Despite some key runners having to drop out before the races, Sevenoaks AC fielded full teams in both the M60 and M40 categories at a very windy Kent County Masters Cross Country Championships at Sparrows Den, West Wickham on Saturday 5th December.
But the first race of the day was the M50 event over about 9k, in which Chris Desmond and John Stevens were contesting the individual places without their usual teammate Keith Dowson, with whom they've been in or close to the medals in recent years. Both men ran well in a very high quality race with Chris finishing 12th and John 32nd. Ben Reynolds of Tonbridge AC won the race by over a minute and half.
The M60 race was run together with all three women's categories and the M70+ group. The shorter course was described as 5,430 metres on the course map but in practice seemed shy of 3 miles at 4.75k. Again standards were very high, so that Kent Fitness XC League M60 leader James Graham was seventh despite running very well. Backed up by Geoff Vine in 26th and Simon Hallpike in 27th, the M60 Sevenoaks AC team came up just short of the medals in fourth. In a tight finish, Jeremy Carnell of Cambridge Harriers won the race by one second from John Harley of Tonbridge.
There were no team awards for the M70+ group in which SAC was represented by Ron Denney and M80 Richard Pitcairn-Knowles. Ron was our first finisher in that category in 5th place with RPK seventh.
The final race of the day featured the M40s over the same course as the M50s and was again a top class race. Like the M50 race, the winner, Christopher Greenwood of Kent AC, was over one and a half minutes clear. Andrew Mead was our leading runner in 25th with Dan Witt 35th, followed closely by Nick Humphrey-Taylor 40th with Tony Waldron 64th. A strong performance on the day for tenth team.
The full results are here.
Having won the first race in Knole Park and come second in the second race at Swanley, Sevenoaks AC athlete James Mason was again the winner in the fourth race of the Kent Fitness League series at Oxleas Woods, Eltham on Sunday 29 November.
On a 2 lap, 5.5 mile, muddy course, which is reckoned to be the toughest of the seven race series even without the high winds on the day, Mason led home a 27-strong Sevenoaks AC team in a field of over 400 runners from Kent running clubs.
At Swanley, Mason had allowed one of his rivals to get a few too many metres ahead before the final sprint, but there was no mistake this time as the 32-year-old Otford resident pulled clear to win by 150 metres.
Both the Sevenoaks men and women were missing some of their fastest runners on the day, but there were still some excellent scoring performances with two of the older members helping the team scores. James Graham, who is the leading M60 in the series, provided one of the the club's M50 scores, while Sally Shewell, who is second W55 in the standings, contributed the club's senior woman's score.
Once again, Cath Linney led the Sevenoaks women's team home and provided the W45 score, while W50 Pauline Dalton provided the W35 score to keep Sevenoaks AC in the top five women's teams after four races.
In the men's section, Chris Desmond was Sevenoaks' second scorer and provided the other M50 score, followed by Andy Ashlee, who was the club's M40 scorer, Andrew Mead, Joe Parsons and Dan Witt. Although slightly down on the day, the men's team are still battling it out for third place in the standings, and the combined men's and women's team is still in third place.
On the day, the men, women and combined teams were all 5th, leaving the men 4th, women 5th and combined team 3rd in the standings. In the categories, Cath was 1st W45 (1st in standings), Sally 3rd W55 (2nd), James Graham 2nd M60 (1st) and Chris Desmond 4th M50 (3rd).
The Kent Fitness League is a series of cross-country races between 18 registered Athletics Clubs in Kent. Any number of club members can compete, but 10 are needed to score in the team competition – 7 men (of whom two must be over 50 and one over 40) and 3 women (of whom one must be over 45 and one over 35). The next race in the series will be at Nurstead Court near Meopham on Sunday December 20th, starting at 11.00.
