Press Report June 26th 2018
VAC 5m Championship
Battersea Park
Tuesday 19 June
The annual Veterans AC 5 mile road championship was held on the flat fast 3 lap circuit around the picturesque Battersea Park and there was a record entry of 9 from the Ilford endurance squad.
It was a successful night for the club as they took home 5 medals.
Best for the club was Steve Philcox in 6th with 29 mins 47 secs taking the M50 silver medal. Sam Rahman also broke 30 minutes in 8th and won the M35 category in 29 mins 57 secs Rohan Alexander took a bronze in the M50 age group in 33 mins 55 secs for 15th,Doris Gaga also won a bronze medal in the F50 category recording 53 mins 18 secs and it was gold again for Pam Jones winning the F80 category in 53 mins 20 secs
Also taking to the road were; Bradley Brown (14 33.46) Rob Sargent (33 43.00) Launa Broadley (40 49.39) and Julie Gillender (45 53.04)
Olympic Park 5km (ELvIS)
Thursday 21 June
The third match in this summers ELvIS competition took place in the Olympic Park and there was a large contingent of 35 entered from Ilford AC.
Steve Philcox led the way for the club in 8th spot in 17 mins 43 secs and once again took the M50 age group trophy. Next over the line was Gary Coombes just 3 seconds behind as he finished 2nd in the M40 category. Seb Parris continued to show good form in 13th with 18 mins 02 secs, as did Danny Holeyman in 32nd in 19 mins 20 secs. Rohan Alexander finished 3rd in the M50 group with 19 mins 52 secs for 44th spot. The scoring team was closed by Will Crossley who made an impressive debut for the team finishing 48th with 19 mins 57 secs.
Dennis Briggs ran an impressive 21:02 for 78th position and club chairman Andy Catton who in his first race as a V65 runner also ran well to come home in 21:15 for 85th place.
In the team race Ilford men finished 2nd for the third time and hold that position in the league table.
The Ilford ladies were led home by Amy-Louise Bird, who excelled on her first appearance for the club, finishing 10th female in 21 mins 23 secs. Bree Nordin ran a reliable race as always coming home 13th in the ladies race in 21 mins 50 secs and took the F55 category trophy, while Carlie Qirem ran a new personal best time of 22 mins 40 secs finishing 18th.There was also a new best time for Gaye Young as she finished as the Ilford team’s 4th scorer in 22 mins 49 secs for 20th lady.
Other notable performances for the ladies were Nicola Hopkinson in 23:17 for 151st place and the popular sisters Jenni Sheehan and Natalie Crisp in 24:54 for 199th and 24:42 for 204th.
Combined the ladies team finished 4th in the evenings match but remain 3rd overall for the season.
A third runner doing well on his Ilford debut was Aditya Patil recording 22 mins 38 secs for 129th spot.
Five more team members recorded new personal best times; Rhoan Gabbidon in 22 mins 26 secs for 122nd, Adnan Karim in 124th with 22 mins 43 secs, Alison Sale scoring 25 mins 47 secs for 225th, Natasha Mansouri scoring 27 mins 34 secs for 286th and Brennie Gabbidon with 33 mins 42 secs for spot 370.
Completing the squad – Alan Pearl (21.52) Trevor Robinson (22.42) Eain Begg (22.57) Tony Young (23.40) Peter Spelman (25.42) Rob Sargent (25.38) Sharon Honey (25.42) Julia Galea (27.30) Ray ‘Sparra’ Everingham (28.40) Suki Jandu (28.53) Launa Broadley (29.52) Doris Gaga (29.56) Julie Gillender (30.28) Pam Jones (32.47)
Orion Fell Race
Chingford
Friday 22nd June
The Orion fell race is the only official Category ‘A’ fell race within the M25.
Held in Chingford on an impossibly hilly course that includes over 800 ft of climb in just 5k this is definitely a race for the brave – or foolish!
Amongst the 130 entrants were four Ilford AC runners.
Gary Coombes led the team home in 15th place in 24:26, closely followed by John Crawley in 23rd place in 25:13 and Will Crossley in 27th place in 25:51. The team was completed by club captain Billy Green in 76th place in 33:27.
Horndon on he Hill 10k
Sunday 24th June
Gary Coombes was attending his 3rd race in four days as he ventured into Essex for the annual Horndon on the Hill 10k race. He was the sole Ilford AC representative at the race which takes place during the traditional ‘Feast and Fayre’ festival held within the local village. The motto of the race is ‘Run the Hill’ and the runners start the race by running down a steep hill before turning around and having to climb back up it before the course ventures out into typically Essex rural back roads.
The 11am start meant that the participants were having to cope with the very worst of the days hot weather but that didn’t deter Gary who although was still aching from Fridays Fell race set off at a lively pace from the off.
Gary soon settled into 5th place in the field where he managed to stay for the remainder of the race. He eventually crossed the line in a respectable time of 36.57 to claim 5th place which was enough to claim the 1st v40 trophy.
Wilmslow Half Marathon
Sunday 24th June
The Wilmslow Half Marathon is a one lap traffic free Half marathon run mainly through the lovely Cheshire countryside.
Representing Ilford AC was Malcolm Muir who ran a strong race to finish in 79:36 for 49th place.
BA Parallel open track event
Newham
Sunday 24th June
Mario Dobrescu travelled to Newham Leisure centre on Sunday to compete in the 200m. Mario last month beat a 53 year Ilford AC U15 club record and become the 14th fastest ever U15 in the country.
Mario, who attends Mayfield school, hoped to improve on this and he certainly did that.
He powered home in first place in a time of 22.00 and in doing so broke the U15 UK record, the previous record being 22.13.
A very proud moment for Mario and Ilford AC.
Senior Inter County Championships
Chelmsford
Sunday 24th June
Ilford athlete Krystle Balogun was very proud to earn her first County vest on Sunday when she represented ‘Essex’ in the Inter-counties championship at Chelmsford.
Krystle’s first event was the 400m where she came home in first place for the b string in a time of 60:57. Later in the afternoon she ran the last leg in the 4 x 400m relay in an even faster time of 59.3 to help Essex in to 2nd place in the race.
On the day Essex ladies came 2nd overall, the men 1st and Essex were the overall champions of the 8 competing Counties.
