Press Report 25th February 2025  

Feb 252025
 

ENGLISH NATIONAL CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Parliament Hill Fields

The English Cross-Country Championships returned to Parliament Hill Fields, the Wembley of the sport, and was run over the traditional challenging course which was made even more tricky and muddy by some heavy rain earlier in the day.

The club had 4 athletes competing in the younger age groups. Barney Perking ran his first national championships and showed his usual strength to finish a great 277th in the u15 race finishing in 19m 35s over the 4k course.
In the under 17s race, over 6k Samuel Crane finished 147th in 26m 09s and Ryder Islam 245th in 28m 23s out of 319 participants.
Finally in the u20s race over a long distance of 10km Ronan Edwards continued his recent good form finishing in 84th place in 40m 02s in a field of just under 200 runners.

Ilford AC fielded a full team in the large field for the Senior Men’s 12km race with Seb Parris leading the squad home in 65 mins 41 secs.
Dan Holeyman was next over the line with 67 mins 07 secs and Steve Chissell recorded 74 mins 08 secs. Bradley Brown finished in 75 mins 39 secs with Diarmuid Mac Donnell home in 77 mins 40 secs. Jim Tilbrook, 80 mins 24 secs and Steve Lacey 80 mins 57 secs completed the team.
In the team competition Ilford were placed 104th out the hundreds of teams competing

Jordan Hinds was the only runner for Ilford in the senior ladies race over 8 km finishing 312nd in 40 mins 58 secs

London Winter run (10k)
Trafalgar Square

On a  cold, but bright, Sunday morning six  Ilford athletes lined up alongside 20,000 other runners for the ‘10k London Winter run’,  which is an annual event through the city of London, organized by Cancer Research UK

The 10k route which starts on Trafalgar Square and passes such iconic London Landmarks as St Paul’s Cathedral and St. Mary-le-bow church (home of the famous Bow Bells) before finishing on Whitehall alongside The Cenotaph, was lined with Polar bears, penguins and yetis – or at least people dressed up as such!

First home for Ilford was Tarik Qirem in 45m 29s. Tarik was followed by Alison Sale in 51m exactly, Billy Green in 51m 28s Carlie Qirem in 55m 34s, Mandy Ried in 59m 27s and Frieda Keane in 60m 49s 

All Ilford runners dedicated their runs to former teammate Nicola Hopkinson who lost her own battle with cancer just over a year ago, and a message was placed on the memory board in her name.


Eastbourne Half Marathon

In Absolutely brutal weather conditions and over a challenging hilly course Terry Knightley of Ilford AC bravely completed the Eastbourne Half Marathon in 1 Hour And 39 Minutes achieving 100th position out of 930 finishers and third place in male veteran over 60-65 category.

All finishers received a Medal, Protein Ball and Packet of Wet Wipes for their efforts !

  Press Report 18th February 2025  

Feb 182025
 

Essex Cross Country League – Hockley
Juniors

Ilford AC had a small turnout of four younger athletes for the final fixture of the season at muddy and wet Hockley but all performed well.

Competing in the U11 race, over a distance of 1.5k was Danilo Reina for his fourth appearance of the season. Danilo had his best run of the year to finish in 17th place in 6 mins 01 secs. Danilo will move up an age group next year and has shown good endurance in training sessions which will help him over the slightly longer distances.

In the under 15 boys were Fabio Reina making his league debut for the club and Luke Thake racing over a challenging 4k course.
 Both had performed well in the previous week on the road surface at Victoria Park but this was a very different experience with the course getting tougher as each race made the ground more difficult. Fabio started cautiously but moved well through the field to finish in an excellent 19th place in 16 mins 55 secs. Luke like his older brother will excel on the track in long term but displayed good endurance to finish in 33rd place in 18 mins 14 secs, and now looks forward to the upcoming track season with confidence

Finally we had Samuel Crane in the under 17s race over a very challenging 6k.
Samuel has had a mixed cross country season but had his best league race of the year to finish in 6th place in 18 mins 36 secs. He is racing in the national cross country championships at the weekend and hoping for another good result at the iconic parliament hill course.


