KFL 2015/16 Match 3

SAC team at Deal

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.

KFL 2015/16 Match 3 - Fowlmead