KFL 2019/20 Match 2 - Swanley Park

Team

Sevenoaks AC fielded a team of 38 runners for the second match of the 2019/20 Kent Fitness League at New Barn Park, Swanley on 10th November. They put in a fine performance coming home third in the combined positions with the women third and men fourth on the day. After two matches the combined team lie second on countback by just 13 places with the excellent SAC women's team still leading their section.

Once again Mary Bridges, Cath Linney, Vanessa Gilmartin and Suzy Claridge were the Sevenoaks women's scorers although the whole team contributed to increasing the scores of rival teams. James Mason once again led the men's team, this time in sixth place, and was supported by fellow scorers John Witton, Guillaume Ninevan, Ben Bridges, Andrew Milne, Andrew Mead, Andy Nicoll and Zachary Ramsden.

The SAC results were:

Ov Pos Lg Pos Runner Age Time Club Rating # Races
6 6 James Mason 36 31:58 Sevenoaks AC 98.63 11
19 19 John Witton 41 32:55 Sevenoaks AC 95.07 4
26 26 Guillaume Nineven 34 33:37 Sevenoaks AC 93.15 6
31 31 Ben Bridges 40 34:02 Sevenoaks AC 91.78 9
44 44 Andrew Milne 37 34:38 Sevenoaks AC 88.22 24
54 54 Andrew Mead 50 35:15 Sevenoaks AC 85.48 35
55 55 Andy Nicoll 39 35:16 Sevenoaks AC 85.21 12
66 66 Lee Lintern 39 35:44 Sevenoaks AC 82.19 32
71 71 Jimmy George 38 35:57 Sevenoaks AC 80.82 10
97 95 Zack Ramsden 53 37:02 Sevenoaks AC 74.25 2
105 103 Daniel Witt 44 37:14 Sevenoaks AC 72.05 54
111 108 Richard Alford-Smith 43 37:32 Sevenoaks AC 70.68 Debut
114 110 James Baker 54 37:37 Sevenoaks AC 70.14 24
129 122 James Wright 51 38:11 Sevenoaks AC 66.85 30
152 139 Jatinder Soomal 37 39:03 Sevenoaks AC 62.19 9
158 143 Graham Dwyer 47 39:18 Sevenoaks AC 61.10 9
159 16 Mary Bridges 41 39:21 Sevenoaks AC 92.31 2
162 17 Catherine Linney 50 39:30 Sevenoaks AC 91.79 31
194 23 Vanessa Gilmartin 44 40:33 Sevenoaks AC 88.72 13
195 24 Suzy Claridge 47 40:36 Sevenoaks AC 88.21 2
197 173 Jeremy Winter 65 40:39 Sevenoaks AC 52.88 Debut
204 178 Leonard Lai King 40 40:54 Sevenoaks AC 51.51 Debut
210 183 David Lobley 54 41:08 Sevenoaks AC 50.14 26
219 29 Pauline Dalton 55 41:19 Sevenoaks AC 85.64 46
226 196 Tony Waldron 52 41:30 Sevenoaks AC 46.58 28
261 222 Hugh Shewell 30 42:26 Sevenoaks AC 39.45 22
270 42 Laura Andrade 40 42:46 Sevenoaks AC 78.97 2
291 244 Simon Hallpike 66 43:49 Sevenoaks AC 33.42 51
300 51 Bridgit Weekes 61 44:12 Sevenoaks AC 74.36 8
303 251 Duncan Cochrane 62 44:22 Sevenoaks AC 31.51 32
306 53 Jane Morgan 42 44:28 Sevenoaks AC 73.33 6
311 255 Tony Horlock 59 44:44 Sevenoaks AC 30.41 9
312 57 Diana Bryant 44 44:48 Sevenoaks AC 71.28 7
341 69 Paula George 55 46:04 Sevenoaks AC 65.13 7
361 283 Geoff Kitchener 69 46:35 Sevenoaks AC 22.74 69
436 111 Sarah Fisher 23 50:14 Sevenoaks AC 43.59 2
462 335 Lionel Stielow 70 52:00 Sevenoaks AC 8.49 15
532 174 Sylvia Lewis 67 59:59 Sevenoaks AC 11.28 16

The full results are here.

Pauline with team

The next event is at Oxleas Wood on Sunday 1st December at 11:00. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. is the SAC team organiser.

