Box Hill Fell Race

Saturday 17 January 2009

Organiser’s race report

The big change this year was the increased entry limit. The National Trust kindly consented to raising the limit to 250 and the result of that was a much better atmosphere at the race with the largest field for many years.

Curiously very few recent top performers toed the start line this year and so it looked to be a wide open race. Malcolm Muir had placed 5th in 2008, but despite improving his time by over 3 minutes he was unable to take the win, just losing out in the closest finish I can recall. I am very pleased to report that the man who pipped him to the post was a member of SLOW – the organising club; the first time we have achieved this. Chris is a noted “Tough Guy”, having won that assault course in Wolverhampton once in the past and has several mountain marathon elite finishes to his name. Those who missed him at the prize-giving because he had to rush off to another race might like to know that he came third there.

However the win was not without some luck and controversy. John Dewey had established a comfortable lead with little over a mile remaining. He then took a wrong turn and went off course. From what I understand of where this happened, nobody has taken that turn before and certainly nobody else did this year. I placed the markers on that section myself, only a few minutes before the runners arrive and the course was as normal at that point. So unfortunately John did not win any sympathy vote and had to settle for third prize.

To make it an even greater year for SLOW, next across the line was the club’s top junior, Ralph Street. Ralph represented Great Britain at the World Junior Orienteering Championships but this was his first Box Hill race because he has only just become old enough! A tremendous run and maybe he’ll be challenging for the win very soon.

In another welcome advance for the young(ish!) there were no veterans in the top 10. The first vet was Nigel Bunn in 11th place, just ahead of his club-mate and regular veteran prize-winner Kevin Harding. The older class winners were also regular winners here – John Lowden in V50 and Geoff Newton in V60.

In the pre-race announcements, I had advised that the course was very “sticky” and runners should not be expecting PBs. I am very pleased to say that Sarah Rollins ignored all this and stormed to her fastest time over the course, a rise to 8th on the all-time list and a winning margin of nearly seven minutes. Sarah firmly established herself as Britain’s No 1 orienteer last year and we wish her even greater success in 2009. The other places were taken by Rebecca Black and Rachael Holmes, the latter being another prize-winner for SLOW. First vet was Lucy Gettins in 5th place.

In the team results Tring won for the 4th year in a row. This time they not only beat Springfield into second place (again) but took over from Springfield as the best represented club (21 to 15)

TEAM RESULTS

1 Tring R C 67 9 Thames Turbo Triathletes 284

2 Springfield Striders 95 10 Sheen Shufflers 284

3 Guildford & Godalming 96 11 Stragglers 290

4 SLOW 140 12 East Grinstead AC 298

5 Athletes Feat 149 13 Dorking & Mole Valley 306

6 Cambridge Harriers 207 14 Dulwich Runners 341

7 Reigate Priory 210 15 Tadworth AC 390

8 Serpentine RC 252 16 Bishops Stortford RC 414

Despite the increased numbers limit we again filled the entries in good time, putting up the “race full” signs nearly 2 weeks beforehand. We are quite happy with this as being pre-entry only saves a lot of volunteer time on race day

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 – Don, Caroline, Paul, Steve, Mike G, Charlie, Teresa, Mark, Peter, but especially Dick (entries, registration, and computer), Chris (notices, registration and finish) and Mike M (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 25th; 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 – keep an eye out for this on the website. 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 and you only have a few minutes to study it and discuss it with your mates. These are on summer evenings in the Kingston/Richmond area.

Andy Robinson