KFL 2018/19 Match 6, Minnis Bay

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The sixth race in the Kent Fitness League 2018/19 Cross Country series took place at Minnis Bay, Birchington, on Sunday January 13th, writes Jim Knight

Thirty-four runners from Sevenoaks AC joined the 406 starters on the tough 6-mile course. Conditions were mild and dry for this year’s race, but the runners had to battle a strong head-wind all the way from Minnis Bay nearly 3 miles to the turnaround in Reculver. And dry is a relative term. The runners have to cross several deep dykes full of cold muddy water. This year they were waist deep, rather than chest-deep!

The race was won by Jay Smith of Dartford Road Runners in an impressive time of 34.59, followed by Simon Fox of Petts Wood Runners in 35.32.

The first Sevenoaks AC athlete home was 35-year-old James Mason in 4th, followed by Darrell Smith in 9th (1st M50). The remaining SAC scoring team members were Guillaume Nineven (17th), Andrew Hutchinson (20th), Ed Saunders (21st), Andrew Milne (24th), and Andy Ashlee (30th). The club’s second M50 was John Stevens in 66th. With 7 runners in the top 30, it was a comfortable win for Sevenoaks.

The women’s race was won by Deal Tri Club’s Renata McDonnell in 40.10 followed by Becky Morrish of Petts Wood Runners in 41.32. The SAC women ran strongly, with Cath Linney finishing in 11th place, closely followed by Vanessa Gilmartin in 14th, Marion Van Lille in 15th and Heather Fitzmaurice in 19th. There was another fine performance by Bridgit Weekes coming 2nd W60.

Petts Wood Runners, the current series leaders, fielded a strong team of 44 runners. They won the women’s race but were soundly beaten by Sevenoaks AC in the men’s race, giving Sevenoaks AC the club’s first KFL win for the combined team since October 2015 in Knole Park.

With this performance, Sevenoaks AC remain firmly in 2nd position in the series and have pulled ahead of Paddock Wood who have overtaken Dartford Road Runners to gain 3rd place.

The SAC results were:

Ov Pos Lg Pos Runner Age Time Club Rating # Races
4 4 James Mason 35 37:08 Sevenoaks AC 98.90 9
9 9 Darrell Smith 51 37:57 Sevenoaks AC 97.07 12
17 17 Guillaume Nineven 33 38:46 Sevenoaks AC 94.14 4
20 20 Andrew Hutchinson 39 39:16 Sevenoaks AC 93.04 7
21 21 Edmund Saunders 36 39:22 Sevenoaks AC 92.67 10
24 24 Andrew Milne 36 39:41 Sevenoaks AC 91.58 34
30 30 Andy Ashlee 49 40:09 Sevenoaks AC 89.38 27
37 36 Mike Lochead 33 40:37 Sevenoaks AC 87.18 6
40 39 Darius Sarshar 49 40:44 Sevenoaks AC 86.08 6
41 40 Jimmy George 37 40:46 Sevenoaks AC 85.71 7
66 63 John Stevens 57 42:05 Sevenoaks AC 77.29 21
67 64 Jim Harness 51 42:13 Sevenoaks AC 76.92 9
74 70 Daniel Witt 43 42:29 Sevenoaks AC 74.73 51
80 76 Jatinder Soomal 36 43:01 Sevenoaks AC 72.53 6
111 101 Nick Holmes 43 44:46 Sevenoaks AC 63.37 5
112 11 Cath Linney 49 45:00 Sevenoaks AC 92.48 28
116 105 James Nash 27 45:09 Sevenoaks AC 61.90 21
122 14 Vanessa Gilmartin 43 45:45 Sevenoaks AC 90.23 10
123 109 Andy Evans 48 45:47 Sevenoaks AC 60.44 43
127 15 Marion Van Lille 33 46:07 Sevenoaks AC 89.47 6
133 117 Graham Dwyer 46 46:20 Sevenoaks AC 57.51 6
135 119 Stuart Thompson 44 46:26 Sevenoaks AC 56.78 7
142 19 Heather Fitzmaurice 49 46:42 Sevenoaks AC 86.47 76
193 161 Hugh Shewell 29 49:13 Sevenoaks AC 41.39 20
194 162 Tony Horlock 58 49:14 Sevenoaks AC 41.03 8
203 169 Duncan Cochrane 61 49:37 Sevenoaks AC 38.46 30
205 171 Andy Manning 50 49:43 Sevenoaks AC 37.73 6
223 40 Nicki Thompson 42 50:30 Sevenoaks AC 70.68 22
229 41 Bridgit Weekes 60 50:53 Sevenoaks AC 69.92 6
235 43 Elaine Knight 38 51:28 Sevenoaks AC 68.42 3
238 46 Sarah Shewell 59 51:44 Sevenoaks AC 66.17 108
259 50 Rhea Malkin 33 52:47 Sevenoaks AC 63.16 5
280 57 Paula George 54 53:58 Sevenoaks AC 57.89 4
383 265 James Fitzmaurice 76 1:07:03 Sevenoaks AC 3.30 70

The full results are here.

Petts Wood have an unbeatable lead in the series, but the final positions for the remaining teams will be decided in the last race of the series, to take place in Rough Common, Canterbury on Sunday Feb 3rd.

Start

The Kent Fitness League is a series of cross-country races between the 18 registered Athletics Clubs in Kent. Any number of club members can compete, but 12 are needed to score in the team competition – 8 men (of whom two must be V50 and one V40) and 4 women (of whom one must be V45 and one V35).

KFL 2018/19 Match 5, Nurstead Court

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The fifth race in the Kent Fitness League Cross Country series took place in Meopham on Sunday January 6th, on a tough 5-mile course around the paddocks and woodlands of Nurstead Court, including several obstacles, writes Jim Knight.

