliot Ruthven of Earlston HS (18m) was up from third last year to second place with Craig Gillan of Jed Track (10m) in third place a metre and a half ahead of Greg Gillan of Eyemouth (12.5m). Backmarker Greg Louden of Lasswade AC (3m) was fifth ahead of Gemma Scott of Jed Track (19m), Jack Wilson of Hawick (21m) and Ewan Imray of Hawick (7.5m).
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Victory in the 800 metres Youths Handicap went to Iain Douglas of Selkirk (105m) in 2 mins 01.29 secs with Douglas Paul of Dunfermline & WF AC (150m) second ahead of Ben Potrykus of Pitreavie AC (165m). Olivia O'Hare of Edinburgh AC (170m) was fourth, Mark McEwan of Hawick (115m) fifth and Kathryn Pennel of Pitreavie AC (130m) sixth.
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