Wednesday 28th April 2010

UKA have announced the athletes selected to represent the Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland Team for the 2010 European Marathon Cup, which will be included in the European Championships in Barcelona, Spain 27th July – 1st August.

The men's team will be lead by Andrew Lemoncello who finished as first Brit on his debut at Sunday's Virgin London Marathon, well inside the qualification time of 2.18:00, clocking 2.13:40. Andi Jones followed in tenth with 2.16:38 and Ben Moreau in eleventh with a time of 2.16:46.

Lee Merrien who followed as fourth Brit, in twelfth place overall, was also selected. His time of 2.16:48 was also inside the qualification mark and made him a certainty for selection.

Commonwealth bronze medallist Dan Robinson 2.12:14 set at the Amsterdam Marathon in October earns his place in the team. Dave Webb claimed the final place having ran 2.15:42 time at the Seville Marathon in February 2010.

The women’s team is made up of Sue Partridge and Helen Decker who finished inside the qualification standard of 2.38:00, with 2.35:57 and 2.36:56 respectively, were automatically selected as second and third British women past the post.

Rebecca Robinson and Jo Wilkinson will also join the women’s team based on their performances of 2.37:14 and 2.37:44 in London which placed them 20th and 21st overall in the elite women’s field.

Michelle Ross Cope ( withdrew from competition during race week due to a slight injury but was selected based on her performance the previous year in London. Her run out of 2.36:02 was within the selection standard and since then she has shown fitness at three half marathons in 2010.

Mara Yamauchi has decided not to compete in Barcelona, targeting an Autumn big city marathon instead, therefore, Holly Rush will take the final place with her 2.37:56 performance in London.
AVIVA GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND TEAM:
Men
Andi Jones (Salford Harriers)
Andrew Lemoncello (Fife)
Lee Merrien (Newham & Essex Beagles)
Ben Moreau (AFD)
Dan Robinson (Stroud)
Dave Webb (Leeds City)
Women
Helen Decker (Ipswich Jaffa)
Sue Partridge (Leeds City)
Rebecca Robinson (Kendal)
Michelle Ross Cope (City of Stoke)
Holly Rush (Team Bath)
Jo Wilkinson (Bedford & County)

www.bcn2010.org/

2010 Virgin London Marathon – Elite Men

Greenwich to Westminster

Sunday 25th April 2010

TESEGAYE Kebede improved on his runner-up position twelve months ago to claim a superb victory at the 30th Anniversary edition of the London Marathon finally breaking the six-year domination of the race by arch-rival’s Kenya storming home to victory with a time of two hours, five minutes and 18 seconds finishing ahead of Kenyan Emmanuel Mutai and Morocco's Jaouad Gharib.

In cloudy wet conditions and with temperatures of around 12 degrees Celsius (54 Fahrenheit), more than 37,000 people lined up at the start in Blackheath as the 30th London Marathon began under the new title sponsor of Virgin Money.

Tesegaye Kebede, the Olympic bronze medallist in Beijing, having watched Kenya complete a clean sweep of titles at the last months IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Poland went someway to re-dressing the balance of global power in distance running as the 23-year-old broke clear of the pack with five kilometres to go securing his first London Marathon title victory eight seconds outside last year's course record set by Kenya's Samuel Wanjiru.

Wanjiru, the pre-race favorite and Olympic champion, was left well behind drifting off the pace as the leading group of runners containing Kebede, world champion Abel Kirui and Mutai surged away of the field.

Then the duo of Kirui and Kebede broke clear, with Mutai just slipping back, before Kebede stepped up the pressure over the closing stages sprinting clear to win with ease. Mutai rallied over the final metres to take second.

"I was second last year, so it is good to win this year," said a delighted Kebede. "Maybe next year I could run 2:04. I thought I could get the course record but the rain made it difficult."

World half marathon champion and record-holder Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea dropped out in his debut in London last year and simply jogged over the line this year in 2:12.03 as once again he failed to come to terms with the 26.2 mile distance.