The Sevenoaks AC results were as follows:
Ov Pos | Lg Pos | Runner | Age | Time | Club | Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | James Mason | 32 | 31:23 | Sevenoaks AC | 100.00 |
36 | 35 | Chris Desmond | 52 | 35:28 | Sevenoaks AC | 88.51 |
42 | 40 | Andy Ashlee | 46 | 35:49 | Sevenoaks AC | 86.82 |
45 | 43 | Andrew Mead | 47 | 36:02 | Sevenoaks AC | 85.81 |
53 | 51 | Joe Parsons | 25 | 36:48 | Sevenoaks AC | 83.11 |
58 | 56 | Daniel Witt | 40 | 37:01 | Sevenoaks AC | 81.42 |
64 | 61 | James Wright | 47 | 37:15 | Sevenoaks AC | 79.73 |
72 | 67 | John O'Callaghan | 31 | 37:26 | Sevenoaks AC | 77.70 |
92 | 82 | James Graham | 62 | 38:31 | Sevenoaks AC | 72.64 |
113 | 102 | Shaun Mullen | 39 | 39:22 | Sevenoaks AC | 65.88 |
115 | 103 | John Stevens | 54 | 39:26 | Sevenoaks AC | 65.54 |
119 | 107 | Tex Ryan | 25 | 39:37 | Sevenoaks AC | 64.19 |
121 | 10 | Cath Linney | 46 | 39:45 | Sevenoaks AC | 93.08 |
133 | 119 | Allan McPherson | 29 | 40:35 | Sevenoaks AC | 60.14 |
184 | 159 | Tony Waldron | 48 | 42:44 | Sevenoaks AC | 46.62 |
188 | 162 | John Denyer | 67 | 42:57 | Sevenoaks AC | 45.61 |
189 | 163 | Andy Evans | 45 | 42:59 | Sevenoaks AC | 45.27 |
215 | 30 | Pauline Dalton | 51 | 43:51 | Sevenoaks AC | 77.69 |
233 | 196 | Geoff Vine | 68 | 44:54 | Sevenoaks AC | 34.12 |
234 | 35 | Sarah Shewell | 56 | 45:07 | Sevenoaks AC | 73.85 |
239 | 201 | Simon Hallpike | 62 | 45:23 | Sevenoaks AC | 32.43 |
306 | 245 | Maurice Marchant | 67 | 48:32 | Sevenoaks AC | 17.57 |
314 | 249 | Lyndon Collins | 65 | 48:49 | Sevenoaks AC | 16.22 |
351 | 80 | Happy Fisher | 39 | 52:02 | Sevenoaks AC | 39.23 |
359 | 271 | James Fitzmaurice | 73 | 52:44 | Sevenoaks AC | 8.78 |
370 | 91 | Becca Smithers | 55 | 53:30 | Sevenoaks AC | 30.77 |
383 | 100 | Jenny Austin | 38 | 55:05 | Sevenoaks AC | 23.85 |
The full results are here.
A record team of 25 Sevenoaks AC runners made the long journey to Deal for the third race in this year's Kent Fitness League series, writes Jim Knight. The temperature was sub-zero as the team left Sevenoaks, but it warmed up though the morning and conditions for the race were ideal for running – cold, but clear and sunny.
The race took place on the site that was previously Betteshanger Colliery, Kent's biggest coalfield, which closed in 1989. The site was regenerated in 2000 as Fowlmead Country Park with several miles of mountain-bike and walking trails. In May 2015, Hadlow College acquired the park, renaming it Betteshanger Country Park. It is an ideal place for a cross-country race with excellent trails and great views over the undulating East Kent countryside.
Just under 400 runners from the 18 Kent clubs lined up for the start at 11.00. 29 minutes and 26 seconds later, Noel Sutton of Thanet Road Runners crossed the line for his second win of the series. The only runner to have beaten him in this year's series is Sevenoaks' James Mason who could not be present at this race.
The Sevenoaks men's team ran well, with 7 runners in the top 50. Fastest SAC athlete was 46 year-old Andrew Mead in 26th place, closely followed Joao Branquinho in 27th (just a few days after completing a 6 day desert marathon in Oman), and Edmund Saunders in 28th. 52-year old Chris Desmond was the club's top M50 in an impressive 30th place (3rd M50) with fellow M50 Stephen Searby in 52nd. The other scoring members of the Sevenoaks men's team were Andrew Milne in 40th and Andy Ashlee in 42nd. There were good runs also by Joe Parsons in 48th, Dan Witt in 57th, and 60 year old James Graham who was the fastest M60 in the field, in 69th position. Overall, a great performance by the men's team to come home in 4th position.
In the women's race, the fastest Sevenoaks runner, once again, was Cath Linney in an impressive 6th place (1st W45). The other SAC women were Annabelle Milne in 18th, Pauline Dalton in 21st and Sally Shewell in 27th (2nd W55). The women's team equalled their 4th place in the Swanley race, again coming in 4th in Deal. Another great performance.
