SAC Handicap December 2007

John Denyer left it until the last race to snatch the Sevenoaks Athletics Club Handicap trophy with his first win in the 2007 series.

The 59-year-old beat his handicap by a minute to take the hilly 7 mile race by 37 seconds in 45:17, his best for several years. Only a win in this race was enough to secure the series, which had been led since the summer by Carol Beadle. Denyer, who also won the 2006 series, thus takes a place in the Club's history as the first runner to retain the title. In a format that encourages continual improvement, Denyer's achievement is a testament to his training regimes: the veteran runner is also an endurance running coach for the club.

On a windy and chilly morning, only one other runner beat his handicap on the day. This was Jim Knight, who improved on his time in the same race last year by around 20 seconds to record 57:54. Knight was nearly a minute clear of his son Martin, who was third in 44:00. This was the fastest time of the day, some consolation for losing out to Dad.

Another veteran runner and coach, Geoff Kitchener, was fourth in an exciting sprint finish with Suzy Claridge. Claridge looked strong over the final few hundred metres on the track, but Kitchener, whose sprinting won him the club's track and field Grand Prix this year, unleashed his trademark finish in the final straight. Kitchener (50:03) was two seconds ahead of fifth-placed Claridge (53:35) at the line.

In the minor series placings, neither Carol Beadle nor third-placed David Truman was present for the final race, but none of the challenging runners were able to make an impact in the final event, so the two were second and third respectively.

With the 2007 series completed, the runners have only a few days to recover before the 2008 series begins in the new year. The first race is over the alternate five mile course and starts from the Sevenoaks School track at 9 am on Sunday 6th January. Newcomers are very welcome to come and run.


Name	Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		H'cap	Ps	Time	Net
John Denyer	2	34'44			2	34'08					7	49'11	3	33'37	8	48'41	2	33'24	3	46'39			27'20	1	72'37	45'17
Jim Knight																							15'20	2	73'14	57'54
Martin Knight																							30'10	3	74'10	44'00
Geoffrey Kitchener					7	35'40															6	36'09	24'10	4	74'13	50'03
Suzy Claridge													12	39'34	2	53'00							20'40	5	74'15	53'35
Rob Johnson	6	42'18			12	46'04							9	40'56	3	55'44							17'50	6	74'33	56'43
Simon Lewis	14	48'16			13	45'41			12	42'14	12	65'54	19	43'40			1	40'57	8	60'03			16'50	7	74'49	57'59
Peter Dillon									11	45'53			14	45'14	17	69'37							11'30	8	75'27	63'57
Lyndon Collins	4	36'05			5	35'50	7	49'31							6	50'48	4	35'32	4	49'28	4	35'48	24'40	9	75'48	51'08
Erik Folkesson	7	36'45			6	35'58							6	35'30									24'30	10	76'30	52'00
Paul Tabor	13	44'01			9	41'48					10	63'29	17	44'06					10	62'37	8	43'20	15'40	11	77'29	61'49
Mark Haworth																	xx	34'52	2	47'55	2	34'42	25'40	12	79'39	53'59
David Simpson	9	52'42			4	51'42							15	53'29	13	75'28					10	55'51	02'00	13	79'49	77'49
Robert Carr			10	52'33			5	48'27	8	36'14			16	36'46	16	56'05	11	41'24					25'10	14	84'32	59'22
Gerald Ashby	xx	55'57	6	73'45	3	53'08																	00'00
Carol Beadle	1	40'26	4	53'32			2	52'18			1	51'26					9	39'13					22'10
Simon Hallpike	3	36'05	5	49'20	10	37'14	8	50'04	9	37'17	5	50'32	13	36'49	15	53'22	5	36'01	5	50'02	7	36'59	24'20
Simon Rowe	5	37'15	7	50'55			4	50'34	5	36'15	9	53'01	4	35'56	10	52'00							23'50
Geoff Vine	8	37'09															6	36'20					23'50
Nicola Macaulay									13	47'47													07'30
Alexia Taylor	11	53'53							1	48'05	8	68'49					8	49'39					07'00
Malcolm Fisher																					1	31'50	29'30
David Truman			3	57'47			6	58'08			2	58'22	2	41'04	14	60'59	10	43'25	6	58'22	3	41'25	16'40
Chris Rowley							xx	59'05															14'30
Peter Ash	xx	37'16			1	36'25	3	49'29			6	50'51					3	35'40					24'10
Sean Taylor	xx	44'40	1	57'07	8	39'41																	18'40
Chris Desmond	12	35'55	9	45'22									1	31'00	9	45'05	7	32'25			9	32'43	30'40
Heather Fitzmaurice					xx	39'52	1	47'58	4	33'33	3	47'22	7	33'16	11	48'30			9	49'40			27'30
Jim Fitzmaurice			xx	52'46					7	39'30	11	59'03							7	55'28			20'50
Robert Peers																			xx	46'18			27'20
Lindsey Shing											xx	62'55			1	52'55							20'40
Robert Brophy							9	53'23					5	36'27							5	37'04	23'10
Mark Lowton													xx	51'17									02'30
Tim Partridge													xx	41'32									16'00
Amanda Saunders													xx	49'45									04'40
Andrew Rackham	10	35'30	8	45'13	11	36'51	10	51'18	6	32'51			10	32'40	12	48'39							28'20
Jeff Tribe									xx	45'42	4	64'31	20	49'45									10'20
Fraser Partridge									10	34'29			8	33'12	4	45'40							28'00
Frances Herd																	xx	49'32					05'00
Nick Partridge									2	40'50			18	43'53									17'00
Tracy Vine									xx	50'32					7	71'55							03'40
Tony Kelly			2	52'49																			20'50
Zelda Williamson									xx	43'49													13'00
David Barley									3	38'08			11	38'25									20'50
Simon Dixon											xx	51'04											22'30
Cathy Hughes									xx	38'08													20'50
Leila Hackett																	xx	45'56					10'00
Jane Lindop									xx	43'49					5	62'02							13'00
Nigel Cornish															xx	50'30							23'10
John Edwards																	xx	42'05	1	57'54			15'40
Sarah Pratt																	xx	55'40					00'00

Final series positions:

1. John Denyer 7 pts; 2. Carol Beadle 8; 3. David Truman 10; 4. Peter Ash 13; 5. Heather Fitzmaurice 15; 6. Lyndon Collins 16; 7= Simon Rowe, Simon Hallpike 18; 9. Rob Johnson 24; 10. Chris Desmond 26; 11= Alexia Taylor, Simon Lewis 28; 13. Erik Folkesson 29; 14= Andrew Rackham, Robert Carr 34; 16. David Simpson 36; 17. Paul Tabor 37; 18. Peter Dillon 50.


John Denyer	Jim Knight	Martin Knight	Geoff Kitchener	Suzy Claridge

2008 series dates:

Sunday 9 am: 6 January, 17 February, 23 March, 20 April, 21 September, 5 October, 16 November;

Tuesday 7 pm: 20 May, 10 June, 8 July, 12 August;

Friday 9 am: 26 December.

Last Updated on 28-12-07

By Hallpike