Scotland’s Andrew Lemoncello produced an impressive display on his marathon debut leading the British challenge in eighth place with a time of two hours 13 minutes and 39 seconds leaving the California-based athlete with the choice of competing in the Barcelona Europeans or the New Delhi Commonwealth Games marathons later this year.

Compatriot Andi Jones finished a creditable tenth in a time of two hours, 16 minutes and 38 seconds.

Leicestershire’s top finishers were led by Tipton Harrier Nigel Stirk (2:26.46), Barrow Runners Stuart Spencer (2:31.50) and Tim Doran (2:33.42) from Aldershot, Farnham & District AC as the trio all clocked excellent lifetime best performances finishing in 36th, 71st and 84th places respectively.

Harborough's Sean Fenwick clocked 2:34.53 to secure 95th place and Beaumont’s Phil Chritchlow recorded 2:38.19 in 144th.

Josh Cassidy was a surprise and worthy winner of the men's wheelchair race in a time of 1:35.21. The 25-year-old Canadian won easily ahead of Marcel Hug of Switzerland by a margin of 46 seconds with Britain's David Weir denied a fourth success suffering with a puncture as he finished third.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Leading Results:
Men
1 Tsegay Kebede (ETH) 2:05:19; 2 Emmanuel Mutai (KEN) 2:06:23; 3 Jaouad Gharib (MAR, V35) 2:06:55; 4 Abderrahime Bouramdane (MAR) 2:07:33; 5 Abel Kirui (KEN) 2:08:04; 6 Marilson Gomes dos Santos (BRA) 2:08:46; 7 Zersenay Tadese (ERI) 2:12:03; 8 Andrew Lemoncello (Fife) 2:13:40; 9 Yonas Kifle (ERI) 2:14:39; 10 Andi Jones (Salf) 2:16:38; 11 Ben Moreau (AFD) 2:16:46; 12 Lee Merrien (NEB) 2:16:48; 13 Clint Perrett (AUS) 2:18:15; 14 Neil Renault (M&M) 2:18:29; 15 Dave Norman (Alt) 2:19:05; 16 Satoshi Irifune (JPN) 2:19:25; 17 Steven Way (B'mth, V35) 2:19:38; 18 Gareth Raven (Sale, V35) 2:19:55; 19 Kristoffer ÿSterlund (SWE) 2:20:06; 20 Pieter Vermeesch (Clap C) 2:20:16

2010 Virgin London Marathon – Elite Women

Greenwich to Westminster

Sunday 25th April 2010

LILIYA Shobukhova consolidated her position top of the IAAF world rankings as the impressive Russian with a superb sprint finish in The Mall added the Virgin London Marathon title to her Chicago crown secured last Autumn following a lifetime best performance in the capital out sprinting compatriot Inga Abitova to victory.

Shobukhova, the European 5,000m track record-holder became the first Russian to win the London Marathon title in the three decades of the race, as the 32-year-old crossed the finish line with a time of two hours, 22 minutes exactly.

Over the rain soaked early stages of the race as the lead group stayed with the pacemaker until half-way Shobukhova then made her moved which was to prove decisive leading a breakaway group with Abitova, the reigning European 10,000m champion, and Ethiopian Aselefech Mergia for company.

By this point several notable names and pre-race favourites had disappeared from contention as defending champion Irina Mikitenko looking for a hat-trick of victories for Germany dropped out after only eight miles with an injury to her left foot, the reigning Olympic champion, Romania's Constantina Dita, could not keep up with the early pace eventually fading to a top-twenty finish, whilst, American record-holder and former London Marathon winner Deena Kastor was well off the pace by the 10k point.

However, as the race entered the final mile along The Embankment into Birdcage Walk, Shobukhova and Mergia increased the pace with the Russian building a sizable gap as Mergia then dropped back leaving Abitova to move into second with clear daylight separating the trio.

From that point the destination of the title was secure as Shobukhova using her track speed and vast race experience came under the ‘385 yards to go’ gantry sprinting home over the line to take an impressive victory - her second in the current World Marathon Majors Series.

