YES!!!!!!!!!!! Jersey Spartan AC pulled off a remarkable victory on Sarnian soil in the cross-country inter-insular held on Sunday 4^th March. Despite missing several top runners we managed to win 7 categories to Guernsey’s 5 to follow up our 10-2 victory at Noirmont last year. The willingness of our ‘average’ runners to travel and compete was the deciding factor as our teams packed well to offset Guernsey’s general superiority at the top of the various categories.

Big win for the hosts with the excellent Lee Merrien, Alan Rowe, Nick Despres and Lee Garland taking the first four slots. (Lee incidentally is coached by Liam Cain, as is Ian Carter). Nick Gorrod (vet) was our first finisher followed by Jason Lee (5^th) and Peter Le Couillard (9^th, vet), happily recovered from his knee operation. The other Jersey finishers were John Cunningham (11^th, vet), Jose De Oliveira (12^th, vet), Jon Coote (13^th), Billy Grace (14th, vet), Ian Farley (15^th, vet), Richard Howard (16^th, vet) and Jerry Keen (19^th).

The packing of our vets (see above) proved crucial here. Well done guys – were you all roped together? Pete Wickins was the first Guernsey vet home in 10^th place.

Barry Marley and Pete de Bertrand of Guernsey led the super vets home, followed by our first finisher Geoff Bourne, with Brian Holden of Guernsey in 4^th. Our other finishers were Bernie Arthur (5^th), Gerry McCarthy (8^th) and Gil Blackwood (9^th).

Joyce Clinton (also a super vet) was our heroine as the highest 4^th ‘counter’, thus clinching the win for Jersey – well done Joyce! The race was won by the ever-classy Penny Buckingham with our own Maria De Jesus (vet) in second place. Sue Le Ruez, now a super-vet, had a brilliant run to finish in 4^th overall, even beating the talented Mary Frawley, who has been in foreign parts for a few months and out of training, by 16 seconds. Joyce’s 7^th place finish ensured the senior ladies victory and she was followed home by Jersey colleagues Sylvia Thompson (10^th, vet), Rebecca Roberts (13^th), Norma Illing (14^th), Kieranne Sheehy (18^th, vet), Debbie Donaldson (19^th, vet), Linda Wright (21^st, vet), Anne King (22^nd, vet), Pauline Kilduff (23^rd, super vet), Angie Twigg (25^th, super vet) and Shirley McGhee (26^th, super vet).

Maria De Jesus, Joyce Clinton, Sue Le Ruez and Sylvia Thompson – all in the top 10 overall, gave Jersey victory.

With Sue, Pauline Kilduff and Angie Twigg supported by Shirley McGhee, this was a great result for our old girls!

Mark Mercier of Guernsey was an impressive winner with Jersey’s finishers being Robert Harrop (2^nd) and Alex Gee (4^th). Things mighr have been different had not Stephen Phelan been forced to retire through injury.

Er, a bit sad this one. Won by Tom Sherwill of Guernsey who’ll get harder races!

An impressive win by Ian Carter backed up with a solid third place by Ross Allan just nicked this one.

A close affair this with Jamey Herbert of Jersey fighting off the challenge of Guernsey’s Erica Bodman and Christine Hume to come home the winner. It was Sylvie Thompson (4^th) and Natasha Kay (5^th) who led home a pack of Guernsey girls to nick the win.

We were outgunned by Guernsey here with Sarah Hume winning by 5 seconds from Hayley Clarke. Hazel Blackwood (6^th) and Leigh Elston (7^th) did their very best for their Island.

Well done Holly Blackwood, you can only beat what’s in front of you!

Well done Spartans – Guernsey will be well cheesed off by this result. It’s not often that we turn them over on their own patch. Bear in mind also that we were missing, for various reasons, the likes of Ken White, Christian Folliot, Rob Douglas, Barbara Parker, Sarah Bruce, Jo Scotcher etc. Having said that, I am told that – had Guernsey taken a hard line on one or two grey areas concerning the rules – we might well have been turned over. If this is the case then well done GIAC.

Maybe this will give us the impetus to reverse the upper hand that Guernsey have over us at Track & Field at present!

It is a big concern for both islands though that there are hardly any older ‘teens’ running these days. Whoever gets their development programme in order is going to dominate future inter–insulars.

Well done Richard Sowerby in particular and Gil Blackwood for their great efforts in organising the teams. Many thanks also the Bank of Ireland for their sponsorship, thus defraying the ridiculous expense of inter-island travel.

Finally, well done Guernsey for getting the event switched at such short notice, and for being such great hosts. See you next year!