UPSETS GALORE AT THE 2009 BAY SHEFFIELD CARNIVAL
Punters found it hard to pick a winner over the two days of the 2009 Bay Sheffield Carnival, as Russell Scott and Pirrenee Steinert etched their names into history as the winners of the main sprints at the historic South Australian footracing event.
As outsider of the 123rd Coopers Bay Sheffield final, 21 year old local Russell Scott prevailed in a blanket finish, with the 2005 Restricted winner living up to his long-held reputation as a potential Bay Sheffield champion. Trained by unheralded coach Luke Hildyard, Scott kicked back near the finish to overtake runner-up Robbie James who looked the winner at the 100 metre mark. A training partner of James, Dale Woodhams flew home for 3rd placing, while youngster Alex Saliu, 2001 Bay Sheffield winner Keith Sheehy and 2008 Bay Sheffield 70m Open winner Cameron Yorke were the other finalists. For Scott, the win was a dream come true and more than made up for the disappointment of not making the final in 2006 when beaten by banned athlete Andrew Muhlhan in his semi-final. Scott will now concentrate on the national surf life-saving championships as well as race at the famous Loxton and Stawell Gift Carnivals.
The Pier One Bar Bay Sheffield Women’s Gift saw another upset, with former Mort Daly Medallist Pirrenee Steinert flying home off her tough handicap of 3.25m to claim the prestigious crown. Steinert proved the undoing of the unbackable race favourite Zoe Kennedy who finished runner up for the second year running. Steinert’s training partner and winner of the 70m Women’s final on Day 1, Laura Whaler, ended up on the dais in 3rd placing. 24 year old Steinert thanked her New South Wales based coach Tony Fairweather after the race as she described the move to him as the best thing she had done in her athletics career. Steinert will now concentrate on her efforts to represent Australia, with the 400 metre distance possibly the best chance for her to do so.
The results for the entire Carnival were evenly spread among different coaches and among runners from different states. The Frank McHugh trophy for most consistent athlete of the meeting was awarded to Bryce Watkins who impressively took out the 800m Open and then was a gallant 2nd in the 550m Open. A brother of Bryce, Corey Watkins, also tasted success in the 550m Under 17s final.
The warm weather on both days perfectly suited both runners and spectators, with the main finals on both days programmed for the late afternoon and early evening. On Day 1, Amin Chehade won his sixth Bay Sheffield sash in amazing circumstances in the 70m Open Glenelg Sprint, well performed middle distance athlete Lucy Buckley added to her impressive record to win the 550m Women’s race, veterans Ali Saliu (120m) and Mark Worthington (1600m) took out the Over 35 races and youngsters Jarrad Dartnall (120m Restricted) and Michael Brusnahan (120m Under 20s) ran terrific races to highlight their potential in the sport.
Other winners on Day 2 of the event were Victorians David Spence (1600m Backmarkers), James Lynch (1600m Frontmarkers) and Martine Beer (1600m Women), promising young runner Stephen Alexander (800m Under 20s), AFL boundary umpire Adam Coote (550m Open), the inform Jackie Chehade (550m Over 35s) and talented sprinters Bola Lawal (120m Open Backmarkers Invitation) and Emma Freer (120m Women Backmarkers Invitation). Former Adelaide middle distance athlete Tyson Popplestone dominated the 1600m Selected final despite being pulled back to the scratch mark pre-race.
The 2009 Bay Sheffield Carnival also saw twonew inductees into the Bay Sheffield Hall of Fame, with Event Manager Melos Sulicich and 1961 Bay Sheffield winner Ken Hampton honoured at a breakfast function and during a motorcade before the main finals were run.
