There were BAC wins at both Bournemouth and Poole Parkruns on Saturday 18 January – Rob McTaggart (again) winning at Kings Park, followed in second place overall, and first lady, by Emma Dews. Also running at Bournemouth were Roy Long and son David Long (the course record holder), Jud Kirk, Ian White, Steve Cox and Will Price. In Poole Park the overall winner was Peter Thompson followed in third place by Simon Way whose time of 17.35 knocked 10 seconds off his PB. Also representing BAC at Poole was Elsa Charlwood.
The previous day saw the 4th of the 6 Boscombe Pier 5k Winter Series organised by Poole Runners at which there was yet another BAC win in the form of recent signing Lee Piercy who was first across the line in 17.03. Also competing were Steve Cohen (15th 19.09), Steve Cox (37th 20.14), Jud Kirk (38th 20.16), Caroline Rowley (63rd 21.50) and Will Price (123rd 26.01). In all 151 finished.
As previously reported on Saturday 11 January BAC hosted a fixture of the Hampshire Cross Country League in Kings Park. Before the League races proper a 2k (approximately) race was held for U11s, and the Senior Mens’ and Womens’ races doubled as the Dorset County Championship.
In the U11 races a number of athletes who have been attending the BAC Junior Development Evenings each Wednesday competed. These Wednesday evenings are for youngsters aged 11 to 14 (ish) who want to sample athletics and experience an organised programme supervised by qualified coaches which offers the opportunity to try all aspects of athletics – running, jumping and throwing, together with some ‘fun’ competition. On a typical Wednesday evening up to 100 and more youngsters attend. So congratulations to Conor Charlwood (a BAC Junior), Freddie Harrington, Isaac Naraine, Elliott Brampton, Laura Reeves, Yasmin Bridet, Lily Simpson, Ruby Eve Bowden, Sienna May and Isabelle Rowland for taking the plunge and having a go at an organised, official race. Full results can be found at www.hampshireathletics.org.uk.
The County Championship was not as well supported as it might have been, considering the number of eligible athletes already running in the League races, but congratulations to Steve Way on his County Silver Medal. The results are set out below; there is something of a mystery in that Josh Cole entered the Championship and definitely ran, and ran well, but doesn’t appear in the results – perhaps Josh didn’t collect his number?? Had he counted he would have been outside the medals by a matter of seconds. Here are the results:
Senior Men:
1. Richard Horton PAC 30.11; 2. Steve Way BAC 30.30; 3. Thomas Austin PAC 31.36; 4. Manol Dimitrov BAC 33.38; 5. Andy Jennings BAC 33.38; 6. Adam Gough DAC 38.08.
Veteran Men:
1. Denis Merciere PR 36.02; 2. Jim Aylmore PR 36.07; 3. Ian Barnes PR 39.06; 4. Stephen Horton PAC 39.56; 5. Clint Cornick DAC 40.23; 6. Nicolas Ireland DAC 42.15; 7. Nigel Furness 43.31.
Senior Women:
1. Verity Ockenden PR 21.27; 2. Chloe Dowson BAC 26.54.
Veteran Women:
1. Claudia Howse PR 28.45; 2. Angela Brown PR 31.27.