The New Year Sprint

This is the first day of the New Year Sprint in Musselburgh. The New Year Sprint is an open 110m race that has taken place around New Year's Day annually since 1870. Professional and amateur sprinters compete in this the 141st meeting, for a £4000 first prize.

Race heats and final will be held at Musselburgh Racecourse, 6 miles east of Edinburgh, on the 28th December and 29th December.

The Sprint is supported by a series of Open foot-races up to 1600 metres and Youths foot-races up to 800 metres.

Following heats and all rounds of the supporting events today, the New Year Sprint final will be incorporated into the traditional Christmas National Hunt horse-racing meeting tomorrow (times TBC). The Sprint is due to be broadcast on Channel 4.

In the event that the National Hunt meeting is cancelled, the second day's running will be held alongside the new year's National Hunt meeting a week later. Cancellation of that horse race meeting will not result in a further postponement of the running.

Record Prize money

While the New Year Sprint commands the headline and the largest prize of £4000, there are cash prizes for many of the other race events on the first day.

The year 2009 also will be the first time that the 110m British Championship has been staged at the New Year Sprint meeting. The British Championship final, taking place on the second day, carries a £1000 first prize.

There is also a £20,000 bonus for beating the World Professional Record 11.14 secs over 120 yards (approximately 110 metres), set back in 1970 by George McNeill. There's also a £2000 prize for running 11.24 secs, and £1000 for running 11.34 secs.

The New Year Sprint is a professional event, but the meeting has been sanctioned by the Scottish Athletic Federation and British Athletics Federation for competition by amateurs, who may keep any prize money won.