With both the men's and women's teams doing so well, the combined team placed 3rd on the day. Deal is normally one of SAC's weakest races in the series as large numbers from Canterbury Harriers and Deal Tri Club attend, in addition to the big teams from Dartford, so 3rd position for the overall team is impressive. After three matches, the Sevenoaks AC men's and combined teams are third and the women's team fourth. The next race in the series will be in Oxleas Woods, Eltham on Sunday Nov 29th.
The full SAC results were:
Ov Pos | Lg Pos | Runner | Age | Time | Club | Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
26 | 26 | Andrew Mead | 47 | 32:51 | Sevenoaks AC | 91.01 |
27 | 27 | Joao Branquinho | 34 | 32:52 | Sevenoaks AC | 90.65 |
28 | 28 | Edmund Saunders | 33 | 32:59 | Sevenoaks AC | 90.29 |
30 | 30 | Chris Desmond | 52 | 33:01 | Sevenoaks AC | 89.57 |
40 | 40 | Andrew Milne | 33 | 33:21 | Sevenoaks AC | 85.97 |
42 | 42 | Andy Ashlee | 46 | 33:29 | Sevenoaks AC | 85.25 |
48 | 47 | Joe Parsons | 25 | 33:54 | Sevenoaks AC | 83.45 |
49 | 48 | Stephen Searby | 52 | 33:55 | Sevenoaks AC | 83.09 |
57 | 55 | Daniel Witt | 40 | 34:27 | Sevenoaks AC | 80.58 |
69 | 66 | James Graham | 62 | 35:03 | Sevenoaks AC | 76.62 |
76 | 73 | Allan McPherson | 29 | 35:17 | Sevenoaks AC | 74.10 |
77 | 74 | John O'Callaghan | 31 | 35:19 | Sevenoaks AC | 73.74 |
81 | 78 | John Stevens | 54 | 35:24 | Sevenoaks AC | 72.30 |
95 | 90 | James Baker | 51 | 36:20 | Sevenoaks AC | 67.99 |
96 | 6 | Cath Linney | 46 | 36:22 | Sevenoaks AC | 95.69 |
98 | 91 | Tex Ryan | 25 | 36:25 | Sevenoaks AC | 67.63 |
107 | 99 | Alan Lewis | 49 | 36:45 | Sevenoaks AC | 64.75 |
149 | 134 | Andy Evans | 45 | 38:34 | Sevenoaks AC | 52.16 |
151 | 135 | John Denyer | 67 | 38:34 | Sevenoaks AC | 51.80 |
157 | 18 | Annabelle Milne | 35 | 38:53 | Sevenoaks AC | 85.34 |
174 | 154 | Chris Randell | 38 | 39:30 | Sevenoaks AC | 44.96 |
183 | 21 | Pauline Dalton | 51 | 39:46 | Sevenoaks AC | 82.76 |
197 | 173 | Geoff Vine | 68 | 40:20 | Sevenoaks AC | 38.13 |
203 | 27 | Sarah Shewell | 56 | 40:42 | Sevenoaks AC | 77.59 |
227 | 192 | Duncan Cochrane | 58 | 41:53 | Sevenoaks AC | 31.29 |
The full results are here.
Having won the previous race in Knole Park, Sevenoaks AC athlete James Mason was second in the Kent Fitness League race in New Barn Park, Swanley on Sunday 8 November.
In a field of over 500 runners from 18 Kent running clubs, Mason led a 31-strong Sevenoaks AC team home over a 3 lap, 5.25 mile, muddy course.
Mason was once again involved tight finish with Noel Sutton of Thanet Road Runners, only this time the 32-year-old Otford resident allowed his rival to get a few too many metres ahead before the final sprint and was just unable to close the gap before the finish line.
In a field of over 500 runners, Mason led home a 31-strong Sevenoaks AC team over the muddy 3 lap, 5.25 mile course.
Other fine Sevenoaks AC men's scoring performances came from brothers Allan Lee (4th over-40) and David Lee in 15th and 16th, Andrew Mead 44th, Edmund Saunders 59th, Stephen Searby (over-50) 65th, and Chris Desmond (over-50) in 96th.
The return of Katie Wills, who missed the Knole Park race, gave a boost to Sevenoaks AC's women's team which was once again led by Cath Linney. Linney (2nd over-45) was 134th overall, with Wills 185th and Sally Mortleman (over-45) making up the scoring trio in 215th.