"The pace was easy," Shobukhova said. "I felt comfortable running at the front and decided to push in the second half to break up the pack. It is my third marathon and my second win. Now I want to win the Olympics."

Great Britain's Mara Yamauchi, runner-up in the race 12 months ago, having completed an epic six-day 6,500 mile journey from her training base in Albuqerque, New Mexico, this due to the ban on UK airspace caused by the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud showed the full ill affects of the long hours spent traveling fading from the lead group by the 20km mark over Tower Bridge eventually finishing in tenth place.

Wakako Tsuchida from Japan triumphed in a thrilling women's wheelchair race finishing just a second ahead of Switzerland's world record-holder Sandra Graf with a time of 1:52.33.

Defending champion Amandas McGrory of the USA claimed
 third in 1:52.36 as Great Britain’s Shelly Woods suffered a puncture.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Leading Results:
1 Liliya Shobukhova (RUS) 2:22:00; 2 Inga Abitova (RUS) 2:22:19; 3 Aselefech Mergia (ETH) 2:22:38; 4 Bezunesh Bekele (ETH) 2:23:17; 5 Askale Tafa (ETH) 2:24:39; 6 Yukiko Akaba (JPN) 2:24:55; 7 Xue Bai (CHN) 2:25:18; 8 Kimberley Smith (NZL) 2:25:21; 9 Mari Ozaki (JPN) 2:25:43; 10 Mara Yamauchi (Harrow, V35) 2:26:16; 11 Svetlana Zakharova (RUS, V35) 2:31:00; 12 Atsede Habtamu (ETH) 2:31:41; 13 Yoshimi Ozaki (JPN) 2:32:26; 14 Berhane Adere (ETH, V35) 2:33:46; 15 Tanith Maxwell (RSA) 2:34:24; 16 Maria Konovalova (RUS, V35) 2:35:21; 17 Susan Partridge (Leeds C) 2:35:57; 18 Deena Kastor (USA, V35) 2:36:20; 19 Helen Decker (Ips J) 2:36:56; 20 Rebecca Robinson (Kend) 2:37:14

Sunday 25th April 2010

BETH Eburne completed a fine solo victory at the 2010 Rotary Shakespeare Marathon in Stratford-upon-Avon.

As the eyes of the world centred on events in London over the very picturesque two-lap course surrounding Shakespeare birth place British international Eburne representing Hinckley Running Club prevailed in the women’s race clocking a time of 2hrs 55mins 19secs as the 28-year-old dominated the race finishing well over 14 minutes ahead of runner-up Zoe Thornburgh (Wootton RR) 3:09.49.

This performance marks a return to form for Eburne who back in 2005 won the Experian Robin Hood Marathon on her debut over the distance and represented Team GB at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2006 setting a personal best of 2:48:20.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: http://jand.co.uk/Results2010/ShakespeareFull.pdf

Thursday 22nd April 2010

THE elite World Marathon Majors Series finally jets over the Atlantic from Boston to London thanks to the ban on air travel having been lifted due to the Icelandic ash cloud in Europe.

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the London Marathon from the initial race on 29th March 1981 when Dick Beardsley of the USA and Inge Simonsen of Norway were the joint winners with a time of 2:11.48 - and now in 2010 this year will mark a new title sponsor for the event thanks to Virgin Money following in the footsteps of Gillette, Mars, ADT, Nutrasweet and Flora.

Although one constant still remains over the three decades as Ron Goodwin's stirring 'The Trap' theme tune will role over the opening title sequence of the BBC coverage.

Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru looks to defend the men's championship and is one of five men in the field who have clocked sub-2:06 times including Duncan Kibet and world champion Abel Kirui as Kenya look to dominate the race as they did at the recent IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

Also in the field are two-time ING New York City Marathon champion Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil, the 2008 Boston Marathon runner-up Abderrahim Bouramdane of Morocco and for Great Britain Commonwealth bronze medallist Dan Robinson and US-based Andrew Lemoncello will lead the host nation as they look to become the first home winner since Eamon Martin way back in 1993.

