Winchester 10k
RACE organisers moved the start and finish of the Hampshire Chronicle Winchester 10km Road race to the Winchester City Football Ground and got in a right muddy mess!
Last year, the event started in the High Street taking runners on a windy and sometimes hilly course on the outskirts of the city before finishing at the Nuns Road ground.
This time, Sunday's race began with a circuit of the football pitch before runners headed out onto the streets, and this caused some confusion.
"The start was disorganised as the lap of the stadium caused a few problems as elite runners tried to lap those who hadn't started," said one runner.
Another said: "Only problems were narrow start which was very muddy and then even muddier on arrival back for finish."
However, the early hold-ups didn't stop Stubbington's Mark Le Gassick from finishing third. He clocked an impressive 32min 47sec for the distance, finishing behind winner Gary Thornton from Kent AC in 30.20, with Elliot Robinson from Aldershot , Farnham & District in second place in 31.59.
Mark only entered the race late, and is now concentrating on 10km races for the Spring with the Eastleigh 10km and Totton 10km races in his sight lines.
A total of 788 runners took part, with Stubbington's men finishing sixth in the team rankings behind winners Winchester & District AC.
Mark was well supported by Tim Crumpton in 62nd place with a time of 40.57 which was good enough for eighth in the Vet50 rankings, and Michael Tinney in 76th with 41.47 (V40, 14th ).
Richard Simms finished in 111th with 43.33 (V40, 21st ), and a new name, Zac Conaty, placed 180th with 46.07.
Gilbert Yeates was among the prize winners. Fresh from his half marathon heroics along Brighton seafront last week, the Lee-on-the-Solent based runner was the second Vet70 to finish in 270th spot with a very good time of 49.53. Tim Bishop managed to comfortably finish inside the hour mark for 58.26 and 452nd spot among the men's field (V45, 56th).
Winchester 's Lucy Elliott brought a home victory in the ladies' race with a time of 35.38 for 14th overall.
Susie MacGregor continued her fine racing start to the New Year with 24th place in 45.51 and fourth Vet35, but was the only Stubbington lady in the 261-strong female field.