Centurions1911

Clerical Medical Sponsored Isle of Man Parish Walk
85 miles
20th-21st June 2009

A record 1402 faced the starter at 8am on Saturday morning at Douglas N.S.C...  This included 24 Centurions,  17 of which completed the full distance.
The weather was cloudy and cool at the start but there was light rain for the last 2 hours. 
The record of 163 finishers in 2007 was again broken, with 187 walkers completing the full 85 mile circuit of the Island.  The early pace was set by Jock Waddington.  Robbie Callister, Ray Pitts, Sue Biggart and Janice Quirk.
Callister was more than 4 minutes in front of Pitts and Quirk at German 32.5 miles, with Waddington 4th and Biggart 5th. 
Waddington continued his charge and surged past Callister to take the lead at 42 miles with Quirk 3rd.
Ray Pitts had to retire at 52.5 miles due to back problems.  
Robbie Callister, 5 times past winner, dropped out at 55.5 miles.  At Maughold, 67 miles,  Waddington’s lead was 18 minutes over Quirk with Biggart 3rd.  Mark Hempsall moved into 3rd place at 76 miles.  Jock Woddington C1034 powered to the finish on Douglas Promenade for back to back victories in a time of 15: 45:56.
In second place was Janice Quirk in a time of 15:58:35, knocking 1:27:37 off her P.B. for the distance, and 18 mins: 01 sec. off the course record set by Sandra Brown C735 in 1998!
Mark Hempsall was 3rd in 16:20:45, Sue Biggart C1030 followed in 4th place. 5th was Eamon Harkin C1016.