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Newsdesk 2002
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RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 49 3 JANUARY 2002
Web site: http://www.surreyweb.net/rharriers
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A happy, prosperous, fit, healthy, pb-filled New Year to you all!
STUBBS CUP MOB MATCH v SOUTH LONDON HARRIERS
Neither side showed much enthusiasm for a mob match three days before
Christmas. We mustered only 19 on the downs at Coulsdon but our hosts were
not much better off with 30 starters. Fixtures Sec John Hanscomb tells me
that he'll approach his opposite number in SLH to see if a better date can't
be found for next season.
It was very cold and the course was frozen hard, all but the crossing of the
ploughed field which was heavy going as usual. SLH's Stuart Major won pretty
much at a canter but Marcus and Mick showed up well for Ranelagh in 2nd and
3rd places. Thereafter followed rather too many white vests with just the
occasional spot of blue; and the SLH comprehensively outscored us for the
cup.
We did however comfortably outnumber SLH in the bar, and in Clive and Sue's
quiz later in the evening the two teams with a Ranelagh interest packed well
in 4th and 5th places.
David Wright adds:
"Modest chap that he is, Steve Rowland, whilst reporting on the club's
latest glorious defeat by SLH last Saturday, will probably have casually
ignored the fact that he is now a mob match centurion. I would therefore
like to salute his achievement in joining what is now a gang of four.
Looking at the latest statistics on the Ranelagh web site it could be some
time before a fifth is added. It will be up to Jim Forrest to rid himself of
calf injuries and to nurse himself through another nine 'mobs' (that is only
another 68 miles, Jim and you used to be able to do that in one day - London
to Brighton, Comrades, South Downs Way etc) or we will have to wait 6 or 7
years for Mike Peace, Clive Naish (still on course for 100 consecutive) or
even Bill Harvey to join us.
Back to Mr Rowland. Without wishing to start a history lesson it should be
noted that Steve was for many years the only link between two generations of
Ranelagh runners. He is much younger than the highly successful pack of the
late 50's and early 60's - Bird, Kirk, Hedger (A), Horne, Forrest, Fowler,
various Australians - but much older than the next batch of, probably, equal
success in the late 70's and early 80's, made up of Jones (H), East, Woods,
Orr, Collingridge, Harrison, Pautard, Hedger (S), Ewers, Riley, various
Australians and dare I say it DJW. Without Steve that link may never have
been made and Ranelagh could well have gone the way of many older clubs and
folded. The fact that he has further embraced the current generation through
newsletters, gazettes, organising of long distance footpath races etc.,
emphasises the massive contribution he has made to the club. And all this
with only 9 toes in recent years!
Well done Steve and thanks for driving me to my first road race ever - the
Canterbury '6' in 1975. I've never forgiven you though for not being able to
drive me home because you and Sonia went to a Speedway match in Canterbury
that evening!"
HENTY RELAY
The Henty Relay on December 29th was an enjoyable gallop despite the
bitterly cold weather (which reminds me - I forgot to pay tribute in the
last edition to the officials and marshalls who braved the freezing
conditions for a long afternoon of League races on December 15th. Even Ken's
computer shivered to a halt that day. Well done to you all and I hope you
have finally thawed out). Amongst the officials this time were Robin and
Julie Drummond, freshly arrived from three months swanning around Australia
and south-east Asia. Bet they were glad to be back!
We had enough runners for ten teams of three and although a bigger turnout
would make for a better race this was a pretty close affair, with half the
teams leading at some point. After Marcus Gohar and Paul Doyle made the
running on the first stage it was Kevin Jacques, saving his best effort for
the last lap, who swooped past John Keep and Clive Naish to take the Kiwi
trophy with his partners Margaret Auerback and Carol Barnshaw.
Marcus was the fastest "fast", Roger Brankin - in his first race for over a
year - was top "medium" and Wyn Williams the least slow "slow". Ms
Consistency was Louise Webster with two identical 9.47s.
Alice and Anair Beverly were our only representatives at Reigate's Holly
Runs on December 16th, the day after the last League race. Alice finished
10th in the senior women's race in 22.00 (winner S Best of Crawley in 19.29)
and Anair 3rd in the Under 15s in 12.24 (winner D Christmas of Crawley in
11.36).
They were out again on December 22nd finishing together in 2nd and 3rd
places in 18.58 in the junior women's section of Hercules Wimbledon's
inter-club on Wimbledon Common, 40 seconds behind the winner M Knepsl of
Hercules.
Ian Dent writes from Melbourne:
"I thought it was about time to let you know I'm alive, running and happily
settled back here in Australia. I regularly check out your e-news and am
pleased to see Ranelagh is still going strong, but I can't say I miss
slopping around those cross country courses at this time of year. I won't go
on about the great weather or outdoor lifestyle here which I'm sure you've
heard before but I must say living 400m from the beach has its advantages. I
think I only had to run with a polyprop top on twice throughout the winter
months here and my running tights are still packed away.
I was quickly back into my running again since I arrived here in June. I'm
not running with an 'official' harrier club as such but instead a band of
merry men known as the Melbourne Midday Milers
http://www.geocities.com/middaymilers/index.html who are very prominent in
the local corporate racing scene and have an enthusiastic lunchtime
training/racing program. Another former Ranelagh runner Geoff Nicholson also
runs for them. I'm working for the ANZ Bank here and was quickly consumed
into the ranks of their running club too.
On a personal front my best result since being back here was 1st V40 in the
Melbourne 1/2 Marathon in 1:18. I failed by a whisker to break 35 minutes
for 10km back in October but with my New Year resolution to hook up with a
professional coach I hope to devour both of these marks in 2002.
The World Masters Games are being held here in Melbourne in October 2002
http://www.2002worldmasters.org/ with a full track & field program plus 10k
& 1/2 marathon events so if anyone in the club is tempted by this I'd be
happy to see them. My email address here is denti@anz.com. Regards to all".
BUILDING FUND DRAW
Winners of the draw at the Henty Relay were Bev Ali (£151), Arthur Allwright
(£63) and Brian Chard (£38). If you'd like the opportunity to trouser such
riches it'll cost you just a tenner a year to join in. Contact Peter Trainor
by phone on 020 8541 3579 or by e-mail to peter.trainor@btinternet.com or by
snail mail to 30 Hatch Place, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT2 5NB.
COMING UP
More details of all the following from Andy Bickerstaff (07966 552302 /
norris.hobs@ndirect.co.uk) or Sarah Seal (020 8995 2380 /
sarahs@walker.co.uk).
Saturday January 5th Surrey County cross-country championships at Lloyd
Park, Croydon.
Saturday January 19th South of the Thames "Senior" Championships at
Wimbledon
Saturday January 26th Southern Championships at Parliament Hill
Saturday February 2nd Surrey League Div 1 final fixtures, women (12 noon)
and men (3pm) both at Farthing Downs, Coulsdon
Saturday February 9th Pelling-Ratcliff Cup mob match v Blackheath Harriers
at home in Richmond Park, incorporating our club championship for the Wynne
Cup. 2.30pm start. Our last chance to win a mob match this season!
Steve Rowland
Telephone: 01926 318734
Fax: 0870 4006901
e-mail: srowland@calorgas.co.uk