Mercury 10 Epping Forest 

Saturday morning saw the 102nd running of the Mercury 10 in Epping Forest.
Incorporating tough muddy hills the 10 mile race, whilst picturesque in places, is a real challenge for runners and one really only for the brave.
This year saw a large field of 176 runners ready to take on the challenge, including 4 from Ilford AC.
Leading the team home was men’s captain Danny Holeyman, who has been having a great Cross Country season, in 23rd place in a time of 1 hour, 16 minutes and 33 seconds.
Danny was chased all the way by teammate Seb Harris who finished just a place and nine seconds behind him.
Jim Tilbrook ran an impressive 1 hour 37 minutes and 54 seconds for 93rd place and completing the team was women’s captain Alison Sale, who ran a strong race for 104th place in a time of1 hour 41 minutes 31 seconds

  Press Report 11th February 2025  

Feb 122025
 

ESSEX CROSS-COUNTRY LEAGUE
Apex Playing Fields, Hockley
Saturday 8 February

The final match in this winter’s Essex Cross-Country League at the Apex Playing Fields in Hockley over an extremely muddy course which also featured hills and water hazards.

It was a good day for the senior ladies of Ilford AC who won this fixture and the division 2 title and will be back in the top tier again next season. Jordan Hinds was their lead athlete with a fine run for 16th place in 30 mins 07 secs for the 6.6km course. Backing up were Anna Crawley in 31st spot with 32 mins 04 secs and Alison Sale in 61st with 35 mins 43 secs. Pauline Tester closed the scorers for the victorious squad with 37 mins 16 secs.
The team also fielded Dianne Crisp (88th ) Frieda Keane (110th) and Launa Broadley (117th )

The Ilford men competed over a longer 8km course with Josh Adler, who is in great form at the moment, in 37th in 34 mins 11 secs being the first home for the team, with Dylan Harrod next home in 53rd with 35 mins 07 secs and Steve Philcox 68th in 36 mins 21 secs. Richard Morris placed 83rd recording 37 mins 32 secs with Seb Parris 94th in 38 mins 25 secs and Dan Holeyman completed the scoring team in 101st in a time of 39 mins 24 secs.

The club had another 9 runners in the event: Bradley brown (13th ) Neil Crisp (109th) Terry Knightley (11th) Steve Crane (144th) Alan Pearl (152nd) Jim Tilbrook (158th) Andy Catton (17th) Tony Young (184th)  Rob Sargent (201st)

In this match the Ilford men placed 7th and finished the season in a respectable 8th in the final division 1 table.

The club also had a number of age group medallists for the season led by Steve Philcox with a gold for the M55 age group. Andy Catton also took gold in the M70 category and the were silvers for Alan Pearl (M65) and Pauline Tester (F60) and bronze awards for Terry Knightley (M60) and Rob Sargent (M70)


VAC – EMAC Indoor Track & Field Championships

Fabrizio Stefanoni was Ilford’s sole representative in Eastern Masters Athletics Clubs (EMAC) Indoor Track and Field championships, held last weekend in Lea Valley.
Racing in the 1500m, Fabrizio gave a very good account of himself, finishing in a time of 4 minutes 53.66 seconds, which gained him 8th place on the day and 2nd in his age category

  Press Report 4th February 2025  

Feb 042025
 

CHINGFORD LEAGUE 5 Miles

Victoria Park

Saturday 1 February

The final individual event of this winter’s Chingford League took place on a revised course  of one small lap and 2 longer ones rather than the traditional figure of eight course in the park.

Ilford AC had a team of 29 take part in the event with the men racing over the fast flat course in division two. Their challenge was led by Ronan Edwards, who is in great form at present, finishing 4th in an excellent time of 26 minutes 04 seconds. Next home was Josh Adler, who is improving in every race, in 11th in a new personal best of 27 mins 42 secs. Tomas Krukauskas who impressed on his club debut came in on 30 mins 01 secs for 17th spot. One place behind was Manuel Vigo with 30 mins 03 secs. Donagh Horley was another making his club debut coming home 20th with 30 mins 19 secs and Richard Morris completed the scoring team in 22nd in a time of 30 mins 22 secs

In the match Ilford placed 2nd and they remain on top of the division 2 table and look good for promotion to the top tier with just the relays to come in March.

There were also personal bests for Joel Denning with 31 mins 24 secs in 29th and Jim Tilbrook, who is having a great winter of racing, in 58th in 35 mins 29 secs.  Steve Chissell equalled his personal best of 33 mins 27 secs for 42nd place, which he set in the same fixture last year.

The Ilford Ladies race in division 1 and first home was Jordan Hinds in 10th recording 32 mins 20 secs, with Anna Crawley next across the line for the club in 34 mins 13 secs for 15th place. Pauline Tester and Alison Sale both were timed at 38mins 55 secs for 59th and 60th respectively. Dianne Crisp was 111th in 45 mins 19 secs and Launa Broadley completed the team in 127th in a new personal best time of 47 mins 46 secs.  In their match the ladies were placed 8th and occupy the same spot in the league table.