World half marathon record-holder Zersenay Tadese is in top form ahead of London, however, he dropped out after 23 miles last year and the athletics world is still waiting to see what the Eritrean can truly produce over the marathon distance.

Irina Mikitenko is the women's pre-race favorite and could have a date with the record books as she aims to join her fellow German Katrin Dorre as the only woman to win three consecutive London titles. She will, however, face stiff opposition from an intriguing high class field that includes the reigning Olympic champion Constantina Tomescu-Dita, 2005 Chicago and 2006 London winner Deena Kastor of the United States, 2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon winner Liliya Shobukhova of Russia and the 2009 real- Berlin Marathon title-holder Atsede Habtamu of Ethiopia.

British interest will sit firmly on the slim shoulders of Mara Yamauchi who finished second last year and is coming off a strong winning performance last month at the NYC Half-Marathon.

Yamauchi was the first elite athlete to arrive for Sunday's race when she touched down at Shoreham airport outside Brighton in Sussex on Wednesday at the end of a marathon six-day journey from her training base in New Mexico.

Yamauchi, the 2009 London Marathon runner-up, had moved from her home in Tokyo to train at altitude in Albuquerque. She and her husband, Shigetoshi, left there last Thursday and travelled to Denver, Colorado, only to find there were no flights to London because of the cloud of volcanic ash which forced the closure of airspace around northern Europe for almost six days.

They then travelled to New Jersey and tried to get a flight to Shannon airport in Ireland before eventually flying from New Jersey to Lisbon, Portugal, from where they rented a taxi, which drove for six hours to Madrid.

When they discovered there were no seats available on ferries from Spain to Portsmouth, the Yamauchis rented a car and drove for two days to Paris before taking a taxi to Le Touquet near the French coast where the London Marathon organisers hired a private Piston propeller plane to fly them to Shoreham.

Yamauchi arrived at the Virgin London Marathon headquarters in London late on Wednesday afternoon saying she was "tired but relieved".

"It's been an interesting journey to say the least and hardly the best way to prepare for the race," she said. "I am tired but most of all just happy to be here. Now at least I have time to relax and begin to focus my mind on the race. I am confident I will be fully recovered and ready to run by Sunday morning."
Race Timetable:
9.00am-Elite Women
9.20am-Wheelchairs
9.45am-Elite Men/Masses

The Virgin London Marathon is live on BBC Television and via satellite and cable on British Eurosport: www.virginlondonmarathon.com

Thursday 22nd April 2010

COMMONWEALTH marathon bronze medallist Liz Yelling and Portugal's Great North Run winner, Jessica Augusto, will take on former world cross-country champions Florence Kiplagat and Derartu Tulu as Europe face a tough test against the might of Africa at next month's BUPA Great Edinburgh Run.

Yelling won the Silverstone half-marathon last month but faces formidable opposition of world champion Kiplagat from Kenya and three-time champion Tulu of Ethiopia.

Augusto, is also a confirmed entrant for the 10 kilometres race, which takes place around Holyrood Park on May 2nd.

Olympic 5,000 metres bronze medallist and eight-time European cross-country winner Sergiy Lebid of the Ukraine heads the men's field.

Wednesday 21st April 2010

OLYMPIC champion Sammy Wanjiru will hoping that the lifting of the ban over the past 24 hours on air travel in Europe because of volcanic ash will improve his performance at this weekend’s Virgin London Marathon

Race organisers have arranged for a private jet to fly one of the superstars of global distance running, and two other Kenyan runners to Europe allowing Wanjira to defend his London title.

The private jet was to take them to Spain, where another jet would fly to London. The flight was scheduled to leave Nairobi on Tuesday afternoon, but was postponed until Wednesday. However, in light of recent events the jet could now fly the full distance to London.

The delays mean Wanjiru will have less time to adjust to the weather in London and to rest for the race, but he still hopes to defend his title.

"I just hope the weather in London is good," said Wanjiru, who set a course record of 2 hours, 5 minutes, 10 seconds last year. "I have done enough training. The rest I leave in the hands of God."

