Spartathlon success for Chris… Eastbourne and Hastings athletes prosper at Goodwood

RUN WEDNESDAYS

Run Wednesdays club runner Chris Larmour is celebrating after completing the world famous Spartathlon.

The 246km ultra-marathon has been held annually in Greece since 1983 between Athens and Sparti.It is based on Pheidippides, who ran from Athens to Sparta before the Battle of Marathon in a day and a half to seek aid among the Persians.

Five RAF officers ran the course in 1982 and so began the competition.

Stringent criteria are set to ensure participants are fit enough to run the course, which must be completed within 36 hours. The race has 75 checkpoints where runners can be disqualified for failing to make time cut-offs or being too tired to continue. Runners have to deal with daytime heat, the cold night and mountainous terrain.

To enter, Chris had to have completed a 100k race in less than 10 hours. He is an experienced ultra runner, and recently won the Bewl Ultra.

Fellow Run Wednesdays runner Steve Offord supported Chris as a crew member. "Chris has the opportunity to put right the wrongs from last year when he did not complete the race within the stringent cut-offs. He had a short window to train this year following a back injury in the winter. However Chris remained focussed and once the 100-mile monutain section was over the countdown to the finish line was on!

"As he completed the home straight he held the Union flag flying behind him - it was emotional! Team GB cheered him on to kiss the foot of the statue of Leonidas, marking the completion of the race."

Interested in running? Check out the Run Wednesdays Facebook page.

EASTBOURNE ROVERS

Eastbourne Rovers dominated at the first fixture of the Sussex Cross Country League at Goodwood.

Joshua Webster showed his incredible turn of pace to finish second in the under-13 boys’ race.

Byron Roberts finished close behind in a strong fourth and Archie Franklin sixth to easily clinch team top spot by five points from closest rivals Brighton & Hove.

Coach Jenny Brown said: “It’s great to see the under-13 athletes being inspired by the success of the older athletes over the past few years. Their performances so early in the season are very encouraging.”

Talented athletes Daisy Connor (1st), Freda Pearce (2nd) and Evie Lennard (12th) stole the top team spot by a vast 15 points from Brighton & Hove in the under-15 girls’ race.

Fin Lumber-Fry showed courage in the under-15 boys’ race by heading straight to the front of the field.

He was overtaken by up-and-coming athlete Jacob Trotman from Lewes but managed to finish strongly in third. Thomas Petherick held position well for seventh with Jonah Messer ninth and George Armstrong-Smith 10th.

Eastbourne took team top spot from Lewes by one point. Fin and Jonah are only the first year in their age group, so the team win is even more impressive.

Eleanor Strevens had a courageous run, heading to the front of the pack from the gun in the women’s race. She placed first in her under-20 age category and an impressive third overall.

Others worthy of mention include Chyna Wai, who continues her fine start to the season placing seventh in the under-13 girls’ race. Fintan Pearce continued his purple patch placing third in the under-17 boys’ race, close behind Finlay Goodman and Thomas Matthews of Brighton & Hove.

Fintan is creeping up the leaderboard with each race so an exciting season could be in prospect for the talented Eastbourne athlete.

Isabelle Chappell placed 14th under-17 girl to start her season in positive fashion.

Next up for the Eastbourne athletes was the South of England relays held at Wormwood Scrubs last Saturday. We’ll have a report next week.

Rovers results: U13 Girls – Chyna Wai 7th 12:52, Grace Luford-Brown 26th 14:28; U13 Boys – A Team 1st Team. Joshua Webster 2nd 11:12, Byron Roberts 3rd 11:16, Archie Franklin 6th 11:33. B Team 8th. Jacob Edleston 22nd 12:49, Xavier Bray 26th 13:03, Charlie Davey 33rd 13:45, Jackson Walker 13:49.; U15 Girls – A Team 1st Team. Daisy Connor 1st 15:06, Freda Pearce 2nd 15:15, Evie Lennard 12th 17:03. B Team 11th.Chae Wai 24th 17:56, Katherine Brown 37th 19:01, Grace Allitt 41st 20:11; U15 Boys – A Team 1st Team. Fin Lumber-Fry 3rd14:15, Thomas Petherick 7th 14:25, Jonah Messer 9th 14:33, George Armstrong-Smith 10th 14:39; U17 Girls – Isabelle Chappell 14th 20:44; U17 Boys – 4th Team, Fintan Pearce 3rd 16:28, Ilya Korchev 12th 17:03, Kaleb Berhane 22nd 17:47, Dermot O’Rourke 35th 18:35; U20 Women – Eleanor Strevens, 3rd overall & 1st in age category; U20 – Men James Stephen 10th 27:34, Benjamin Brown 11th 27:40; Senior Men – Division 2 - 1st Team – Luke Tomsett 12th 27:11, Richard Davis 13th 30:06; Vet Women 5th Team – Sue Fry 3rd V45 21:00, Anna Chaplin 14th V45 23:46, Flick Webster 16th V45 24:23, Katie Arnold 5th V35 21:28, Heather Jenner 6th V35 21:38.

