Wick-Thurso, Relay - 2007

Despite the wet weather that has shrouded Caithness for many weeks, the sun shone on the Wick-Thurso Relay event and assured that the day was going to be a success for all 15 teams taking part. The Relay which has been running in its present form since 2002, has netted some £20,000 for local charities in that time and grows each year in strength.

This year to the delight of the Race Organiser, Sophie Dunnett, half of the teams competing were doing so for the first time and this level of enthusiasm ensures the ongoing success of the event and support for the charities that benefit from it. This year the money raised was being split between palliative / respite care specialist equipment for Dunbar Hospital and funding to support Gordon Smith in his goal of competing in the 2012 para-olympics.

As well as testing the teams' physical abilities and their competitive stamina, the athletes managed to raise £3,600; a figure which may continue to rise over the next few weeks as sponsor money continues to be collected. The teams bought into the spirit of the event with some unusual team names and one team had personlised their team kit with teeshirts sporting the various characters from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, captained by Gary Angus as Snow White.

The race left Wick in 4 sperate starts with walking teams heading out onto the raod at 8.30am, combined walk/run teams at 9.15am and the running teams at 10 and 10.15am. Support on the 20 mile course was again provided by Johnson Control with Robbie Malcolm driving the lead vehicle ahead of the first athletes.

Marshalls were also onhand along the route to ensure the safety of the athletes and apart from a speeding non-local lorry and bus near the Hoy area, most drivers were extremely patient as the 130 competitors made their way in relay form from Wick to Thurso. Thanks has to go to all those who gave up their Sunday morning to marshal on the course, drive teams of sweaty walkers/runners across the county, provide safety backup and record the team's times as they entered Thurso.

Most of the teams were well grouped together throughout the whole race which added to the entertainment value for the athletes and drivers and kept everyone spirits up as the miles ticked over. Even though the relay was won by a margin of over 10 minutes, the winning team, Vulcan Family and Friends had started in the faster runners start where as Wick High School Staff and the Endurance Crew had left Wick some 10 minute earlier which kept these three teams battling it out up until the last mile.

The atmosphere increased as the teams approached the final changeovers and the last run in from Thurso Cemetery towards the Park Hotel was completed as is now traditional, by most of the groups as a team effort.

The overall results were as follows:-

1. Vulcan Family and Friends - 1.59.20hr
2. Wick High School Staff - 2:10:17hr
3. The Endurance Crew - 2:10:30hr
4. Marshalls Milers - 2: 16:40hr
5. Duffs Dawdlers - 2:17:26hr
6. Reay Side Runners - 2:2128:54hr
7. The Mile Munchers - 2:22:43hr
8. Nukem - 2:28:23hr
9. Thurso High School Staff - 2:32:40hr
10. Magnificant 7 - 2:48:15hr
11. The 4 F's - 3.02.50hr
12. NHC Angels - 3:04:56hr
13. 9 Old Farts and a Tart - 3:33:25hr.

The final two teams, Brookies Footies and Caithness Disability Multisports, doubled up on some of the miles to allow them to complete the course along with the rest of the teams. Gordon Smith completed 6 miles himself as part of the Multisports team in his new racing wheelchair and admitted to having very sore arms at the end of the race. He took the honours of taking his team home over the finishing line.

The trophy for fastest team for 2007 was presented to Vulcan Family and Friends by Race Organiser, Sophie Dunnett. The team who had raised the most sponsorship on the day was the Wick High School Staff, and they received the RWE Nukem Trophy from Mr Alan Scott.

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