Wanjiru is the favorite following the withdrawal of three-time London Marathon champion Martin Lel, who pulled out for the second straight year with an injury to his right leg.

Rotterdam Marathon champion Duncan Kibet and former Amsterdam Marathon champion Emmanuel Mutai also were scheduled to be on the flight.

Kibet and Mutai had taken flights from the high-altitude training camp in Eldoret, in western Kenya, to board the jet in Nairobi.

Kibet, who last year in Rotterdam recorded the second-fastest marathon time of 2:04:27, will be making his London debut.

Great Britain’s Mara Yamauchi will also to be looking to board a flight from Japan to make the start line in Greenwich.

Monday 19th April 2010

KENYAN Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot won the 114th edition of the Boston Marathon smashing the course record with a time of 2 hours, 5 minutes, 52 seconds on Patriot's Day in the USA.

Cheruiyot improved the 2006 mark by a margin of one minute 12 seconds by four-time winner Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, collecting $150,000 for the victory and an extra $25,000 for setting the course record.

Cheruiyot finished clear of Tekeste Kebede of Ethiopia, with defending champion Deriba Merga in third and Americans Ryan Hall and Meb Keflezighi.

Teyba Erkesso of Ethiopia won the women's race in an unofficial time of 2:26.11, outsprinting Tatyana Pushkareva of Russia to win by three seconds in the third-closest women's finish in event history. Defending champion Salina Kosgei was third.

2010 Nike National AAA 12 & 6 Stage Relays Championships

Sutton Park, Birmingham

Saturday 17th April 2010

NEWHAM & Essex Beagles and Aldershot, Farnham & District have won the 2010 edition of the Nike National 12 & 6 Stage Road Relays at a sun drenched Birmingham’s Sutton Park.

In bright dry conditions three time European junior cross-country champion Steph Twell with the fastest overall individual leg (15:22) led Aldershot to victory in the women’s 6-stage race with a combined time of 1:40.30 ahead of Swansea and Coventry with defending champions Charnwood having to settle for sixth place.

A delighted Twell commented: “This was a great effort by the team, they gave me a great lead going into the final leg I just had to keep my foot on the pedal to take the win.”

In the men’s race Newham & Essex Beagles despite missing their talisman Mo Farah completed the domestic double as Steve Hepples on the final stage ensured that the Southern champions added the 12-stage title to the six-stage won back in October anchoring them home to victory in 4:09.12 ahead of Tipton Harriers and Glasgow-based Shettleston Harriers completing the podium places.

Full results are available on the following links:

Men’s 12 Stage

www.race-results.co.uk/results/2010/nat1210.pdf

Women’s 6 Stage

www.race-results.co.uk/results/2010/nat6w10.pdf

Sunday 11th April 2010

WORLD record-holder Meseret Defar of Ethiopia became the first three-time women’s champion of the Carlsbad 5000 in California winning the women’s elite invitational in a time of 15mins, 04secs, whilst, in the men’s race, Kenya’s Eluid Kipchoge crossed the finish line in 13:11, the fourth fastest time ever run over the 25 year history of the race.

Former Loughborough College student Barbara Parker (City of Norwich) finished in sixth place in a time of 16:14 to collect $700.

Eluid Kipchoge, a two-time Olympic medalist over 5,000m, came to Carlsbad with a world record on his mind, and gave a record-worthy performance under overcast, but breezy conditions. He led the lead pack through the first mile in 4:10, pushing the Ethiopian trio of Dejen Gebremeskel, Bekana Daba and Markos Geneti before making his move to victory.

Second place went to Gebremeskel in 13:18, with the defending champion Daba finishing six seconds back in 13:24.