HY RUNNERS

Seven HY Runners took on the Beachy Head Marathon weekend, braving the wet and windy conditions.

With the huge hills to contend with right from the outset, it makes for a daunting race whatever the distance.

On Saturday, Stephen Cornford was the club’s sole ultra marathon contender.

Braving the treacherous conditions, Stephen managed to finish the 32-mile course in a heroic 7:51:34 and came 189th.

Meanwhile, Joseph O'Gorman was HY’s only 10k runner, and also battling the tough conditions, managed a fantastic 15th place with a time of 47:18.

On Sunday, five HY ladies competed in the Beachy Head half marathon.

There were tremendous efforts from all.

Rosie McSweeney was first home with 2:44:34 (443rd), then came Hayley Foster in 3:22:59 (575th).

Next was Laura Dearsley in 3:23:02 (576th), followed by Kirstie Carlton-Blake in 3:23:06 (577th) and Leanne Badrock in 3:23:08 (578th).On Saurday HY kids were out in force to tackle the SEAA Cross Country Relays at Wormwood Scrubs, London.With tricky conditions, the HY contingent battled through.

The U13 girls’ A team managed a bronze medal.

Isabella Buchanan managed the fastest leg of 7:06, and with Kitty Morgan and Antalia Cole, the team finished the course in just 23:02.The U13 girls’ B team managed 14th. Florence Tewksbury, America Skelton and Olivia Collins finished the course in 25.16.In the U15s’ contest, Megan Hopkins-Parry, Sophia Collins, and Daisy Welch finished 13th in a time of 25:11.

And HY’s lone warrior, Zion Okojie, completed his leg in 07:35 and finished 36th.

It was a fantastic all-around effort from everyone involved, participants and parents alike.

JIMMY SLADDEN

HASTINGS RUNNERS

Hastings Runners have been busy in several events – not least scaling the heights around Beachy Head.

The club’s first man home in the Beachy Head Marathon was Stuart Johnstone in an impressive time of 4hr 15min 13sec, followed by Matthew Miller (4.48.15) and Patrick Bermingham (5.10.01).

Also tackling a demanding course were Dave Wood, Pete Heasman, Ruth Spiller (HR’s first woman in 6.59.29), Allison Tanner, Sarah Weeks, Chris Weeks, Jo Edwards and Ben Brett.

Running the Marathon distance and an extra 10k in the Beachy Head Ultra. were Kate Lewis, Amanda Link and Sarah Bendle.

Boris Atanasov completed the 10k in 55:04 and five others the Half Marathon – Chris Hawkes (first HR home in 1.56.18), Trevor Saunders, Andy Alabaster, Ben Sallows and Hugh Stephenson.

Hastings Runners also ran well in the Hove Prom 10k, in which Paul Lambert crossed the line in a PB of 37.56. Kevin Blowers and Erica Wilson are well placed to win their age categories.

Kieran Price ran the Bruges Half Marathon in 1.29:03; Jacqui Mannering did the Valencia Half in 1hr 49. The Salcey Forest Runner 5k in Northamptonshire was won by Will Withecombe in 17:40 with the women’s listings topped by Marie Crawford (26:51).

In the Great South Run, Daniel Piper was the first HR home in 59:09, followed by Colin White in a PB of 59:32. A PB of 1.36:56 was recorded by Lindsey Jones. There were personal triumphs for Susan Mann and Lorraine Ashby, who were within two hours.

NEIL JEFFRIES