RACE REPORT
The Box Hill Fell Race’s silver anniversary was celebrated in fine style with gloriously sunny weather and two of the fastest times on record. I see the report last year said that Dean Lacy was holding back then to save himself for the Southern Champs. This year he isn’t running the Southerns and was not holding back. Nor could he afford to as the winner from 2003 Henry Dodwell was in determined mood and breathing down his neck the whole way. Their battle took them well clear of third place and saw Dean record the second fastest time ever and Henry move to fourth on the all time list. Although conditions were good I don’t think they were as fast as the record year of 1997. So as Dean is still only 21 and still improving fast that record could go soon, but Henry might have something to say about that too.
The minor places kept a respectable distance from the battle at the front and were filled by many familiar faces – none more so than that occupying 5th spot, a welcome return back to eleven time champion and course record holder Chris Beecham. Will he see that record go next year?
The veteran’s result had a certain predictability. With the winner for the last 2 years, Shaun Whelan, not making the start line, Kevin Harding, Mark Forrest and John Lowden all moved up one place to claim the prizes. Nothing if not consistent, these over 40s. Among the older classes there were new names, with Chris Stone being first over 50 and Geoff Newton taking the over 60s prize.
The ladies race did not achieve the same dizzy heights as the men. 5th last year, Joanna Carritt improved her time by three minutes to take a comfortable win nearly five minutes clear of Springfield’s Sarah Tucker. It was good to welcome back Phyllis Flynn to the race and see her become first lady vet and 3rd lady overall just pipping the host club’s Caroline Catmur and Abi Weeds.
As for the team result, congratulations to Tring for their first win in this category. It was perhaps the best contested team result ever with 5 teams within 32 points. It didn’t end their either but continued through all the placings where even those at the bottom of the list scored much less than clubs in those positions in previous years.
TEAM RESULTS
1 Tring R C
70 8 Bishops Stortford RC 175
2 Highgate Harriers
78 9 Reigate Priory 177
3 Springfield Striders 84 10 Cambridge
Harriers 199
4 Slipknot 100 11
Serpentine 246
5 Worthing Harriers 102 12
SLOW 300
6 Frontrunners 133 13 Tadworth
308
7 Sheen Shufflers 165
Maybe it was the silver jubilee or perhaps just a continuation of a trend, but
this year the numbers limit was filled earlier then ever, nearly three weeks
before race day. We allow for a 20% no-show and so accept more, as a field of
less than 180 runners mean that some wanting to run have been denied the chance,
but its something we have to keep a close eye on if this is a trend that
continues.
Thanks go again to all the usual suspects. The National Trust for permission to run on the hills. Sandra Dunlop and all those at Friends Provident for use of the car park and social club. Like me, Sandra has now done 14 of these races. And of course the many helpers from SLOW - Dick (entries, registration, and computer), Mike (signs, course marking and a road crossing), Chris (notices, registration and finish), Jeremy (road crossing and finish), Kate and Kay (finish), Keira (course sweeper), Diane and Alan (road crossings) and Mark and Chris for organising the car stickers. Especial thanks this year as I did not have to appeal for helpers – enough had volunteered their services already.
Keep an eye out for SLOW’s races in the summer. The Surrey Hills Races are just the other side of Dorking on the Bank Holiday May 29th; although not flagged the courses are the same each year and so the navigational burden is eased. Slightly trickier are the Summer Trail Challenge races – a series of 3 or 4 10km races, where the course to be navigated is revealed just before the start. These are on summer evenings in the Kingston/Richmond area.
Otherwise its back for race number 26 in 2007
Andy Robinson