| As usual the new season started with Surrey Walking Club’s own Gazette Cup 4 miles and they were able to start the new year with field of 34 – the best home event for many years. The turn out of 14 Club members, including several recent new members, had the pleasant experience of being outnumbered by their visitors which made for a more competitive race with many more changes in position and races within the race than usual. The Club members had the additional incentive of the Jubilee Cup for the handicap event within the event although, as it happened, the winners of both Cups were the same as last year the holders both using a desire to retain their titles to push on that much harder. Recent international Mark Easton was ahead from the start but did not have it all his own way with the second placer Trevor Jones from Hillingdon holding on well until the final lap when the gap opened to only 30 seconds. Positions 7, 8 and 9 saw a tight struggle between 3 Surrey members with Shaun Lightman coming out on top and retaining the handicap with a good time over this quite tough course. Behind him Ian Statter had started quite steadily but almost caught Shaun who had begun unusually fast but determined to keep it going. Ian’s son Andrew meanwhile was achieving a personal best in the Under 11 2.5km race despite a lack of others around him. The rear of the senior field was once again supported by the very welcome figure of 85-year old Jack Fitzgerald just missing the hour but having battled the wind and hills for considerably longer than the winner. |
| 4 miles: 1. M.Easton (SWC) 31 min 38 sec; 2. T.Jones (Hill) 32 min 11 sec; 3.S.Crane (SWC 2nd H’cap) 33 min 35 sec; 4. L.Baldwin (Ton) 34 min 17 sec; 5.S.Uttley (Ilf) 34 min 48 sec; 6. A.Thompson (Herts P) 35 min 36 sec; 7. S.Lightman (SWC 1st H’cap) 36 min 56 min; 8. I.Statter (SWC) 37 min 37 sec; 9. M.Harran (SWC 3rd H’cap) 37 min 39 sec; 10. Helen Middleton (Bedf) 37 min 40 sec; 11. C.Lawton (Bels); 38 min 18 sec; 12. D.Sharp (Ilf) 39 min 3 sec; 13. P.King (Bels/SWC) 39 min 7 sec; 14. C.Flint (Lon Vids/SWC) 39 min 25 sec; 15. P.Hannell (SWC) 39 min 40 sec; 16. Emily Symons (Ton) 39 min 42 sec; 17. Anne Belchamber (Hill) 40 min 13 sec;18. K.Ballam (Enf) 40 min 24 sec; 19. D.Stevens (Stey) 41 min 12 sec; 20. P.Crane (SWC) 41 min 22 sec; 21. T.Kelly (Ilf) 41 min 59 sec; 22. S.Jones (RAF) 42 min 6 sec; 23. B.Parsons (M&M) 43 min 58 sec; 24. D.Hoben (SWC) 44 min 26 sec; 25. B.Hercock (Enf) 44 min 39 sec; 26. R.Walwork (Col) 45 min 19 sec; 27. Catherine Cotterill (Ton) 47 min 38 sec; 28. Sue Clements (Enf) 47 min 51 sec; 29. J.Short (Vets) 48 min 4 sec; 30. K.Livermore (Enf) 49 min 34 sec; 31. K.Burnett (SWC) 50 min 16 sec; 32. Pam Ficken (SWC) 53 min 19 sec; 33. J.Fitzgerald (SWC) 62 min 58 sec. 2.5km Under 11: 1.A.Statter (SWC) 16 min 59 sec. |