Press Report 5th December 2023  

ESSEX VETERANS CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP
Writtle
Saturday 2 December

The Essex Veterans Cross Country, for runners over 40, was held on a cold frosty morning in the grounds of Writtle College near Chelmsford.
All races were over 2 flat laps totalling around 4 ½ miles

The first race was for men in the age groups over 50 and was a successful one for Ilford AC. Finishing 10th overall in the event was Steve Philcox  in 28 mins 27 secs which won him the county title in the M55 Category. Dan Holeyman came in 26th in 29 mins 31 secs while Neil Crisp was 8th in the M60 group with 30 mins 38 secs. One place behind was Richard Woolterton in 30 mins 47 secs . Diarmuid Mac Donnell finished 70th overall in 32 mins 26 secs.  Ray Dzikowski placed 81st (33:46)  and Terry Knightley 85th (34:10 , both in the M60 group where they were 20 and 21st respectively. 

Steve Lacey finished 98th in 35 mins 48 secs. 

Andy Catton was the clubs second individual medal winner with the silver in the M70 age group in a time of 35 mins 55 secs.

In the team competition the Ilford M60+ team of Crisp, Dzikowski, Knightley and Catton placed 3rd and the bronze medals and in the M50 team competition Ilford (Philcox Holeyman, Woolterton, Mac Donnell) finished 5th

In the ladies race Ilford had 4 runners with Alison Sale finishing 45th overall and 7th in the F55 category in 36 mins 26 secs with Pauline Tester 58th with 38 mins 04 secs and 9th in the same group. Dianne Crisp was 5th in the F60 group in 41 mins 59 secs and Frieda Keane 8th in the same group with 45 mins 39 secs

In the last race of the day for the M40 males, Sam Rahman led home the Ilford squad in 32nd spot in 28 mins 35 secs for 17th in the M40 category. Seb Parris finished 40th with 29 mins 53 secs and Steve Crane 51st in 33 mins 56 secs

BRITISH MASTERS 5km CHAMPIONSHIP

The British Masters 5 km Championship was held in Battersea for the second consecutive year on a damp chilly morning and Ilford AC had two runners in action.
The race was over the usual fast flat two lap course in the park and Joanne Reeves ran a good race to finish in 21 mins 30 secs for 12th in the F45 category while Rob Sargent came home 13th in the M65 age group in 27 mins 52 secs, which was amazingly the exact same time he ran in this race on the same course last year!