The event is the home of the current world 5km road records: 13:00, Sammy Kipketer (KEN), 2000 & 2001, and 14:46, Meseret Defar (ETH), 2006.
Leading Results:
Men
1 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 13:11
2 Dejen Gebremekel (ETH) 13:18
3 Bekana Daba (ETH) 13:24
4 Markos Geneti (ETH) 13:34
5 Simon Ndriangu (KEN) 13:40
Women
1 Meseret Defar (ETH) 15:04
2 Aheza Kiros (ETH) 15:26
3 Meskerem Assefa (ETH) 15:55
4 Malindi Elmore (CAN) 16:00
5 Karolina Jarzynska (POL) 16:04
6 Barbara Parker (GBR) 16:14

Sunday 11th April 2010

TADESSE Tola and Baysa Atsede claimed a fine double victory for Ethiopia at the 2010 Paris Marathon.

On a beautiful spring morning as the French capital sparkled in the bright Parisian sunshine, Tola, the 23-year-old half-marathon specialist stepped up to the 26.2mile distance smashing his personal best set last year in Chicago moving clear of Kenya's Alfred Kering over the final 5 kilometres crossing the line in a time of two hours, six minutes and 40 seconds.

Kering finished 32 seconds adrift outsprinting Kenyan compatriot William Kipsang.

Baysa Atsede secured the Ethiopian double victory as she successfully defended her Paris title adding to her win at the Xiamen International Marathon secured earlier this year in China.

Atsede produced a dominant runaway victory crossing the line with a huge lifetime best of two hours, 22 minutes and two seconds improving her time from twelve months ago by a margin of almost three minutes.

France's Christelle Daunay went one better than last year to take second place delighting the home crowd by improving her own national record by almost a minute-and-a-half clocking a mark of 2:24.22.

Sunday 11th April 2010

PATRICK Makau of Kenya recorded the fourth fastest time in history to win the 30th Anniversary Fortis Rotterdam Marathon in the Netherlands.

Makau's winning time of 2:04.48 ranks only behind Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie's world record of 2:03.59 from the 2008 Berlin Marathon and the identical 2:04.27 clocked by Kenyans Duncan Kibet and James Kwambai in Rotterdam last year.

Ethiopian Aberu Kebede won the women's race in 2:25.29 ahead of American Magdalena Lewy Boulet, with Chinese favourite Xiaolin Zhu in third.

Sunday 4th April 2010

2010 LRRL Livingston Relays

(Incorp. England Athletics East Midlands Road Relays Championships)

Loughborough University Campus

Sunday 4th April 2010

LEICESTERSHIRE clubs produced a series of dominant performances securing a clean sweep of England Athletics East Midlands Championships titles as the OWLS (men) and Charnwood (women) raced to excellent senior victories for the county at the 2010 edition of the Livingston Relays staged on the Loughborough University Campus.


On the opening lap of the senior men’s 4-stage event around the roads surrounding the biggest university campus in Europe - the oldest road-race in Leicestershire dating back to 1928 which returned to the athletics calendar in 2003 – Mark Powell gave Wigston Phoenix an early lead with a 15:10 clocking as Ben Lacey (15:46) placed the defending champions Charnwood in second with the OWLS just outside the podium positions in fourth.

However, on the second stage following Dave Lipscomb 16:19 opener for the OWLS, Paul Miles superb 14:53 leg set the pattern for the second half of the race a decisive move that moved the OWLS clear of the field in pole position as Simon May (15:55) 
increased their lead on the penultimate stage.

May’s solid performance left Geraint Davies out on his own as the 21-year-old rising star set the fastest overall individual stage of 14:36 consolidating the OWLS position anchoring them home to an impressive victory crossing the line with a combined time of 61:43.

Charnwood finished runners-up in 64:32 with Ben Lacey (15:46), Mark Crofts (16:19), Richard Brown (16:39) and Steve Mears (15:48) completing their line-up, whilst, Barrow Runners claimed the bronze medals for the second consecutive year as Chris Brown (17:58), Dave Battersby (17:21), British Masters international Tim Hartley (14:50) and Stuart Spencer (15:39) finished in 65:48.

