2009 CLUB PRESENTATION NIGHT

Karl C · 2009 CLUB PRESENTATION NIGHT

CLUB PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday, 6 February 2009

Park View Suite, Chalkwell, Three course Dinner.

Dancing to Live music from "The Short People"
£34 each
(£5 Deposits ASAP to JK.Steed@virgin.net)

Karl C

I know it's early but some of you must have been sober enough to remember who won all the trophies..???

C'mon spill the beans...

Mike Mason

Karl, hi. Are you posting my annual award for 'best looking male runner with pertest buttocks' or shall I collect on return?

debbie g

Well here she is again Benfleet’s roving reporter with her fly on the wall account of the Presentation Night. As I stood propping up the bar I watched the normally sweaty shorts and T shirt clad runners arrive in their finery – my don’t Benfleet running club members scrub up well! Time to let your hair down – literally for us ladies. Benfleet’s Oscar hopefuls were waiting with baited breath for the results. The trophies were on the table gleaming, a hushed expectancy in the air – okay so that’s poetic licence, the reality was Clive having to shout at the top of his voice to get the rabble’s attention and there were not a few “shut ups” in his opening address! Still we’d all had a few by then!

Having calmed the rowdies (I’m naming no names but that bunch on the fast boys table were a lively lot!) Clive proceeded with the presentation. The Benfleet League the club’s presentation for the fastest man and women was the 1st one to be made. Ladies winner the lovely Vanessa Dodds Male winner that scarily fast man Keiron McGill. Then it was that coveted trophy the Merit Table Challenge. There had been a battle in the latter stages of the year and it was anyone’s guess who would finally be the victor. So now in reverse order – in 3rd place the man so desperate to take the trophy it almost makes the winner feel guilty – well almost… Steve Dear. Well done Steve. In 2nd place was the man hotly tipped for the top spot Bob Macmillan. Congratulations Bob. So that left the winner.

Well modesty forbids… nah it doesn’t - IT WAS ME !! Earlier in the year I had joked to Pete Watson that he was just looking after the trophy till he handed it to me and much to my amazement it turned out to be a prophetic statement. Sorry Steve I didn’t mean to and I know winning it 3 times is not just greedy it’s bordering on gluttony but hey don’t knock it at my age – I was waiting for the offer from Clive to keep the Winners trophy for good but no such suggestion was forthcoming. Did I hear talk of re-naming it the Debbie Gibbins Trophy?? – sorry think all the drink last night is letting my imagination run riot here. Now enough about me…

Sadly the Club Champions could not be with us tonight so the trophies for Club Champion Paul Whittaker and Ladies Champion Julia Palmer were hastily dispatched back into the box. Then to the Vets – over 40’s man Tony Mead, a popular winner and over 35 lady Vanessa Dodds much to the delight of the ladies table. Over 50 man was the also absent Mike Whittaker and over 45 lady was ahem me again (sorry) over 55 lady Bobby and over 60 man Vic. The handicap team members were mostly conspicuous by their absence Julia Palmer, Alan Britain Jason MacCarthy and Jim Skinner, lucky Jim being the only one present to take the plaudits of the assembled throng.

Clubman of the Year was awarded to one of the most hardworking members Vic McCloud who as Clive pointed out is usually the first to arrive and last to leave every club night, a deserving winner.

But the most popular award of the night was to Brian Lunt who took the Person Overcoming Adversity Award. Such was the warmth of feeling for Brian that he received a standing ovation and deafening applause that latest for ages. Brian being the man he is was modesty personified but that didn’t stop him milking it for all it was worth when it came to kissing all the ladies! That’s my boy Brian.

Then finally the people’s choice - Sports Personality of the Year. This is often a close run contest but this year there was a landslide winner – Ian Pike. To those of us ladies who owe our success to Ian there could only be one winner – the man who has done as much as anyone to make Benfleet’s ladies in the news almost every week. Thanks Coach we all owe you big.