Also running well in their age groups were James Graham, (1st over-60) in 106th overall, and Sally Shewell (2nd over-55 - 253rd).
Sevenoaks AC led the league after the first race with the men's and combined teams first and the women's team 4th. After the excellent team performance at Swanley, where the men and women were both 4th and the combined team 3rd, the club is still well in contention with the men 2nd in the standings, the women 3rd and the combined team 2nd.
The Kent Fitness League is a series of cross-country races between 18 registered Athletics Clubs in Kent. Any number of club members can compete, but 10 are needed to score in the team competition – 7 men (of whom two must be over 50 and one over 40) and 3 women (of whom one must be over 45 and one over 35). The next race in the series will be in Fowlmead near Deal on Sunday November 22nd, starting at 11.00.
The SAC results were as follows:
Ov Pos | Lg Pos | Runner | Age | Time | Club | Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 2 | James Mason | 32 | 29:23 | Sevenoaks AC | 99.70 |
15 | 14 | Allan Lee | 42 | 31:03 | Sevenoaks AC | 96.14 |
16 | 15 | David Lee | 37 | 31:04 | Sevenoaks AC | 95.85 |
44 | 43 | Andrew Mead | 46 | 33:42 | Sevenoaks AC | 87.54 |
59 | 57 | Edmund Saunders | 33 | 34:14 | Sevenoaks AC | 83.38 |
64 | 61 | Andrew Milne | 33 | 34:31 | Sevenoaks AC | 82.20 |
65 | 62 | Stephen Searby | 52 | 34:36 | Sevenoaks AC | 81.90 |
71 | 66 | Lee Lintern | 35 | 34:45 | Sevenoaks AC | 80.71 |
95 | 88 | John O'Callaghan | 31 | 35:45 | Sevenoaks AC | 74.18 |
96 | 89 | Chris Desmond | 52 | 35:46 | Sevenoaks AC | 73.89 |
106 | 99 | James Graham | 62 | 36:02 | Sevenoaks AC | 70.92 |
116 | 108 | James Baker | 50 | 36:35 | Sevenoaks AC | 68.25 |
124 | 114 | Sharn Mullen | 39 | 36:53 | Sevenoaks AC | 66.47 |
126 | 116 | Alan Macpherson | 59 | 36:56 | Sevenoaks AC | 65.88 |
134 | 10 | Cath Linney | 46 | 37:15 | Sevenoaks AC | 94.51 |
145 | 131 | Alan Lewis | 49 | 37:37 | Sevenoaks AC | 61.42 |
185 | 21 | Katie Wills | 27 | 38:51 | Sevenoaks AC | 87.80 |
190 | 167 | Andy Evans | 45 | 38:58 | Sevenoaks AC | 50.74 |
197 | 173 | John Denyer | 67 | 39:16 | Sevenoaks AC | 48.96 |
215 | 27 | Sally Mortleman | 50 | 40:08 | Sevenoaks AC | 84.15 |
232 | 200 | Duncan Cochrane | 58 | 40:42 | Sevenoaks AC | 40.95 |
238 | 204 | Geoff Vine | 68 | 40:51 | Sevenoaks AC | 39.76 |
253 | 37 | Sarah Shewell | 56 | 41:15 | Sevenoaks AC | 78.05 |
263 | 223 | Simon Hallpike | 62 | 41:39 | Sevenoaks AC | 34.12 |
272 | 40 | Nicki Thompson | 39 | 41:54 | Sevenoaks AC | 76.22 |
312 | 54 | Sophie Lamb | 24 | 43:43 | Sevenoaks AC | 67.68 |
369 | 84 | Clair Thornton | 40 | 46:28 | Sevenoaks AC | 49.39 |
379 | 289 | Lionel Stielow | 66 | 46:51 | Sevenoaks AC | 14.54 |
416 | 107 | Becca Smithers | 54 | 49:28 | Sevenoaks AC | 35.37 |
423 | 112 | Jenny Austin | 38 | 49:46 | Sevenoaks AC | 32.32 |
457 | 320 | Peter Nuttall | 43 | 53:17 | Sevenoaks AC | 5.34 |
The full results are here.
Three Sevenoaks runners contested the previous day's Kent League XC race at Sparrows Den: Dan Witt was 83rd in 39:07, Chris Desmond was 86th in 39:20 and James Graham was 101st in 40:05 (1st M60). The full results are here.