Ryde 10, 28 January 2007
STUBBY newcomer Lou James is proving a valuable team member in the Stubbington fold.
Two top 20 finishes over cross country for the club, have now been followed by a superb run at the Ryde 10 for round seven of the Hampshire Road Race League.
The Stubbington team was severely depleted with many club members choosing to run at the Southern Cross Country Championships in Holkham, Norfolk the day before. There was also a few who chose to stay on the mainland to compete in the Romsey 5 instead.
Team captain, Chris Haskell, was worried whether she would get a ladies team out for the race, with promotion from Division Two very much in the women's grasp. Chris need not have worried as the Stubby ladies turned in a great performance on the Isle of Wight for a race which was making its debut in the HRRL calendar.
For the scenic, but undulating one-lap course, Lou finished 18th lady, 130th overall, in a time of 1hr 16min 32sec. The ever-reliable Lauren Coates was the next Stubby home in 1:27.24 for 53rd female and 205th overall, with Chris Haskell completing the scoring in 1:30.04 which earned her 59th lady and 221st overall.
With many other clubs similarly depleted, this was an excellent result for Stubbington's ladies who came 14th overall. Nicola Clark from Overton Harriers led the ladies home in 29th overall with a time of 1:02.28.
For the men, Tim Crumpton really pulled his finger out to nail the first Stubby male home. Tim is currently nursing a sore finger, which he accidentally sliced while trying home improvements on his study. Doctors managed to sew the part back on - and there's no truth in the rumour that Tim left a tip!!
Tim was 83rd in 1:10.33, followed by Marcus Lee, who was just on Tim's tail in 86th with 1:10.55, Nick Kimber, wearing race number one, placed 105th in 1:12.40, and Sean Jones completed the scoring in 127th with a time of 1:16.09.
It meant Stubbington's men came 23rd in the team rankings - but 19th among HRRL clubs. Ed Barnett from Aldershot, Farnham & District, won the race in a time of 54.49, leading home a field of 264 runners.
Photo courtesy Ryde Harriers, more pics here.