New Forest 10
SUPER-CHARGED Mark Le Gassick set a new personal best in winning the New Forest 10.
Le Gas completed a hat-trick of wins at New Park in Brockenhurst when he cantered home with a sensational winning time of 53min 2sec, a good three minutes clear of nearest rival, Rob Bentley from Wessex Road Runners.
In 2006, Mark won the race in 55.30, 12 months later he tasted victory in a time of 54.10, and has now gone even faster.
Previous winners have included Ian White (Eastleigh Running Club) with 55.44 in 1999, Ian Ford (Overton Harriers) in 2000 with 56.10, there was no race in 2001 due to the foot and mouth crisis, but in 2002 unattached runner Mark Gregory won in 55.38.
In 2003, Ian White returned to win in 56.04, followed by James Baker (Chichester Runners in 2004 with 54.56, and James McGaughey (Kent AC) with 55.56 a year later, before Mark’s winning streak began in 2006.
He helped Stubbington to second place in the men’s team standings behind Southampton Running Club, with eighth-placed Andy Simpson checking in with 58.44 on a course which combined road and forest tracks to finish in the New Forest showground.
Darrell Milner was 43rd in 1hr 5min 04sec (chip time 1:04.57) and Tim Crumpton completed the team scoring for Stubbington with 57th in a gun time of 1:06.47 (chip time 1:06.40). Tim just managed to overall team-mate Tim Sullivan in the closing stages who was 59th in 1:06.58 (chip time 1:06.58).
Ellie Joyce was the first lady to finish in Stubbington colours. She was 234th overall in a gun time of 1:16.40 (chip time 1:16.17) and 26th in the ladies’ race.
The ladies team finished 16th thanks to Julie Woodman in 553rd with 1:29.13 (114th lady) (chip time 1:28.37) and Samantha Cowpe in 837th with 1:48.34 (281st lady) (chip time 1:47.27), finishing just ahead of team-mate Anne Fairhurst in 838th whose gun time was 1:48.38 (282nd lady) (chip time 1:47.31)
A total of 893 runners took part in the race with was organised by New Forest Runners.
Other results:
72nd Jon Leigh 1:08.15 (chip time 1:08.07)
99th Marcus Lee 1:09.47 (1:09.40)
106th Nick Kimber 1:10.28 (1:10.21)
239th Matthew Abbott 1:16.47 (1:16.40)
384th Paul Hailwood 1:23.13 (1:22.35)
416th John Fairhurst 1:24.12 (1:23.32)
516th John Simister 1:28.00 (1:26.58)
552nd Peter Hailwood 1:29.10 (1:28.33)