CHURCH GROUND MARATHON ON MONDAY By John Denny / Nigel Jameson Observer Reporter
(Charlestown, Nevis) – The Church Ground Sports and Social Club will be having its 7th Annual Road Race on Monday, May 4, Starting at 8 a.m. Many have already registered for the Labor Day event that begins in Church Ground at the Corner of Mrs. Guishard and the Main Road and ends at the Villa near the Charlestown Secondary School. The main sponsor for the event is Nelson Spring Beach Villas & Spa and the platinum sponsor is LIME Telecommunications provider. The race is for competitors age 16 and over. The annual race is the brainchild of Nevis Air and Sea Port Authority General Manger Spencer Hanley. The race is billed as a 10K, but according to Hanley, it is actually 11K. “I started this to bridge the gap between school sports and adult sports,”Hanley said. “When I was in Charlestown Secondary School, I was a good long distance runner. When I came out of school there were no kinds of programs where people could compete as an adult, so whatever talent one had, would just fade away. That is why the age group is 16 and over. Younger people can participate in school sports, but at 16, you are on the verge of leaving school. So this is good for athletes wanting to make the transition to collegiate sports and running for schools in the U.S. perhaps.”The race as per usual will commence at the top of Church Ground, next to the residence of Mrs. Myrtle Guishard and the athletes will head through Hamilton, through upper Government Road, down the Bypass Road, up lower Government Road, making a right turn at the Federal office, going through the Grove park area, heading through Stoney Grove and making a right turn by the Dyers family, down Pump Road, on the main road through Bath Village, making a right turn in the vicinity of VON radio, back through lower Bath towards Reliable Motors and ending with a one lap finish at the Villa. According to Hanley, there will be quite a number of fabulous prizes to be won. On the completion of the race, the general public is encouraged to stay at the Villa grounds to enjoy what effectively would be a family day with lots of food, music, a cricket match involving the under-13 cricketers, dominoes and other fun activities. Registration forms are still available at the Nevis Tourism Authority and the Department of Youth and Sports. Mr. Hanley can also be contacted at 662-7094.
