Box Hill Fell Race

Saturday 19 January 2008

Organiser’s race report

It was all change at the top this year with new faces taking the top 2 places. Well, they are new to the race, but very familiar to those in running circles. Nick Barrable has been an international orienteer for several years, recently winning a World Ranking race in Israel, and Phil Sheard has enjoyed great success in fell races up north for many years, but is now living locally. They were followed home by the most familiar face (and legs) in the race; it was great to see eleven time winner and course record holder Chris Beecham again making the “podium”.

Phil took an early lead taking Chris with him and leaving Nick trailing at that stage. However they were unable to sustain that pace and Nick was able to run through them to take the win.

Phil’s second place is the highest ever achieved by a veteran in this race. All credit to him on this tremendous achievement, but if we go the way of some races and have veterans winning them, is it healthy for our sport? Andy Hauser retained the over-50 crown and Geoff Newton, having missed last year regained the over-60 title; both achieveing fantastically high places for their age.

Among the ladies Joanna Carritt made it a hat-trick of wins. Mira Salmi was not far behind with Joanna saying she was “running scared” the whole way knowing Mira was chasing hard. First veteran and third lady overall was Tracey Woodyard of Springfield Striders.

Also scoring a hat-trick of wins were Tring RC in the team results, enabled by the recruitment of fourth-placer Nigel Bunn who was running for his orienteering club last year. They were well clear of Springfield Striders who as usual were the most represented club at the race. And it was good to see a local triathlon club turning up in enough strength to take third.

TEAM RESULTS

1 Tring R C 58 7 SLOW 280

2 Springfield Striders 96 8 Dulwich Runners 295

3 Thames Turbo Triathletes 125 9 Bishops Stortford RC 351

4 Cambridge Harriers 154 10 Saffron Striders 367

5 Reigate Priory 214 11 Serpentine RC 460

6 Sheen Shufflers 228

Entries filled very fast again this year, equalling last year’s record. This was despite not distributing any paper entry forms anywhere, and failing to send out a mass e-mail as I had promised to do. So thank you all for your support for the race. In order to get as close as possible to our numbers limit we take a much larger number of entries and estimate a no-show percentage. I heard there was quite a trade in entries between no-shows and those who missed the cut-off, with our winner Nick being the most notable beneficiary. I am quite happy with this, because if we do have to have a numbers limit, at least I know that those toeing the start line are those who most wanted to be there.

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. And of course the many helpers from SLOW – Richard, Caroline, Tim, Steve, Chris G, Alan, Diane, Peter, but especially Dick (entries, registration, and computer), Chris (notices, registration and finish) and Mike (road signs, flagging the middle section and a road crossing)

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 26th; although not flagged the courses are the same each year and so the navigational burden is eased. Also we are easing it further with guided course recces; these are scheduled for Saturday 26th April. Slightly trickier are the Summer Trail Challenge races – a series of three 10km races, where the course to be navigated is revealed just before the start. These are on summer evenings in the Kingston/Richmond area.

Andy Robinson