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.
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).
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).
Allan 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.
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.