Final Hampshire League Race
The last Hampshire race of the season took place at Salisbury on Saturday 12th with ten Stubbies turning out for the club. The course on the side of the hill at Old Sarum is like running the rollers at Titchfield if you’re not going up you’re coming down!
First to go were Sally, Gill and Sharon. Gill’s first cross country and she hated it even though the course was remarkably dry after all the rain we’ve had. Sally finished in 30th, Gill 39th and Sharon 69th. Sharon’s ongoing battle with Marilyn from Victory AC had Sharon again coming out ahead. The team finished in 11th of 18 teams in the senior race but 5th in the vets league out of 15!!! Good performance girls.
In the mens race father and son John and Dan Gueran were joined by Steve Martin, Richard Snell, Gordon Westley and coming back from injury Phil and ‘I’m going to take it easy’ Andy.
The race set off with a small lap to spread out the field and then four big laps of the course. This meant that the leaders soon caught the back markers after the second lap and to cap it all Dan Gueran had no qualms about lapping Dad on his last lap!! What a cheek, no respect for his elders!!!! This meant Dan coming in 46th his best of the season. Steve Martin had a good run to finish in 107th and just 30 seconds behind Gordon, who looks to be coming back to form for the Nationals next week, finished in 113th. Richard then finished in 127th, for his first Hampshire League race, and still was smiling so is a convert for next season! The old crocks came in next, Andy using Phil as a target to drag himself around in a restrained manner until the last half of the last lap on the down hill he cruised past Phil (I’m on my lunch break), and take 136th and 137th with John, having his enthusiasm sucked from him when being passed by Dan earlier, finishing 142nd.
The team finished 10th on the day but because of the Reading result finish in 8th in the league and so avoid relegation this year. Next season Phil will be calling on the faster athletes in the club to keep this good club in the top division of the toughest league in the country.
In the Vets league Stubbington finished 5th in Div 2 and so the curtain comes down on the league races. Thank you to you all who have competed for the club and I’ll look forward to dragging you out again in October for a new season! Phil May.
Sally McGrath 30th (11th vet) 23:48
Gill Rose 39th (14th vet) 25:14
Sharon White 69th (39th vet) 31:15
Dan Gueran 46th 36:40
Steve Martin 106th 43:01
Gordon Westley 113rd 43:49
Richard Snell 127th 45:15
Andy Simpson 135th 46:49
Phil May 136th 46:54
John Gueran 142nd 52:53