ESSEX CROSS-COUNTRY LEAGUE
​Epping Forest
Saturday 12th November

The second round of the Essex Cross County league was held over a traditional cross country course of muddy trials and hills. Ilford Ac ladies featured well in their division 1 match with Jordan Hinds having an excellent run to lead home the ladies’ team in 25th place in a time of 27 mins 48 secs for the 6km course with Joanne Reeves running in the league for the first time recording 30 mins 07 secs for 47th. Gaye Young came home 76th after taking a wrong turn in the race with 33 mins 39 secs and Pauline Tester was 1 place and 4 seconds behind her while Dianne Crisp finished 104th in 37 mins 19 secs.

In the match the ladies finished in 8th spot and are 7th in this winter’s league table.

The men raced over 8 km and Ilford were led home by Tom Gardner. Always up towards the front of the field he finished 8th  in 28 mins 36 secs. Malcom Muir gave a determined performance coming home in 30 mins 53 secs for 33rd and 3rd in the M45 category. Dylan Harrod, who is the u20 men category, finished in 59th with 32 mins 15 secs with Steve Philcox 2 places further back. Seb Parris looked strong in 113th with 34 mins 57 secs and Richard Woolterton improves with every race  crossing the line in 134th in 36 mins 08 secs. Berekhet Berakhy made his Ilford debut in 138th spot recording 36 mins 27 secs

In the match the Ilford men finished 7th and after 2 matches and are placed 8th in the top tier.

Also in action were: Neil Crisp (159  37.29)  Steve Crane (169  38.25)  Andy Catton (221  42.35) Bradley Brown (231  44.05)  Jim Tilbrook (246  46.30)

STEBBING 10 (Miles)
Sunday 13th November

The Stebbing 10 took place over a rolling course from the picturesque village of Stebbing on an unseasonably mild November morning..

The race started just after 11 o’clock and a short Remembrance Sunday service.
Ilford AC had 8 runners on the day, all putting in fine performances.

The Ilford AC challenge was headed by Malcolm Muir who is in excellent form at the moment, completing his second run for the club in two days, coming home in 11th place overall in a time of 61m:15s. Malcolm was followed by Dennis Briggs, also showing good form after his recent London Marathon in  61st place in 71m:20s
Next home was Alison Sale in 192nd place for 85m:03s. Alison was followed by Sharon Honey, coming home in 270th place in 90m:22s, Julia Galea in 351st in 98m:51s and an excellent 100m:03s and 364th place for Launa Broadley who achieved a PB over the distance.

Completing the teams were Ray ‘Sparra’ Everingham 375th 100m 31s, the ever reliable Frieda Keane 376th 101 minutes exactly and Lovedip Dhaliwal in 383th place in a time of 101m 37s.

A good performance for all athletes who were rewarded with an excellent Poppy medal for their efforts

RACE WALK REPORT

Ilford Athletic Club’s only double Olympian Neringa Masilioniene, who appeared in the Games of 2012 and 2016, was in imperious form when contesting the 95th Enfield Open 7 Miles around 7 one-mile flat circuits of a large public park on Saturday morning in ideal weather.  A previous winner of the event in 2011, she led from start-to-finish to taste victory in 58 minutes and 11 seconds, a massive 7 and-a-half minutes ahead of 2021 winner Jaqueline Benson (Ashford AC).  Ilford’s Emma Dyos came 4th in 69.15 with Lesley Morris clocking 79.58 for 8th spot.  In the men’s race inform John was the pick of Ilford’s contingent when filling 7th position in 72.11, just ahead of 8th placed Simon Morgan in 75.49.  A word for the Club’s walking coach Stuart Bennett who turned out despite not fully recovered from a back complaint.  The former Scottish International was 10th with 76.47 on the stopwatch.  In the 4 miles event Shaheda Arthur was leading lady in 56.45.      

The team race, based on the best scoring 4 members taken from both genders, was an emphatic victory for Ilford. More significant, it was the Enfield League’s 12th and final fixture, which Ilford had the luxury of going into having already secured their league victory with a race to spare.

                                                                                 Issued by Ilford AC Walking Section 

CHINGFORD LEAGUE
Redbridge Cycle Circuit
Tuesday 1 November

The latest round of the Chingford League was held at a raining Redbridge Cycle Circuit at Hainault. Ilford Ac had teams in both the mens and ladies  division two matches over a 3 lap race on the hilly circuit.

The Ilford ladies were in good form with Neringa Aidietyle coming home in 1st place in the Division 2 match in 19 mins 18 secs and Jordan Hinds running well in second in 20 mins 12 secs.
Joanne Reeves placed 11th and 2nd in the F40 category in 23 mins 04 secs with Gaye Young taking the F50 grouping honours in 14th with 24 mins 24 secs.
Alison Sale was 15th in 24 mins 28 secs and Sharon Honey closed the scorers in 28th in the division with 26 mins 56 secs.
Also in action were Julia Galea (33rd 29.32   Launa Broadley  37th 30.26) and Pauline Tester 38th 30.28)

In the division two match Ilford finished in 1st place and are currently 6th in the table.

The Ilford men were led home by Richard Woolterton in 9th spot in 19 mins 20 secs with Diarmuid Mac Donnell one place back in 19 mins 34 secs. Joel Denning impressed in 11th with 20 mins 03 secs and Brian Fry recorded 21 mins 33 secs for 25th.
Dennis Briigs finished in 21 mins 58 secs for 27th and Bradley Brown was the last of the team scorers in 41st with 24 mins 20 secs. Also turning out for the club were Sean Costello (44  25.03   Jim Tilbrook  50th 25.487)  Ray Everingham  65th  29.31)

In their match the men took 3rd spot and are also 6th in division 2.

INTER CLUB VETS MATCH
Loughton
Saturday 5th November

The annual match for runners over 40 took place at Loughton on the Roding Valley Country Park on Saturday. The rain held off for the event but the mainly grassland course was wet.
Ilford had a small squad in action with Diarmuid Mac Donnell first home for the club in 14th with 33 mins 01 secs for the 4.8 mile course. Joel Denning came in 24th with 35 mins 26 secs and Ed Skinner finished 55th in 42 mins 12 secs. Jim Tilbrook continued his return from injury with a fine run in 44 mins exactly for 64th.

Joanne Reeves was the only Ilford lady in action placing 10th in the female race in 38 mins 38 secs

Ilford were 5th in the match

Billericay 10k
Sunday 6th November

A Quartet of Ilford Athletic Club Members braved absolutely horrendously wet conditions on Sunday in the Annual Billericay Striders 10K Road Race.

The rain was torrential throughout the race and large parts of the course were literally ankle deep in water for large parts of the route slowing runners down dramatically !

First home for the club amongst a field of over 500 other athletes was Terry Knightley In 41 minutes and 54 seconds for 74th position and 3rd Male Veteran over 60.

Next home was Adam Coals in 138th place in 45 Minutes and 43 Seconds for 37th Male Veteran Over 40.

Alison Sale led the duo of Ilford Ladies home in 252nd place in 51 minutes and 52 seconds for 8th position in the Female Veteran Over 50 Category.

Next in was Julia Galea in 457th place and 4th Female Veteran Over 60 in 61 Minutes and 32 Seconds.

All Survivors were rewarded with an Eco-Friendly Medal and a Mars Bar for their exploits !