KFL 2019/20 Match 1 - Knole Park

KFL Knole 2019

Sevenoaks AC's combined team won the first match of the Kent Fitness League cross country over a tough course in Knole Park. The event was superbly organised by Richard Thomas and his team from the club, and was blessed with fine conditions.

Despite having to field many more helpers and marshals for the Knole-Estates-mandated new course, SAC fielded a team of 43 runners on the day. The women's team did particularly well with Cath Linney, Vanessa Gilmartin, Mary Bridges and Suzy Claridge scoring in a clear victory ahead of Istead & Isfield and Paddock Wood.

The men's team were a solid fourth, led by James Mason in fifth place overall. James was backed up by fellow scorers Guillaume Nineven, Ben Bridges, Lee Lintern, Mike Lochead, Darius Sarshar, Andrew Milne and Andrew Mead. Dartford Harriers and Medway & Maidstone were a long way clear in the men's team race, with Paddock Wood just ahead of Sevenoaks. But the brilliant performance of Sevenoaks AC's women tipped the balance in SAC's favour in the combined category.

The SAC results are as follows:

Ov Pos Lg Pos Runner Age Time Club Rating # Races
6 5 James Mason 36 38:09 Sevenoaks AC 98.88 10
32 31 Guillaume Nineven 34 40:34 Sevenoaks AC 91.57 5
41 40 Ben Bridges 40 41:10 Sevenoaks AC 89.04 8
43 42 Lee Lintern 39 41:15 Sevenoaks AC 88.48 31
45 44 Mike Lochead 33 41:23 Sevenoaks AC 87.92 8
48 47 Darius Sarshar 50 41:26 Sevenoaks AC 87.08 8
50 49 Andrew Milne 37 41:38 Sevenoaks AC 86.52 23
67 66 Jimmy George 38 42:59 Sevenoaks AC 81.74 9
73 72 Andrew Mead 50 43:15 Sevenoaks AC 80.06 34
81 79 Andy Ashlee 50 43:40 Sevenoaks AC 78.09 28
82 80 Zack Ramsden 53 43:48 Sevenoaks AC 77.81 Debut
83 81 Andy Nicoll 39 43:50 Sevenoaks AC 77.53 11
94 91 Tim Young 47 44:21 Sevenoaks AC 74.72 Debut
102 99 Chris Desmond 56 44:35 Sevenoaks AC 72.47 81
107 104 James Baker 54 45:01 Sevenoaks AC 71.07 23
113 108 Daniel Witt 44 45:16 Sevenoaks AC 69.94 53
120 113 James Wright 51 45:33 Sevenoaks AC 68.54 29
144 132 Jatinder Soomal 37 46:38 Sevenoaks AC 63.20 8
154 141 Graham Dwyer 47 46:59 Sevenoaks AC 60.67 8
164 14 Catherine Linney 50 47:35 Sevenoaks AC 92.74 30
167 16 Vanessa Gilmartin 44 47:48 Sevenoaks AC 91.62 12
174 156 James Nash 28 48:17 Sevenoaks AC 56.46 4
176 18 Mary Bridges 41 48:19 Sevenoaks AC 90.50 Debut
181 19 Suzy Claridge 47 48:34 Sevenoaks AC 89.94 Debut
183 21 Jacqui O'Reilly 35 48:38 Sevenoaks AC 88.83 4
189 22 Marion Van Lille 34 48:57 Sevenoaks AC 88.27 7
217 189 Sean Leith 47 49:58 Sevenoaks AC 47.19 Debut
229 30 Laura Andrade 40 50:23 Sevenoaks AC 83.80 Debut
237 203 Tony Waldron 52 50:44 Sevenoaks AC 43.26 27
282 47 Annabelle Milne 39 52:48 Sevenoaks AC 74.30 8
297 50 Bridgit Weekes 61 53:23 Sevenoaks AC 72.63 7
299 248 Simon Hallpike 66 53:29 Sevenoaks AC 30.62 50
307 253 Paul Smith 57 53:53 Sevenoaks AC 29.21 Debut
321 63 Paula George 55 54:48 Sevenoaks AC 65.36 6
343 70 Kim Henderson 44 55:54 Sevenoaks AC 61.45 Debut
344 71 Diana Bryant 44 55:55 Sevenoaks AC 60.89 6
345 72 Ella Pyman 52 56:03 Sevenoaks AC 60.34 12
370 85 Lucy Wilkes 40 57:29 Sevenoaks AC 53.07 Debut
418 309 Lionel Stielow 70 1:01:01 Sevenoaks AC 13.48 14
420 110 Sarah Fisher 23 1:01:08 Sevenoaks AC 39.11 Debut
505 160 Sylvia Lewis 67 1:10:30 Sevenoaks AC 11.17 15
512 346 Peter Nuttall 47 1:12:17 Sevenoaks AC 3.09 24
525 351 James Fitzmaurice 77 1:17:00 Sevenoaks AC 1.69 72

The full results are here.

