Butser Hill Challenge - 24th September 2006
LIGHTS, cameras, action....birthday boy Michael Aimable was the star of TV at the Buster Hill Run.
Meridian TV cameras were on hand to capture the celebrations to mark Michael's 80th birthday at the fell race which is staged at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park near Petersfield.
The Stubbington stalwart turned the big Eight-Oh on Sunday, and joining him in the birthday celebrations was 12-year-old Jake Alcock from Churcher's College in Petersfield, who cut a celebratory cake with Michael.
He was the subject of a three minute piece to camera which appeared on Meridian TV on Wednesday's Meridian Tonight programme where Michael talked about how wonderful the Butser Hill run was, and how he was thrilled at what the organisers had done to mark his birthday. "It has been a wonderful day," he said.
Michael finished 272nd out of 273 men's runners for the 26th running of the race in a time of 1hr 18min 29sec for the gruelling 4.5-mile run which included an 888ft ascent.
The winner was Chichester Runner's James Baker who won in a time of 30min 51sec, from Denmead Runners' Nick Baker. Unattached runner Faye Cripps held off a late dash to the line from Farnham Runners' Jane Georghiou to win in 40:29 in a field of 58 ladies.
Stubbington had a good day at the race, which we jointly organise with Portsmouth Joggers and Victory AC thanks to the efforts of our own Ken Griffiths. The senior men finished second in the team rankings behind Denmead, and the vets won by two points from Portsmouth Joggers.
Chris Hall was Stubbington's leading runner with a time of 35:46 to finish first Vet 40 and ninth place. Chris Vernon won the Vet 50 title in 19th place overall in 37:41, and John Exley had a good solid run for 39th place in 40:16, and sixth Vet 45.
Marcus Lee is having a storming season and he was rewarded with a good time of 42:59 for 73rd, and the evergreen Mike Bell was 82nd in 43:16 to earn sixth Vet 50.
Kathy McKain was Stubbington's lone lady runner, finishing 36th in a time of 55:29.
Click here for photos | Click here for photos courtesy of Alan Dunk