Running conditions were good, except for the notorious water-splash, a 10-metre long pond that competitors had to negotiate twice on the two-lap course.

With some of our fastest runners busy elsewhere, Sevenoaks AC fielded a slightly weakened team of 33 athletes, but with a strong women's team.
 
In the women's race, Cath Linney was the fastest Sevenoaks runner in 11th position, closely followed by Vanessa Gilmartin (16th), Heather Fitzmaurice (17th) and Marion Van Lille (22nd). Notable in the age categories were Bridgit Weekes (2nd W60 on the day and in the series) and Pauline Dalton (3rd W50 on the day and 2nd in the series).

The Sevenoaks women were 2nd on the day and this brought the women's team up to 3rd in the series. Petts Wood Runners had a very strong women's team and retained the top position in the series.

The SAC men's team lacked our top M50s but Guillaume Nineven led the team home in a very impressive 10th position, followed by Andrew Milne (23rd), Andrew Hutchinson (26th), Russell Crane (30th) and Ed Saunders (33rd). Dan Witt was our first M40 in 45th, and the team's M50 scorers were Jim Harness (82nd), and James Wright (85th).

The men’s team were 3rd on the day and move up to second in the series.

The combined team, lying in 2nd position after 4 races were again second on the day and retained their second place in the series. The club hopes to raise a strong team for the next race – the popular Minnis Bay race which takes place in Birchington next weekend (Sunday Jan 13th).

THe SAC results were:

Ov Pos Lg Pos Runner Age Time Club Rating # Races
10 10 Guillaume Nineven 33 31:26 Sevenoaks AC 96.88 3
23 23 Andrew Milne 36 32:46 Sevenoaks AC 92.36 20
26 26 Andrew Hutchinson 39 32:59 Sevenoaks AC 91.32 6
30 30 Russell Crane 36 33:08 Sevenoaks AC 89.93 4
33 33 Edmund Saunders 36 33:16 Sevenoaks AC 88.89 9
37 37 Mike Lochead 33 33:38 Sevenoaks AC 87.50 5
46 45 Daniel Witt 43 34:11 Sevenoaks AC 84.72 50
73 69 Jimmy George 37 35:32 Sevenoaks AC 76.39 6
80 76 Nick Humphrey-Taylor 46 35:53 Sevenoaks AC 73.96 5
87 82 Jim Harness 51 36:16 Sevenoaks AC 71.88 8
90 85 James Wright 50 36:22 Sevenoaks AC 70.83 28
100 93 James Baker 54 36:45 Sevenoaks AC 68.06 21
111 101 Jatinder Soomal 36 37:12 Sevenoaks AC 65.28 5
113 11 Cath Linney 49 37:15 Sevenoaks AC 92.91 27
123 112 Nick Holmes 43 37:47 Sevenoaks AC 61.46 4
125 114 Andy Evans 48 37:54 Sevenoaks AC 60.76 42
134 16 Vanessa Gilmartin 43 38:12 Sevenoaks AC 89.36 9
141 17 Heather Fitzmaurice 49 38:33 Sevenoaks AC 88.65 75
157 137 Hugh Shewell 29 39:14 Sevenoaks AC 52.78 19
167 22 Marion Van Lille 33 39:45 Sevenoaks AC 85.11 5
173 23 Pauline Dalton 54 39:54 Sevenoaks AC 84.40 44
178 155 James Nash 27 40:05 Sevenoaks AC 46.53 Debut
182 158 Toby Fitzmaurice 18 40:19 Sevenoaks AC 45.49 3
188 162 Graham Dwyer 46 40:26 Sevenoaks AC 44.10 5
201 31 Diana Bryant 44 40:52 Sevenoaks AC 78.72 5
204 173 Andy Manning 50 41:01 Sevenoaks AC 40.28 5
224 185 Duncan Cochrane 61 42:00 Sevenoaks AC 36.11 29
240 46 Sarah Shewell 59 42:56 Sevenoaks AC 68.09 107
245 48 Bridgit Weekes 60 43:22 Sevenoaks AC 66.67 5
295 66 Rhea Malkin 33 46:02 Sevenoaks AC 53.90 4
310 71 Paula George 54 46:52 Sevenoaks AC 50.35 3
349 256 Lionel Stielow 70 49:31 Sevenoaks AC 11.46 12
404 276 Peter Nuttall 46 54:15 Sevenoaks AC 4.51 23

The full results are here.

The Kent Fitness League is a series of cross-country races between the 18 registered Athletics Clubs in Kent. Any number of club members can compete, but 12 are needed to score in the team competition – 8 men (of whom two must be V50 and one V40) and 4 women (of whom one must be V45 and one V35).

Kent County XC Champs 2019

AllanAllan Lee was our only senior representative at the Kent XC Champs on Saturday 5th January at Brands Hatch, but he did have a great run finishing first M45 (2nd M40) and 22nd overall in 40:46 for the 12k course.

However, the club also had some runners in the junior races, with Marcus Cook 55th in 18:07 in the under-15 men's race over 4400 metres and, in the under-13 men's race over 3050 metres, Reuben Holmes 47th in 13:20, Indigo Morris 48th in 13:24, and Frederick Naughton 56th in 14:04.

The full results are here.

SAC Handicap 23 December 2018

Darius

Darius Sarshar was first and fastest at the final handicap race of 2018 on 23 December. None of the day's results affected the series trophy or minor places, so Andrew Mead is series runner-up and Graham Dwyer is confirmed in third. The next race, the first of the 2019 series, is over five miles on 20 January. The details are here.

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