Ross scoops Salisbury Journal Sports Awards - Full Story (17 Feb 05)

Salisbury’s sporting community was out in force at City Hall on 10 February for the annual Journal Sports Awards gala presentation ceremony. Some 400 special guests were on hand to find out who Journal readers had voted for in the 50 award categories.

More than 9,000 votes were cast and there were certainly plenty of surprises as the area’s young stars gave many of the established senior sportsmen and women a serious run for their money. For the first time ever, the adults were beaten fair and square by school-age stars, deservedly elevated to compete alongside the seniors by virtue of their extraordinary achievements during the last 12 months.

Most notable among them was 17-year-old motor racing prodigy Ross Curnow, whose amazing debut season in Formula BMW often saw him beat senior racers to the podium.

The Bishop Wordsworth’s School pupil sped past long established legends of local sport such as world champion power lifter Bill West and last year’s winner Alan Blencowe to claim the evening’s top accolade, the Journal Sportsman of the Year trophy, with a comfortable majority.

The teenager, who won the 2004 BMW UK Rookie Championship at the first time of asking, also picked up the Motor Racing Driver of the Year award for the first time. This award was sponsored by Innotec Supplies whose director, Melanie Murrell, was on hand to present it. The Salisbury-based company manufactures specialist products for cleaning and repairing cars, boats and caravans etc.

Ross said after the ceremony: “I’m delighted to have won these awards. 2004 was a great year and what’s happened this evening has really topped it off for me!”

(Extracts and photos courtesy of Salisbury Journal)

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