Miles, Medals and Memories: Scrabo Strider Celebrate Annual Awards Night!
By Aimee Braniff

On Saturday night, The Striders had their annual awards dinner. This event was at Scrabo Golf Club and the event consisted of a drink’s reception, photos, awards and a lot of dancing, They definitely rocked the boat!!! Captains, Matt Bell and Gillian Pearson presented their captain awards, Caroline Wilson Dwyer won the Female Captain cup and Michael Williams won the Male Captains cup. Vice-Captains, George Johnston and Nicola Forsythe awarded Gary Clarke and Hector Adair with the Vice Captains Race winners. Well Done All!
Next up was the coaches awards. Head Coach Sonya Awarded Gayle Malaugh and Michael Brown with the Female and Male Coaches choice award. Female Club racer of the year was Maxine Dynes for her performance and participation at open races, and the Male club racer of the year was awarded to Darren Johnston. Female 3k Time trialer of the year was Keara Simpson and Male 3K time trialer of the year was David Morton. Amazing Achievements, well done.
Next up was Our 8 strides winners, Most improved 8 strides winners were Jenny Taylor and Norman Mawhinney. 8 Strides most improved was awarded to Catherine Lavery and Simon Ferguson. 83 Striders completed the 8 Strides. Well Done All!
Next was the Cross country award. This award is for all who ran 3 or more cross country events. Matt Bell presented the award saying “ Last Season’s Cross country was a Wild and Wet one. Huge Kudos to everyone who embraced the mud!”. Michael Burgess, Jonny Swann, Emma McCracken, Sarah Luce, Callum and Harry McCready, Karen Collins, Lyndsey Blair, Sonya Summersgill, Rachel Boyle, Norman Mawhinney, Olly and Keara Simpson and Matt Bell were awarded a Scrabo Strider Bobble Hat for their participation and dedication to the cross country events. Congratulations all.
George McGonigal awarded the next couple of awards, Firstly was our Last Strider Standing Winner Matt Bell who ‘fought through the wind and rain like everyone else, then seemed to sprout a new set of fresh legs making it look easy, even asking for more loops. The end came unexpectedly at 14 loops’. Next up was The Heath Graham Memorial Cup which was awarded to Simon Ferguson who is ‘someone who exhibits true strider spirit, always seen, always heard and always willing to help other members and the club, purple and green through and through’.
Hannah Robinson was awarded the Life member award, George said ‘ A first, the committee has decided to create life memberships, this deservedly goes to a person who has done more for the club and has shown more dedication over the past 9 years than anyone else. Now she can’t escape, ever…’. Amazing achievements, Well done Matt, Simon and Hannah.
A New and Special award called the Amy Forsythe Girl Power award was awarded to Jennifer McAteer by Amy’s mum, Vice-Captain Nicola Forsythe. Great choice for a Special award.
Next up were our fun awards Kathryn Chesney was awarded with the Social media influencer award for always providing a pic collage or TikTok video, showcasing Scrabo striders, Well Done Kathryn. Abrar Hossain and Dan Warke won the Lost Boys’ Navigation Award as on the Penultimate LSS lap in the dark, Abrar got lost but finally found his way back to Base. Dan got so lost he ended up off the base and in Ballykinler Village, imagine the surprise of the armed guard when Dan turned up at the main gate. They drove him back to base. Congrats to both, Hopefully you both won’t get lost next year! Our final Award was the Cross-Dresser of the year award which was awarded to David Morton. At the Pint and Pieathon event in Whitehead striders dressed as nuns, pirates, Mexicans and Vikings etc, however, David Stood out the most by being dressed up as a cheerleader.
A Massive thank you to Dawn Cudworth and Lynn McGonigal for their hard work in organising this year’s annual awards dinner. Also A huge thank you to the Committee, Coaches, Captains and vice captains, writers and race directors for all their help this year. We really appreciate it!!
A Special Congratulations to Sonya Summersgill and Paul Magee who on Wednesday night fully qualified as 1st Aiders, they completed their level 3 award in combined emergency first aid and sport, Well done, we hope that we won’t need you both!!!
On Saturday, Tollymore was hosting their annual Ultra marathon, Half marathon and 10K race. Graeme Black completed the ultra-Marathon which is 63K (3 Laps) in 6.58.53 and Abrar Hossain and Karl Henderson completed the half marathon which is ( 1 Lap). Well done!
Now, We Can’t end off the week without a parkrun or two! On Saturday there were 53 Striders running in 12 different venues with Comber being the most popular location with 17 club members. Well done to Max Burton, Karen Warnock and Nathaniel Frazer who achieved a PB and Well done to Gayle Malaugh, Stuart Blair and Keara Simpson who achieved a CPB. Congratulations to Martin Oakman who completed his 25th parkrun at Belfast Victoria. There was 3 Podium Finishes, Well done to Andy Haylett who came 2nd and achieved a CPB at Orangefield, Willow Farrington who came 2nd Female at Crawfordburn and Matt Bell who came 3rd place at Dungannon Parkrun, Amazing results, Great Job! Special Mention to Fundamental Harriet Frazer who completed her first official 5K parkrun in 42.45 at Bangor, Well done Harriet!
On Sunday, There were 7 Juniors running at 2 different park runs, with our most popular being Comber. A massive well done to Heath Farrington who came 2nd, Toby Heywood who came 3rd and Keara Simpson who came 2nd female at Comber. Amazing achievement for Harry Monaghan who has completed his 21st (Marathon) parkrun at Bangor, Well done Harry!
Amazing Week of achievements, Great Job Striders!

By Aimee Braniff