The next event is at Swanley Park this coming Remembrance Sunday 10th November at 11:02. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. is the SAC team organiser.

KXCL 2019/20 Match 2 - Somerhill

The SAC men's team moved up to 15th place in the standings after the second match of the 2019/20 Kent Cross Country League at Somerhill on 26th October. Darius Sarshar led the team in 120th place (6th M50) in 42:54, and he was backed up by Andrew Mead in 132nd place (9th M50) in 43:29, Zachary Ramsden in 175th (23rd M50) in 45:44, Dan Witt in 182nd (30th M40) in 46:17, and Chris Desmond in 187th (12th M55) in 46:38. Equalling their performance in the first match, the team finished 18th on the day.

In the women's event, Suzy Claridge beat her run in the previous match by one place for 49th (7th W45) in 23:08. And in the men's over-70 race, Richard Pitcairn-Knowles was 7th (1st M85) in 42:20.

Once again, the club had full teams in both the under-13 boys and girls, with the boys 10th on the day and 7th in the standings and the girls 8th on the day and 8th in the standings. The individuals running in those races for Sevenoaks AC were Frederick Naughton 45th in 13:19, Edward Geeson 50th in 14:01, and William Hurst 57th in 15:40; Ella Baker 23rd in 12:43, Alexia Scotiniadis 37th in 13:31, and Lucy Edwards 47th in 14:18. One other junior athlete also competed, with Tom Gill 37th in the men's under-17 race in 25:18.

The full results are here.

There is no senior men's race at the next (third) match at Danson Park on 9th November, and no senior women's race at the fourth match at Footscray Meadows on 14th December. SAC seniors can contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and juniors can contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to run in these races.

Beachy Head Marathon 2019

Seven SAC members tackled this year's Beachy Head Marathon on 26th October, writes Jim Knight.

Whilst the rest of the country had pouring rain, it was mild and windy on Saturday morning on the Downs around Beachy Head, with heavy rain forecast for the afternoon. The course was diverted in two places as a result of flooding, leading to big queues on the section into Alfriston and it was here that I met Rob Carr and Simon Lewis enjoying their annual outing to Beachy Head – Rob’s 10th.Simon, Caitlin & Rob

As usual, the race was well marshalled with lots of food stations including the famous (and very welcome) giant sausage rolls at 16.8 miles.

I ran with Bet Benn on the section over the Seven Sisters to Birling Gap – 7 steep climbs followed by 7 equally steep descents made more difficult by the winds gusting up to 40+mph.

It wasn’t a day for fast times, with the winning time more than 15 minutes slower than last year. Fortunately, the wind was behind us on the final section and I managed to stagger into the finish just before the heavy rain started. It wasn’t as fast as I had hoped, but I’m pleased to have finished, and hope to be able to walk again by next weekend.

Heather fell at 5 miles and hurt her ankle. After treatment at 12 miles, she carried on to finish in just under 5 hours. Sylvia walked round with her son and "had a fantastic day and great fun". Simon, Rob & PaulAlthough I didn’t see him on the day, it was good to see Paul Tabor in the results, finishing in an impressive 7.47.

Julie & RobCaitlin had a good run for her first ever trail marathon coming in sub 5 hours, adds Rob Carr. Julie did the 10k and her time was 1:19. Unfortunately it wasn’t a great day for me. I struggled with lower back pain and lack of mobility from about 16 miles. I’d have quite happily pulled out at the aid station before Birling Gap, but was determined to finish what was my 200th marathon. I’m glad I picked Beachy Head as my 200th and it it was  great to see so many SAC runners and to have my family there.

SAC Results were.

Heather Fitzmaurice  4.57, Caitlin Carr 4.59, Jim Knight 6.37, Rob Carr 6.39, Bet Benn 6.40, Paul Tabor 7.47, Sylvia Lewis 8.16. Links to the full results are here.

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