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MASTERS ATHLETICS ROAD RACING
Gerry O’Neill had no answer however, as Gordon Lee flew
past for a 38 second winning margin.
M55 race
Woodford Green took victory by more than a minute with
an evenly balanced team in yet another category where the
number of runners was reduced, to just three. “We looked
at last year’s result and they were averaging 19 minutes so
we thought; ‘you have to come and do it,” said David Cox
of his team’s win.
On the first stage, Jeremy Hogan had given Bristol an early
lead with a 16:51 clocking that bettered Cox’s 17:00 for the
quickest M55 time of the race. “I didn’t expect it. It’s my first
time inside 17 minutes since I turned 50,” said Hogan.
M65/M75 race
Bob Tintinger
Moved
Rotherham up
to fourth
place.
The older men’s races saw Rotherham Harriers dominating
the M65s once they hit the front on the second leg through
Bob Tintinger’s 18:46. Oxford City’s Roy Treadwell’s 19:48
led at the end of the opening stage, but Rotherham took
victory by nearly two minutes.
Two over-75 teams finished as Exmouth won from Bingley,
who’s Fred Gibbs was fastest. However the British M75 ten
mile record holder was sent away at the start of his leg too
early, leading to confusion with his time. It was eventually
resolved ten days later (at 21:12) and Gibbs said: “I
enjoyed it, another great day but we will be back next year
to challenge Exmouth.”
Women
W35 race
Claire Martin ran 17:09 last year and, with LIsa Palmer,
exactly matched the time, but the team honours went to
16
Stroud and District. It was Palmer who broke away early up
the opening hill to post the time with a big first stage ‘win’
for Heanor. “I led from the start and just tried to go as there
wasn’t anybody with me,” said Palmer. Salford’s Hayley
Kuter ran 17:39, to narrowly lead at the end of the
penultimate lap but they faded badly at the end. Stroud
tried hard through the former Heidi Moulder (now North)
but the former Junior National Cross-Country and Inter-
Counties champion, on her return to the sport, after five
years out, could only muster an 18:20 time and they were
43 seconds off of the lead.
Gwen Kinsey, a former Modern Pentathlon international,
who won a Team Gold medal in the World Championships
in 1999.Did the business for Stroud and her 18:07 was
more than enough, at 41 seconds over the game Heanor.
She said: “It’s our first entry into the Masters,” while their
Joanne Fifield added: “injuries have prevented us having a
full squad in the relays.
Further back Martin, from a lowly eighth, delivered Telford
bronze medals with that 17:09. Charnwood’s Tara
Krzywicki, who was returning to the sport after a break, was
one of her victims’ en-route.
Martin said: “I could see Tara (Krzywicki) on the line and
I’ve been struggling since London but I gave it everything.”
W45 race
Denby Dale Travellers were yet another new name on a
trophy as Bristol and Dulwich Runners followed. Holders
Winchester and Arena failed to put in an appearance,
despite being entered.
Sarah Everitt, for Bristol, ran 18:30, ahead of Ola Balme’s
Dulwich at the end of the opening stage, as Denby Dale’s
Lesley Leggett was nearly a minute off of the lead.
Clare Elms then not only led the W45s, but also the W35
group at the end of the second stage. Her race fastest
17:47 opened a big lead, but they dropped to third as
Nichola McNally for Denby and Clare Jolliffe for Bristol
moved up to take gold and silver. Elms said: “I passed
everyone up the first hill.”
Winners Denby were overjoyed at their success and
second leg runner Bridget Coomber said: “it’s our first
proper team win.” McNally added: “that felt like hard work.”
W55/W65 race
Jo Thompson, with the fastest lap of the race, gave Team
Bath a lead on the first stage and they never looked back.
Thompson, who holds the W45 record at16:51, ran 18:57
and said: “I went really well but I’ve had a year when I
haven’t been doing a lot but I’m good at hills and won the
Glastonbury Tor race, so I thought I’d try again.” Louise
Jeffries and Karen Butler rounded things off for Bath as
Winchester took second.
Hastings’ Sylvia Huggett was quickest of the W65s with
23:55, as only one team finished again.
W35 Team Results
1 Stroud & District AC 1h13.44m ( Jane Wassell 17.54m, Joanne
Fifield 19.23m -2, Heidi North 18.20m +3, Gwen Kinsey 18.07m +2);
2 Heanor Running Club 1h14.25m ( Lisa Palmer 17.09m, Jill Burke
19.46m -1, Louise Insley 18.01m +0. W Roethenbaugh 19.29m +0);
3 Telford AC A 1h15.15m ( Amanda Davies 19.03m, Michelle Clarke
18.12m +8, Lucie T-Harris 20.51m -5, Claire Martin 17.09m +7 );
4 Charnwood AC A 1h15.20m ( Joanne Spencer 19.07m, Claire
Smith 19.08m +6, Clare McKittrick 18.27m +6, Tara Krzywicki 18.38m
+0 ); 5 Serpentine RC 1h15.34m ( Liz Wynn 18.38m, Cath Wilding
19.02m +0, Laura Denison 19.26m +3, Jane Fanning 18.28m +0 );