TEAM ONLY 4th BUT GREAT INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES AND WE NOW HAVE A WOMEN’S SQUAD AGAIN!
Another enjoyable Summer Series with great courses, fine weather and keen racing, all elegantly and expertly orchestrated by Mike Blenkinsop and our own Clive Rowberry. Thanks on behalf of us all to you two magnificent stalwarts and to all the race hosts.
While this year teams had to be of 6 runners including at least 2 women, it looks as if this will change next summer so that, as in the winter series, there will be separate men’s and women’s teams. I think this will be good for both our men and women’s squads.
It’s really encouraging that so many women donned the red this year, with newcomers, Roxanne, Sky, Laura and Vika all running well and Amy making a strong and welcome return to competition.
Tracy again medalled in the Series, taking silver in the F50’s behind Croft’s Sue Davies while in the F45’s Sheryl stormed home with the gold. She may not be quite as fast as Clara but, since London, she has improved even faster than the young’un and shown what consistent training can do. Roxanne ran all 4 races having some good battles with Sheryl.
Our top three men ran brilliantly throughout the Series, Charlie making his debut off road and showing what talent he has, no matter what the surface, finishing each race between 3rd and 7th and being unlucky to be out of the medals. Meanwhile there was a battle royal between our two aces, Matt taking overall silver following his great win at Abbey Dore and Eliot, his main focus on triathlon, just two points behind in bronze medal position. Paul Jones, another to have built his strength on marathon training, was our usual 4th scorer for the team, finishing between 10th and 14th and won a well deserved bronze in the very competitive M45 division. While not in top shape, Dave ran well in the two races he did and would have taken home a medal if he’d run three. The old codgers, Geoff (M60) and Steve (M65) topped their categories and Geoff has now put together an impressive sequence of winter/summer victories and dominates his age group, as long as Ed Davies lies low.
Good to have Keith back, running all 4 events with instructions from Sally to flatten out the hills before she makes her comeback. Kev was another to run the whole Series, not letting the small matter of Snowdon the weekend before stop him charging round Shobdon nostrils flared. Welcome too to George who made his Couriers debut in the last race and seemed to enjoy the experience. Hope to see you at the winter series, George…..and everyone else. Time to train for that, now. It never stops, does it?
Steve
You must log in to post a comment.