SHANE FENTON reports from a wet & windy Recreation Park
In all my years as a highland games official i don't think i've experienced weather conditions as bad as they were at Recreation Park, Pitlochry today.
Unrelenting torrential rain driven horizontal by a very strong gusty wind made conditiions for competing well nie impossible.
Officials and competitors tents were uprooted by the winds, the safety cage for the throwers was also brought down meaning no hammer events took place., the high jump competition. was also cancelled for safety reasons. Even with a cover the highland dancers stage also took a soaking and the on-field competition was brought to a halt.
The track quickly developed large pools of water while the surrounding spectator areas were turned into quagmires.
It was no surprise, but a relief to many when the organisers decided to abandon the track programme after only 3 events.The 6 heats and final of the Youth's 90m handicap went ahead as did the Open 800m despite the many water obstacles.The 2 heats and final of the Scottish Athletics Club relays also took place.The young athletes many of whom seemed reluctant to compete because of the conditions were soaked through and chilled to the bone,which probably described how everyone in the park also felt. Hugely disappointing for the organisers and the large entry of athletes who had travelled from all over Scotland but no one expected the conditions to deteriorate just quite as bad as they did.
With SHGA leagues nearing their conclusion expectations were high that some good competition was in the offing but alas the weather scuppered that and for some it's now onto the final meeting of the season at Invercharron next Saturday.
Given the extreme conditions,it was to their credit that a high percentage of the near 50 runners in the Youth 90 metres took their place on the start line. Their only consolation, was that the strong wind was at their backs, the final, however, was reduced to 5 runners with one competitor deciding they had had emough. When the race was eventually run it resulted in a family 1- 2 with Samantha Turnbull, Peebles edging out her sister Natasha in 9.53 seconds with Sam Archibald,Leithenburn in third. The Scottish Athletic Club's SHGA Relays attracted 10 teams on the day with the victors being the team from East Kilbride AC who came home ahead of Clydesdale AC and Pitreavie AC.
The Open 800 metres was a case of dodging the water hazards, the first two places were occupied by the joint back markers with Craig Robertson, Logierait landing the spoils ahead of Rory Muir,Dundee Hawkhill, the ever-consistent Dean Whiteford,Innerleithen took third with Rebecca Burns,Pitreavie Ac in 4th.
The heavy event competition was somewhat curtailed with the absence of the hammer contests. Going into the games Lorne Colthart led the SHGA points league by 20.5 points from last years winner Lukasz Wenta, Lorne extended his advantage with 5 wins on the day to Lukasz' one.
Heavy results- 16lb & 22lb Shot 1 Lorne Colthart 2 Lukasz Wenta 3 Bruce Robb. 56lb weight for distance 1 Lorne Colthart 2 Bruce Robb 3 Lukasz Wenta. 28Lb weight for distance 1Lorne Colthart 2 Lukasz Wenta 3 Bruce Robb. Caber 1 Lukasz Wenta 2 Lorne Colthart 3= Stuart Anderson & Pete Hart. 56Lb for height 1 Lorne Colthart 2= Lukasz Wenta & Stuart Anderson.
The Long and Triple Jumps for both Open & Youths took place as did the Tug o War, results for these to follow.
Published: 2015-09-12 20:58:10