Also running in the men’s race were:  Dan Holeyman (23rd  30.26) Richard Woolterton (28th  31.17)  Sam Joseph (33rd  32.28)  Bradley Brown (38th  33.19) Tarik Qirem (47th 35:05)  Neil Crisp (49th  35.17) Mike Perkins (61st  36.51)  Tony Young (68th  37.58)  Nick West  (69th  38.25)  Andy Catton (80th  40.19)  Sean Costello (85th  40.50)  and Joe Ramen (98th  46.28)

And for Ilford Ladies:  Frieda Keane (130th  48.29)  Julia Galea (139th  51.39)

17 junior athletes from Ilford AC took on the challenges of the final Chingford league race of the current season 

The under 11’s raced a 2k course
For the boys, Danilo Reina , despite falling at the start, finished in 6th place with an impressive run of 6.32m
Debutant Hannah Lawes completed an impressive first fun clocking 8.09m to finish in 21st place for the girls.

The Under 13’s ran a 3k course

Khalif Ali produced his best run of the series finishing in 5th place in a time of 12.07m for the boys. Teammate Elias Furreedan continued his impressive form this season with a 7th place recording a time of 13.18m. Ever improving Hashim Khan clocked 14.03m to finish in 8th place. Ever reliable Daniel Guiba completed the team in 12th position timed at 15.44m

The girls again produced really encouraging performances 

Leading the team home was Iris Wan in 12th place in 14.39m closely followed by Sophie Lawes in 13th place in 14.50m. D.L Majen-Akande continued her great form with a fast finish in 15th place timed at 15.30m just managing to hold off teammate Alicia Adams in 16th place with another encouraging run of 15.47m

Ilford’s U15 boys, running 4.5k,  proved to be the stars of the day with the impressive Fabio Reina claiming First place in a time of 17.43m followed by his equally impressive teammate Barney Perkins in Second place recording 18.09m

Luke Thake made a welcome return to the team and ran consistently well to finish in 8th place timed at 20.49m . Completing the team was debutant Robert Stanciu running the distance for the first time finishing in 18th place with 24.07m

For the U15 girls, Hawaa Patel ran another strong race giving her all finishing 6th in 24.12m

U17 athletes Ryder Islam and Leila Lauder both produced personal best runs with Ryder Islam finishing 4th for the boys in 17.20m and Leila Lauder claiming 1st place in the girls in 21.01m.
Both ran over the same 4.5k distance

The results are testament to the hard work put in by the athletes and their coaches with huge thanks to our parents and supporters.

Two Ilford Ac athletes swapped their Ilford vests just for the weekend to represent their university and county.

Rhys Edwards raced the short course (8.2km) at the British University Cross Country Championships in Cardiff. He placed 367th in a top class field and was first finisher for Queen Mary University (London).

Samuel Crane qualified to represent Essex schools in the South East Inter Counties School Match. This was his first county vest. He acquitted himself well over the 6km course finishing as 6th Essex finisher in a good quality field.

  Press Report 28th January 2025  

Jan 282025
 

SOUTH OF ENGLAND CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ilford AC sent a small team to this yearly championship again held at Beckenham Place Park

The club had two competitors in the U17 men’s 6k. Samuel Crane had the highest finish for the club on the day in 97th place in a time of 22 mins 08 secs. He moved through the field well after a slow start. Ryder Islam finished in 140th in 23 mins 57 secs and was disappointed after a good start but has the chance to come back next year and improve his placing.

Leila Lauder was next up competing in the u17 women’s race over the same course as Samuel and Ryder. She gained valuable experience finishing in an excellent 103rd place in 30 mins 11 secs.

Jordan Hinds was our only lady in the senior women. Running over a challenging 8k course, she again showed good endurance holding her position to finish in 121st place in 35 mins 40 secs.
Incidentally this was exactly the same position she finished in last years championships

Finally we had four runners in the 15 kilometre men’s race. The course was in fact around 1km short on the day but was testing with two hard hills each lap.
Josh Adler showed his winter training is going well as he finished in 58 mins 13 secs for 285th place in a large field.
Next in was Seb Parris with 62 mins 37 secs in 402nd while Steve Chissell placed 484th  with 66 mins 49 secs.
Jim Tilbrook completed the squad in 579th spot in 73 mins 47 secs. Jim was over ten minutes faster and over 100 places higher than he finished last year