|
|
| Click on photos to enlarge - use browser back button to return |
|
|
|
|
| Click on photos to enlarge - use browser back button to return |
A gloriously sunny early autumn day graced Chiltern Harriers' Amersham 5 races on Sunday sponsored by Gil-Lec Electrical Wholesalers and East Building and Timber Supplies. Healthy turnouts were seen in all three events and the club had a successful day - with team victories in the main 5 mile race for men and women, several category wins, and encouraging performances by the club's younger athletes in the shorter races.
The main race was a hotly contested affair with the eventual winner being Vale of Aylesbury AC's Paul Gregory in 27 minutes, 32 seconds. Close behind were a clutch of Chiltern Harriers athletes: in 2nd place was Stuart Ellerby in 27.52, 3rd was Eddie O'Gorman in 28.01, 4th was Derek Brown, victor in the Vet 40 category in 28.09, and 5th was winner of the junior prize Matt Bennett in 28.24. These four comprised the winning Chiltern team. Another category victory came courtesy of Roger Ellerby in the Vet 50 age group, overall 26th in 32.30. Second team in the men's event were Wycombe Phoenix Harriers with Queen's Park Harriers 3rd.
An eyecatching performance also came from young Chiltern athlete Allan Stewart who was 14th overall and 3rd junior in an excellent 30.44 in his first attempt at the event.
The women's race also provided victory for Chiltern with Debbie Wenman, 2nd in 32.56, Cath Holloway 3rd in 33.50, and Louise Dobby 4th in 34.56 making up the winning threesome. St Alban's Striders' Deborah Steer was the individual winner in 31.31. A further age group win for Chiltern came with Barbara Ralph in the Vet 45 category in 35.58 (overall 7th) and the women's junior prize went to Amersham-based athlete Louisa Lingley, running for Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow (the second placed team), in 36.32.
For the first time a separate category for fun teams was in place at the event with Chiltern Sparrows being victorious, Elangeni Elders 2nd and First Class Plodders 3rd.
Prior to the senior event, the 4k fun run provided a clean sweep for Chiltern with Alex Shelley (picture top left) a convincing winner in 14.36. Alex Watson finished strongly to be 2nd in 14.44 and ever-improving 12-year old Dan Barraclough was 3rd in 15.04. Ellie Jones was first female home in 17.43, a great effort from the 11-year old, followed by Megan Steer in 18.08 and Connie Lewis in 3rd in 18.15.
An unprecedentedly large field of over 100 in the 1 mile family run to conclude proceedings showed the club has great potential in the younger ranks with Sam Butcher, Andrew Stenning and Will Perkin being the first three home, Sam and Andrew sharing a winning time of 6.25. First girl, and fourth overall, was Year 4 pupil Claire Buttivant, with fellow under 9 age-group girls Sophia Lingley and Jessica Empson 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Steve Perkin