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Newsdesk 2002
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RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 71 15 AUGUST 2002
Web site: http://www.surreyweb.net/rharriers
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SURREY 5KM at Wimbledon Sunday August 11th
This was the final event in both our own Grand Prix series and the Surrey
Road League. The course isn't everybody's cup of tea, comprising two laps
of a long drag up followed by an equally long dash back down. But despite
its low profile it's slowly growing in popularity and this year 175
runners finished. We were in the driving seat for the League championship
for both men and women, but we have in the past made something of a habit
in this competition of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Not this
time, though.
The women did it in style. Liz ran an impressive 18.29 to win her race
(Surrey champ!) and excellent performances from Sarah and Marlene in 6th
and 7th places secured a team victory and the League title. For good
measure Liz was also awarded the League individual gold.
The men on the other hand struggled a bit without Messrs Doyle and Lane
but Marcus in 6th place was the first vet home (Surrey champ!) and won
himself the League Over 40 title. CO and Kevin were our only other men in
front of Liz and they were just well enough placed to hold on to the
League title. Allan Lang upset his perennial rivals to be the first Over
60 home (Surrey champ!).
1 A Franklin (Boxhill) 15.20
6 Marcus Gohar 16.08
21 Chris Owens 17.15
28 Kevin Jacques 17.39
40 Liz Kipling 18.29
59 Mike Peace 19.16
61 Sarah Seal 19.22
70 Marlene Pautard 19.41
83 Allan Lang 20.12
86 Chris Read 20.24
97 Bridget Cuthbert 21.02
107 Estelle Damant 21.29
111 Eliete Nascimento 21.49
147 John Hanscomb 24.15
149 Carol Barnshaw 24.19
150 Janet Turnes 24.20
Marcus Gohar adds further comment to the report of the Wedding Day 7km in
Bushy Park:
"As we know that Mick Lane's running quite well, his desertion of the
Ranelagh pack in favour of the front of the leading group gave us more of
a sigh of relief than a scare. We knew that starting at that speed he was
unlikely to forsake us for long, and so it proved. The novelty of the the
view from the front soon wore off and he returned to the fold.
There's something about the Stragglers - every race they organise is fun,
or at least as fun as a running race can be. Those of you who didn't turn
up missed a thoroughly enjoyable evening, and furthermore, we were soundly
beaten in the numbers game by Epsom Allsorts!
A more serious point is that yet again the club team was more akin to an
old folks outing, the only non vet in the men's team being up and coming
youngster Paul Doyle (35). If we don't get some young blood soon we might
be mistaken for a crown green bowling team!"
Ken Powley adds that the slight amendment to the Wedding Day course added
a total of 124 yards to that used in previous years. This will account for
me being four minutes slower than last year.
Margaret Auerback writes:
"On our way to Manchester we stopped off at the BVAF track and field
champs where much to my surprise I won the W55 1500m in 5.26.7 beating Pat
Gallagher ( European champion) for the first time in my life - and the
last, according to Pat after the race! I'm off to Potsdam on the 14th for
the European masters where we will resume battle. After that will see some
of you in Coutainville".
ROAD GRAND PRIX
The Surrey 5km was the last of the eight events in this year's Ranelagh
Road Grand Prix, with each individual's best seven scores to count.
Remarkably, three of the categories were won with maximum scores!
Congratulations to Marcus Gohar, Mike Peace and Liz Kipling for their
domination of the Over 40, Over 50 and Women's categories respectively.
Marcus was also clear winner of the Open class, but a couple of defeats by
Paul Doyle saw him fall two short of the maximum score.
Leading scores:
OPEN
Marcus Gohar 82; Paul Doyle 66; Mike Peace 49; Liz Kipling 46; Mick
Lane 39; Stephen Instone 26; Chris Owens 19; Alastair Sinclair 18; Sarah
Seal 18; Kevin Jacques 17; Adam Tapley 15; Marlene Pautard 14; Giles
Marshall 13; Bridget Cuthbert 12; John Hanscomb 12; Hugh Jones 12; Jonny
Rowan 12; Ken Fotherby jnr 11; Peter Haarer 11; Chris Read 11.
OVER 40
Marcus Gohar 42; Mick Lane 19; Stephen Instone 16; Alan Craig 9; Chris
Owens 8; Hugh Jones 6; Kevin Jacques 6; Ken Fotherby jnr 5; Ian Grange
5; Clive Naish 4; Andy Bickerstaff 4.
OVER 50
Mike Peace 42; John Hanscomb 23; Tom Reay 15; Alan Meaden 14; Alan
Davidson 10; Allan Lang 9; David Meaden 9; Martin Clark 8; Mike Rowland
4; Wyn Williams 2.
WOMEN
Liz Kipling 42; Sarah Seal 20; Sue Healey 15; Marlene Pautard 12;
Bridget Cuthbert 11; Rachel Dixon 7; Lizzie Clifford 6; Estelle Damant
6; Kathy Mallett 5; Jenni Kruse 5; Clare Gutch 5.
MR & MRS BICKERSTAFF...
"...would like to say a big thanks to everyone who attended our wedding,
sent cards and/or presents and generally made it a great day. We certainly
enjoyed ourselves to the full...I was certainly full of it (mostly
Youngs). There are rumours that Chertsey is now seriously short of
cranberry juice. Thanks again!
Andy and Lana
P.S. We think a few cards have gone awol, so if we don't thank you
personally, please ask 'WHY NOT'".
And hot on the heels of Andy and Lana, David Benton and Alison O'Neill
were wed last weekend at Buc in the South of France. "...And very nice it
was, too," reports Christian Vaughan.
NEXT...
More details of the following from Andy Bickerstaff (07966 552302 /
mailto:norris.hobs@ndirect.co.uk) or Sarah Seal (020 8995 2380 /
mailto:sarahs@walker.co.uk).
Saturday September 7th Thomas Cup Handicap at Richmond Park. The Opening
Run of our 122nd season. The race is 3.8 miles starting at 3pm and all
members are welcome. Before the race there will be the annual club
photograph at about 2.30pm. Do try to be there!
Saturday September 14th Surrey Road Relays at Wimbledon, from 1pm. Races
for men and women, including veterans categories.
Saturday September 28th Southern Road Relays at Aldershot
FINALLY
In his quest for ever more exotic marathons, Hugh Jones is now plumbing
the depths. On Sunday August 4th he and 99 others of dubious sanity set
off on the Greenwich Foot Tunnel Marathon. Yes, that's the narrow
pedestrian tunnel that links Greenwich with the Isle of Dogs, the vital
link for London Marathon spectators. 58 laps of it. Starting at 2am.
Apparently these things are very popular in Germany.
Hugh won by half an hour in 2.45.40. About fifteen minutes into the race
two members of the public stumbled unwittingly into these subterranean
shenanigans. "What's going on?" shouted one at the top of his voice, "This
is crazy!". And who am I to disagree...
Steve Rowland
Telephone: 01926 318734
Fax: 0870 4006901
e-mail: srowland@calorgas.co.uk