Ilford AC Walking Section – Press Report 13/05/2013  

NOW IS THE HOUR

Ilford’s FRANCISCO REIS was the pick of Ilford’s contingent who contested the
Southern Area 1 Hour Championship Walk at Eltham’s Sutcliffe Park track on a
rainy Saturday afternoon. The format requires competitors to race walk as far as
possible in 60 minutes around an athletics track and it was defending Champion
Reis who set the pace for over 50 minutes with his only serious challenger,
Olympian IAN RICHARDS (Steyning AC), nestled in some 30 metres in arrears. That
was until the closing stages when the wily Richards let fly with a devastating
burst to overtake the race leader and power on to complete 11,846 metres in the
allotted time, with Reis 2nd having accounted for 11,746 metres. Ilford won the
team contest for a 10th time, indeed having won each year since this competition
was instituted with STEVE ALLEN, 5th having covered 9,718 metres, the best of
the rest!

There was little rest for either as both lined-up on Sunday afternoon at a
warmer Ashtons Track for the Essex County AA 10,000 Metres Championship. Reis,
who hasn’t an Essex qualification, appeared as a guest competitor and won the
visitors’ prize with a sound 51 minutes and 29 seconds timing which secured him
3rd place behind Colchester’s 2 King twins. In 4th place, and 3rd Essex
finisher, was 2012 defending champion STEVE UTTLEY, Ilford’s Walking Captain,
who clocked 54.06. STUART BENNETT shrugged off injury worries to fill 7th spot
in 60.08 with Allen 8th in 61.46. Awards were presented by Essex County
President Claire Levy, an Ilford AC member.

Ilford AC Walking Section (01708-377382)