Manchester Past and Present: 2009

Thursday 19 November 2009

Welcome to Street Athletics

All through the Summer " Street Athletics " were held in Twelve City's all over Britain. The Finals were held in Manchester's Albert Square outside the Town Hall. Here are some of the Participants warming up.

First Aid is on Hand at the Finishing Post.

At the Winning Post Ambulance Crew is on Stand Bye. A huge TV Screen can be seen with the Camera Timing Unit which gives the times to the Hundredth of a Second. ( Photo Finish)

The Big Screen with an Entertainer On Screen.

Before the Races we were entertained by Singers. I think they were testing out the TV system for the Photo Finishing of the Athletes.

Hows this for Street Dancing?

I Caught this Street Dancer in full flow, Dancing. How do they do that? It's Scary.

The Street Dancers give a Demonstration.

On the Track before the Athlete's start to Run, Street Dancers Show their Skills.

Olympic Medalists Help to Stage the Races.

Gold Medalists Lynford Christie and Darren Cambell are here to Encourage the Street Athletes to Race the 100 Metre Course and so interest the Youngsters to take up Athletics. These Races have been going on for Five Years.

Celebraties

Lynford and Darren enjoy a well earned free cup of orange juice while the crowds photo them and sign autographs which they are happy to oblige.

The Athlete's wait in their Enclosure.

Round Prince Albert's Statue the Competitors wait for a call for the Race that they Won in their Respective City's. This has only run for the Last Five Years. The Idea being find hidden talent for British Athletics.

More Warm up Exercices

Each Athlete has a Number to Grade them in to Age Groups before they Race each other.

Give your selves a clap.

After the Warm Up Exercises the Athletes give themselves a well deserve Clap.

Three Cheers.

The Warm Up is finished so they clap each other. Male and Female are in different Groups.

Getting Ready to Warm Up.

The Contestants are getting ready to start a warm up on the track. The organizers have issued each Athlete with their own special number and so are able to keep track who wins and who doesn't.

All the Athletes On A Warm Up.

All the Winners from Different Cities are on warm up exercises before they Run the Hundred Metres against each other. In age Groups.

The Other Athletes Look On.

The other Athletes look on and cheer waiting for their turn to Race.

Half Way down the Race Track.

The Boys in full flow on the Track running for their Town.

Finish Line

Another view of the Finish Line with some of the Competitors finishing the 100 metre race.

Finish Line

This is the Finishing Line under the Gantry with a Photo Finish Camera and Electronic Timing System. So there can be doubt as to who has won.

The Finish

This is the Finishing Line under the Gantry with the Lights and the Photo finish Cameras with Timers down to three decimal places.

On Stand By to Go.

These young men are ready to start the Race. The Starter and his Assistant in Red on this side keep an Eagle Eye on the Start Line before the Pistol Shot.

Mr Starter Pistol Starts the Race.

The pistol starts off the 100 metre Race. Mr Starter has two Pistols, one to start the race and the other is fired in case of a false start.

On Your Marks.

In the older male race the contestants are ready to go waiting for the Starters Pistol.

False Start?

Oops when one starts to early he takes others with him. Two false starts and your out.

Mr Starter.

Mr Starter on his Rostrum fires his Pistol and the Race Begins. If it is a False Start he fires another Pistol to recall them Back.

The Stage

A View of the Stage across the Track. A Lady Compare on the Stage who was herself was an Olympic Athlete announces each Race and the athletes go to the Start Line to compete. (In their Different Age Groups.)

On Your Marks!

As you can see, not all of the Athletes start the race in the same way. The crouch start style is defiantly the best for 100 metre Sprints.

A Race to the Finish

The Girls Start Off and It's Race to the Finish. They are Very Very Competitive with a Photo Finish and Timing Down to Three Decimal Places.

Waiting for the Starter?

The Girls wait for Mr Starter to load his Pistols. Mr Starter is a Professional and goes all over the World too Different Venues to Start Top Class Games.

Friday 13 November 2009

The End of the Manchester Pride Parade.

They all wave Goodbye it's the End of the Pride of Manchester Parade for another Year.

He Plays with his Flute.

A Man Playing the Flute who must be Cold is on the Last Float together with everybody else dressed up.

The Sound of Canal Street.

In the Shadow of Manchester's Tallest Building the "Beecham Tower" the Last Float of the Parade passes by with the Sound of Canal Street.

Superman is with the Birds

This Float is about Publicity for the City of Salford with it's surrounding places like Eccles Worsley and Kersal.

A Good Cat Suit?

Lets get Dressed Up for the "Parade" the Cat Mask is Superb as is the Rest of the Float.

Who is on the Phone?

His "Yellow Trolleys" are attracting a lot of Interest Hence the Phone Calls. Age Concern enjoys the great Publicity he Causes.

More Age Concern

Some of the People who Work for Age Concern Deserve to be in the Parade.

Age Concern?

Believe it, or believe not, This Fairy is Representing Age Concern

Saturday 7 November 2009

A Roman General.

A Fine Figure of a Man Dressed as a Roman General. (Did they wear wrist watches in those days?) No just Sun Dials. LOL.

Housing is a Problem..

Bramhall a city south of Manchester welcomes Gays and Lesbians. What matters to you Matters to us. (They Say)

Attitude?

This Placard says it all. They have a Web Site. www.changingattitudes.org.uk to help change attitudes to Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual and Transgender People in the Anglican Communion.