But let it be said that there yet another Benfleet man willing to milk his popularity for all it’s worth. He was the envy of all the other male club members as he got the seat on the ladies table – here is the evidence of why this man was smiling last night –

Ian with his bevy of beauties

Then it was time for yet more excessive drinking and dancing. Dessie was showing us some very interesting dance moves – looks like the electric shock treatment’s working well Steve. However the dancing highlight had to be the classic dirty dancing dance lift executed by Strictly Come Dancing hopefuls Graham Booty aka Patrick Swayze and Steff Cohen aka Jennifer Grey (huh?? with tattoos?? Never noticed those in the movie…) Poetry in motion I’d say with motion being the operative word.

Now as I sit here nursing a sore head I secretly give thanks to my Coach who plonked his trophy on the table in front of me telling me to go home and take it with me to look after whilst he and few other hardy souls took flight to the casino till gone 3 am. Some of us have Great Bentley to run tomorrow don’t you know! Now where did I put that Alka-Seltzer…

mikemoreton

Well done to all. Such deserving winners.

Hope everyone survived and good luck at Great Bentley.

Debbie, hope to get to the club this tuesday to collect the Echo ( If you still have it)

Rgds

MM2

debbie g

Yes Mike still have both issues Tues and Fri for you.

JBD

Congratulations Debbie !

A cracking year, you might want to pick out your highlight, I reckon that 3.18 marathon has got to be favourite ? Anyway, good stuff, well deserved.

Well done Vic as well....inspirational runner as well as top club man !

debbie g

Without doubt the marathon Steve and thank you. Bob said it all last night - that my best race was the one that didn't even count for the Merit Table! He also said that when I keep reminding people that my 1st marathon was 5hrs 38m it gives everyone hope they can do it too

Close behind in my highlights list though was High Ongar I worked really hard for that Silver medal as all the top ladies in my age group ran and it was the 1st time I beat 2 of them. I don't do speed or short so to finish in the top 10 in an Essex Champs 10k is still something I can't believe happened to me!

It was a brilliant night last night - thanks Kev for organising it

Graham

Was a fab night! Not that I remember too much....the whole dirty dancing thing I'd forgotten - must work on my core strength though! Might have to start attending Kev's friday night sessions.

Think we should all do it more often too! Bring on the Echo awards....

debbie g

Ha ha Graham - yeah bring on the Awards

Steve Harknett said he couldn't believe I could remember all that stuff and was I taking notes!!

Just more used to alcohol than most I reckon!! Brain cells not yet dying off with the booze!

mattcops

Well i was completely sick and was in bed till after 12pm the next day all the beer and wine and shots i drunk had it’s affect and I’m to old to drink like a 18 year old anymore,

it’s official my body can’t take it!!!!

debbie g

Rubbish Matt I'm not accepting that, you are younger than most of us - well anyway I have the theory the older you get the more experienced a drinker you become. Treat it as training for the 25th!

debbie g

A report on the Presentation Night will be in the Echo on Friday (the sanitised version!).

debbie g

Just to confirm the report is in the Echo today.

Nice pic of Ian and the ladies with details of all the winners and a tribute to Brian.

Co-Skipper

Hi Debbie, I'm sorry I wasn't at the X-Country yesterday for the picture - I was unwell and in no state to tackle the hills! I should be down the club tomorrow night if that is better.

Also, I missed the Friday edition of the paper, would anyone mind saving a copy? Many thanks.

bobby · Echo

Have copy of Echo, will bring it down tomorrow.

Co-Skipper

Thanks Bobby.

debbie g

Hi Keiron I might forgive you then but having a stinking cold that knocked me out Saturday didn't stop me running 19 miles to the cross country! :blackeye:

Ian has a photo of you at the relays but you are on the handover and side on so I'd like a better one if poss. You doing the final cross country?

I've put a temporary photo in if you - it's from Billericay 10k but it's blurry and the mist was dreadful there!

Or the Canvey 5, that's your sort of race - you doing that for a photo shoot? I'll get Lee or Ian J out to get those action shots!

Co-Skipper

Yes - final X-Country 100%.

debbie g

Cool I'll be there armed with Dave's camera

You get 2 pics in the Yearbook if you are one of the scorers too!