2009 BAY SHEFFIELD CARNIVAL RESULTS
70m Open
1st–Amin Chehade (8.75m)
2nd–Darren Whittaker (7.25m)
3rd–Stephan Thiel (6.25m)
Time: 7.69secs
70m Women
1st– Laura Whaler (1.25m)
2nd– Ali Trewartha (10.0m)
3rd– Bethany Fairfield (5.5m)
Time: 8.46secs
120m Restricted
1st– Jarrad Dartnall (11.5m)
2nd– David Gross (10.5m)
3rd– Michael Blenman (7.5m)
Time: 12.49secs
120m U20s
1st– Michael Brusnahan (4.0m)
2nd– Nathan Batley (8.5m)
3rd– Jordan Caldow (6.5m)
Time: 12.95secs
120m O35s
1st– Ali Saliu (14.5m)
2nd– Jackie Chehade (24.25m)
3rd– Alison Fairweather (22.0m)
Time: 13.33secs
550m Under 17s
1st– Corey Watkins (66m)
2nd– Joel Kittel (68m)
3rd– Tullio Dematteis (30m)
Time: 1min 17.39secs
550m Women
1st– Lucy Buckley (68m)
2nd– Amanda Crook (38m)
3rd– Stephanie Mollica (44m)
Time: 1min 17.08secs
800m Open
1st– Bryce Watkins (40m)
2nd– Craig Thorley-Mills (66m)
3rd– Adam Coote (54m)
Time: 1min 50.14secs
1600m O35s
1st– Mark Worthing (200m)
2nd– Sean Quilty (15m)
3rd– Tony Parsons (155m)
Time: 4mins 31.75secs
120m OpenCoopersBaySheffield
1st– Russell Scott (8.75m)
2nd– Robbie James (7.0m)
3rd– Dale Woodhams (6.5m)
Time: 12.20secs
120m Women's Gift
1st– Pirrenee Steinert (3.25m)
2nd– Zoe Kennedy (13.0m)
3rd– Laura Whaler (1.25m)
Time: 13.95secs
120m Open Invitation Backmarkers
1st– Bola Lawal (1.75m)
2nd– Alwyn Jones (6.75m)
3rd– John Jakeman (6.75m)
Time: 12.33secs
120m Women Invitation Backmarkers
1st– Emma Freer (6.25m)
2nd– Stephanie Mollica (4.75m)
3rd– Leanne Hodge (1.75m)
Time: 14.36secs
550m Open
1st– Adam Coote (46m)
2nd– Bryce Watkins (28m)
3rd– Oliver Preston (40m)
Time: 1min 10.10secs
550m Over 35s
1st– Jackie Chehade (98m)
2nd– Mark Hipworth (32m)
3rd– Mick Abbott (76m)
Time: 1min 15.34secs
800m Under 20s
1st– Stephen Alexander (58m)
2nd– Nick Beins (84m)
3rd– Stephen Malycha (68m)
Time: 1min 55.33secs
1600m Selected Backmarkers
1st– Tyson Popplestone (Scr)
2nd– Dale Engler (Scr)
3rd– Patrick O’Keeffe (55m)
Time: 4mins 20.20secs
1600m Women
1st– Martine Beer (200m)
2nd– Kate McKenzie (160m)
3rd– Monique Hollick (110m)
Time: 4mins 43.96secs
1600m Backmarkers
1st– David Spence (150m)
2nd– Michael Roeger (95m)
3rd– Grant Penney (135m)
Time: 4mins 3.92secs
1600m Frontmarkers
1st– James Lynch (265m)
2nd– Steve Cavanagh (170m)
3rd– Ashley Sandison (215m)
Time: 4mins 1.28secs
120m ASAAllSchool Champions
1st– Margaret Gayen (14.25m)
2nd– Amie Mittiga (15.5m)
3rd– Jack Harvey (2.5m)
Time: 13.33secs
120m Male Masters
1st– Brett Stokes (13.5m)
2nd– Greg Fopp (Scr)
3rd– Anthony Fedele (4.0m)
Time: 14.85secs
120m Female Masters
1st– Miriam Cudmore (26.0m)
2nd– Valmai Padget (19.25m)
3rd– Lyn Peake (10.5m)
Time: 16.83secs
800m Masters
1st– Damien Smith (20m)
2nd– Cameron White (60m)
3rd– Alex Jeffries (100m)
Time: 2mins 14.70secs