It was a frosty but bright sunny morning for the 3rd fixture of the Suffolk Winter Cross-Country (XC) League at Haughley Park, on Sunday January 12th. In this league, Newmarket Joggers (NJ) and Sudbury Joggers (SJ) combine to form team Newmarket & Sudbury (N&S). We had 26 male and 12 female runners competing in the senior event (~8km) and 4 runners in the junior event (~3.5km).
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Frosty winter scenes at Stowmarket XC. Thanks to Bridget and Rachael for photos.
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Above: Joggers at the Stowmarket XC at Haughley Park. Thanks for the team photo.
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Coming into this fixture, N&S senior men’s first team of 7 (first 7 men of each club to finish in each fixture) stood top of the league table, ahead of 19 other competing clubs in East Anglia. N&S senior women’s first team of 4 (first 4 women to finish in each fixture) stood in 7th position, while the combined men’s and women’s first team stood in 2nd place.
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Official results and times have not yet been released but we do know the overall positions of our runners. It looks like the senior men’s first team have a good chance of maintaining their lead, with the top 7 finishers: Rob Dobson NJ 8th of about 377 overall; Hugh Tawell NJ 11th; Mark Hayward NJ 14th; Jimmy Smith NJ 16th; Dan Hutchison NJ 28th; Jason Bevan NJ 42nd; Piotr Bulacz SJ 68th.
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Above: Jimmy Smith in Stowmarket XC.. Thanks for photo.
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The senior women’s first team of 4 also ran well: Lilian Corbett NJ 99th; Olivia Carter NJ 110th; Elke Hausler NJ 207th; Helen Hilario NJ 211th. They should at least hold onto their 7th position. Incidentally, Cerys Bithell could have run in the seniors, as she and Lilian are both 17, but Cerys started the XC series as FU17 at Framlingham, so must remain in the same category.
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Above: Olivia Carter in Stowmarket XC. Thanks for photo.
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In the junior race, Harvey Thomas NJ MU15 was in top form, finishing in 10th position overall. Cerys Bithell NJ FU17 also ran well, finishing 22nd overall and 3rd F. Rory King NJ MU17 was 14th overall and Luca Childs MU17 33rd overall; both put in determined efforts.
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Our other N&S runners finished as follows: Men’s senior 2nd team: Barley Woodcock NJ 71st; Paul Holley NJ 100th; Shane Mcandrew NJ 103rd; Greg Davis NJ 108th; Marc Drury NJ 120th; Andy Fryatt NJ 136th; Richard Defries NJ 137th. Women’s senior 2nd team: Ellie Bithell NJ 227th; Helen Wass NJ 306th; Rachael Maltpress NJ 308th; Bridget Wallwin NJ 314th. Men’s 3rd team: Neville Clarke NJ 172nd; Andrew Sandeman NJ 198th; Reuben Smith NJ 203rd; Steve Edwards NJ 231st, Rob Hawkins NJ 247th; Daniel Tee NJ 253rd; Martin Smith NJ 258th. Women’s 3rd team: Belinda Schofield NJ 333rd; Abi Marson NJ 340th; Sianie Painter NJ 344th; Pearl Fay NJ 369th. Men’s reserves: Alan Thornhill NJ 305th; Colin Tester SJ 321st; Brian Munns NJ 338th; Jim Withers NJ 355th; Chris Aylmer NJ 371st.
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ROUND UP OF OTHER RACES
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Cambridgeshire County Schools XC at Ely, Saturday,11th January: Cerys Bithell NJ (1st of 14 overall) and Lilian Corbett NJ (5th) both did well in the senior girls’ event (~4.5km), with Cerys taking the winner’s trophy. In the junior girls’ event (~3.3km), Sophie Blundell (FU13) put in a good effort to finish 22nd of 30 runners.
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Above, from left: Action shots of Cerys Bithell, Lilian Corbett and Sophie Blundell. Thanks to Colin Bithell and Phil Blundell for the photos.
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Essex Race Walking League, Martin Oliver Walks , King George Playing Fields, Enfield, Saturday 11th Jan: Two Joggers competed in the 5km race walk. Edson George Wilkinson M Sen (25:34. 1st of 12) was in top form, finishing well ahead of the rest of the field and earning an age grade of 70.27% (NJ platinum). Suzanne Bailey W60 also did well to finish in 37:14, 9th of 12, earning 67.14% age grade (NJ gold). Junior Lily-Ann Cooper WU15 put in a good effort to finish 3rd in the 3km race walk in a time of 22:14, worth 56.37% (NJ bronze).
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Above: George Wilkinson, Suzanne Bailey and Lily-Ann Cooper at King George’s Playing Fields in Enfield. Thanks for the photo.