Pub to Pub, 27th December 2006
TIME may have been called on the historic Gales brewery earlier this year, but the Pub-to-Pub charity road race and walk remains as popular as ever.
Traditionally, held on 27 December each year, the race starts from the Ship & Bell, at Horndean, and follows an undulating, 7.3 miles, out-and-back course, to the Red Lion, at Chalton.
Last year, conditions on the ice-covered course were treacherous, with several unfortunate runners coming to grief on perilously slippery corners.
However, thankfully this year, conditions were almost perfect, with a light scattering of mud, and the odd pile of horse manure providing the only hazards for runners to contend with.
Another superb performance by James Baker saw the Chichester Runner's athlete add to his tally of recent victories. Setting a swift early pace, Baker was first to the turn, in just 19 minutes, 28 seconds, and he didn't hang around on the way back either, completing the course in a rapid 39 minutes, 9 seconds.
Despite having a cold, a consistently paced run by last year's winner, Stubbington's Mark Le Gassick, saw him place 2nd, in a time of 40 minutes, 43 seconds.
However, the performance of the day undoubtedly belonged to Stubbington's Tony Allen. Tony has been plagued with injury of late but followed up his Today's Runner victory, at Bourne Woods, Farnham, two weeks ago, with an impressive performance, finishing in 4th place, and clocking 41 minutes, 9 seconds.
Not too far behind Tony, the ever-sprightly Alisdair Ewing coasted in to the down hill finish to take 7th place, in a highly respectable time of 42 minutes, 25 seconds. Andy Simpson was a little further down the road, finishing in 16th position, in 45 minutes, 8 seconds.
Winchester-based Shona Crombie Hicks, who runs for Bourton Roadrunners, was a convincing winner in the ladies race, producing an impressive time of 43 minutes, 24 seconds, to finish in 10th spot overall. Winchester & District AC's Kath Bailey was second in a time of 45 minutes, 43 seconds (17th place overall), with Havant Ac's Jane Harrop placing third, in 47 minutes 44 seconds (23rd overall).
Stubbington Green Runners & AC results were as follows:
2 Mark Le Gassick 40.43
4 Tony Allen 41.09
7 Alisdair Ewing 42.25
16 Andy Simpson 45.08
58 Marcus Lee 51.22
65 Derek Balsdon 52.38 (walker)
66 Richard Simms 52.39
69 Nick Crane 52.42
71 Nick Kimber 52.49
94 John Tussler 56.50
132 Jenny Hearnden 63.17 (walker)
141 Chris Haskell 65.12
143 John Vose 65.25
144 Michelle Simpson 65.26 (walker)
160 Liz Hall 68.48
187 Michael Aimable 81.43
There were 188 finishers.