• Press Report 17th November 2008

    Athletes from Ilford AC were in action on both days of a busy weekend of racing, Saturday in round 2 of the Essex league at Hockley Woods near Southend and on Sunday at the Essex 10k championships at Melbourne, Chelmsford.
    Some fine and dry weather greeted proceedings as Thomas King 15th and George Hadler 22nd acquitted themselves well in the junior under 13 boys race, finishing well up in a field of 44 runners. Both are now showing some good promise and showing some marked improvements on last year's placings
     
    The senior races were held over 2 laps of a mixed terrain course comprising football pitches, climbs, edges of ploughed, grassy tracks, ditches and woodland with the women doing a slightly smaller first loop. Bree Nordin led the ladies squad home in 31st position with Mel Jones producing an excellent run not far adrift in 38th. Nicola Hopkinson returned a solid 48th with Dianne Crisp chasing her hard to the line in 50th to close the team. Sally Gillam provided some good support in 78th. In a top class field of some 107 athletes the race was won by Havering Mayesbook's Lauren Deadman who ran away from a rapidly improving Nicola Rogers of Colchester and Stacey Ward of Basildon. Ilford closed 10th out of 18 competing teams.
     
    In the Under 17s Omar Rashid made his debut and after a rather fast start settled down to a more sedate pace to come through his baptism of fire in 26th place out of 27 but nevertheless sticking to his guns well and enjoying the experience.
     
    A massive field of 193 runners lined up for the men's race where it looked for all the world that Colchester's Adrian Mussett would once again emerge victorious over 2 full laps until he was caught in the final stages by Basildon's Mark Sandford. As with the women's race the field was packed with quality with most of the big names in Essex taking part. In the circumstances Ilford's Malcolm Muir did exceptionally well to come through the field to finish 15th. It was good to see track specialist Peter Clinch back in the saddle and although running well within himself he cruised through to finish 2nd Ilford man home in 62nd. Neil Crisp in 76th just managed to stay ahead of fellow veteran Andy Catton 77th who was delighted to have given the younger man such a battle. Newcomer Chris Togwell proved he is one to watch for the future returning 92nd place and 5th home for the club in what was unanimously acclaimed as the run of the day. A rather dishevelled looking Matt Maple made the 6th scoring position with 118th place to close the team home 9th out of 22 competing teams. Henry Ricketts 159th, Pete Whiting 184th, Paul Cheal 189th and Robin Davis 192nd provided the backup putting in valiant efforts in hoping to make up a "B" squad. Unfortunately due to some withdrawals down to injury and with the Essex 10k championships the following day the club understandably fell 2 runners short of closing 2 teams.
     
    Meanwhile the British and Irish Masters Cross Country International event was held over a wet, muddy and hilly grassland course at Singleton Park, Swansea.  Ilford's Pam Jones and John Batchelor both competed in the first race, over 6 Km, for all women aged 35+ and men over 65.  Over the three lap course Pam Jones was a star performer.  Aged 72 she competed in the lower 65-69 age group and took the gold medal with an outstanding run, winning by 44 seconds from a much younger team mate. Interviewed afterwards she was delighted to have reversed her fortunes of last years 4th place by beating the same 3 girls that had finished in front of her on that occasion.  A second gold came her way as a member of the winning England team, and in addition Pam was asked to receive the Championship Shield on behalf of the entire winning England Women's team covering all age groups, a well-deserved privilege.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Batchelor for his part was fourth finisher in the M65 age group, picking up Ilford AC's third gold in the International as the final finisher of a close-packed victorious England team which fought off all opposition, despite a very strong Scottish presence, to take all the leading places.

     
    On a rather damp Sunday afternoon Ilford AC returned to the firmer ground of road competition at the Chelmsford 10k . Malcolm Muir felt no effects from racing the previous day with 4th place in a classy time of 32.28, one of his fastest times ever. Muir just missed out on 3rd spot to Basildon's Nick Wetheridge with Adrian Mussett of Colchester and Crispian Bloomfield of Billericay taking the top 2 places. Another Ilford athlete in fine form was Darren Bottrill who delivered an excellent personal best of 35.29. Youngster Iain Macdonald was not far behind in 36.04 and Abdi Berleen completed the scoring foursome with 39.26. Henry Ricketts took things easy having also raced the daIn another very fast women's race Bree Nordin took the women's over 45 prize in 42.37 just ahead of Lindsey Barker 42.58. Carol Muir was pleased to beat her Southend 10k time stopping the watch at 58.17. The race was won by Havering's Faye Fullerton in 34.11 ahead of Helen Decker from Ipswich Jaffa 34.40. Harriet Scott, also of Havering was third in 36.08.
     
    Earlier in the morning when the weather was somewhat milder Ilford's Steve Allen lined up for the Veterans AC 10 Miles Road Running Championship held over a giant hilly loop; starting and finishing at Epsom Racecourse.  Allen one-paced it with metronome precision as he finished in 68 minutes and 13 seconds, passing the halfway timing point in 34 minutes.  He was rewarded for his efforts by winning the 1st over 50s award, which was presented in the famous racecourse's Grandstand.