Midland Masters relays champions Leicester Coritanian AC dominated the Men’s Vets 4-Stage race as they completed a fine 1-2 over the line successfully defending their title with the ‘A’ team of Gordon Lee (15:10), Gareth Deacon (16:02), Derek Guess (16:36) and Rob Sheen (16:34) 
finishing in a combined time of 64:22 almost three minutes ahead of the ‘B’ squad (69:28) consisting of Danny Keating (16:42), Andy Hart (17:10),
John Grindley (17:57) and Craig Sabin (17:39).

Harborough AC completed the podium positions in third place with their team of Will Clapp (17:06), Martin Gore (17:01), Richard Bufton (18:27) and 
Ady King (18:02) clocking a time of 70:36.

In the women’s senior 3-stage race Tara Krzywicki led Charnwood AC to a successful defence of their title.

The 36-year-old former British 3,000m steeplechase record-holder combined with team mate Laura Johnson and current Loughborough student Katie Lomas to guide the national and Midlands relays champions to victory.

Krzywicki set the green and gold’s on their way recording the fastest overall individual time of 16:42 on the opening stage as Johnson clocked 18:57 increasing the lead leaving Lomas (18:11) away and clear on the anchor leg as Charnwood crossed the line in a combined time of 53:50.

The silver medals went to Barrow Runners as Monique Raiijmakers (20:10) anchored home the team of Jo Robinson (20:01) and Emily Ault (18:15) in 58:26.

The Charnwood ‘B’ team clocked under the hour mark to take the final podium place with a combined time of 58:36 with their squad of Amber-Sian Magee (19:08), Lucy Hall (19:29) 
and Michelle Hooton (19:59).

In the Junior Under-20 races the Leicester OWLS were a class apart in the men’s race as Daniel Hallam (15:24) anchored home the team of Lewis Smart (15:20), Sam Stabler (14:54) and Niall McSharry (16:26) in a time of 62:04 taking the title ahead of county rivals Leicester Coritanians and Wreake Runners.

The women’s Under-20 race was a disappointing solo affair due to a lack of teams competing as Charnwood faced no other opposition with their squad of Kim Jalland (20:27), Isabelle Perry (23:57) and
 Grace Hobbs (19:18) finishing in a combined time 63:42 - a mark that would have placed them in sixth place overall in the senior event.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full Results:
Senior Men (4-Stage)
1 OWLS 61:43
Dave Lipscomb 16 19
Paul Miles 14 53
Simon May 15 55
Geraint Davies 14 36
2 CHARNWOOD "A" 64:32
Ben Lacey 15 46
Mark Crofts 16 19
Richard Brown 16 39
Steven Mears 15 48
3 BARROW "A" 65:48
Chris Brown 17 58
Dave Battersby 17 21
Tim Hartley 14 50
Stuart Spencer 15 39
4 HEANOR "A" 66:55
Steve Ashmore 16 12
Darren Ridout 16 52
Joe Rainsford 16 33
Jon Wainwright 17 18
5 CORITANIANS "A" 67:34
Carl Voisey 17 26
Ashley Sabin 15 46
Craig Austin 17 15
Dave Pearce 17 07
6 WIGSTON PHOENIX 68:07
Mark Powell 15 10
Robert Nurse 17 46
Paul Hood 18 02
Alex Webster 17 09
7 BEAUMONT "A" 69:13
Rahim Madarbux 18 08
Daniel Anderson 18 22
Ian Murdey 16 39
Phil Chritchlow 16 04
8 CHARNWOOD "B" 69:37
Paul Harmer 17 45
Glenn North 17 12
Mick Kingsbury 17 41
Martin Machin 16 59
9 FLECKNEY & KIBWORTH 73:11
Stacey Voss 17 26
Adam Taylor 17 39
Jamie Short 18 28
Dave Wheeler 19 38
10 HEANOR "B" 73:15
Lee Perkins 17 30
Rich Sims 18 58
Steve Wardle 20 04
Rob Rainsford 16 43
11 HARBOROUGH "A" 73:54
Scott Speller 17 32
Adam Brooks 17 59
Dave Waddington 18 27
Rick Brown 19 56
12 STILTON 75:22
Darren Glover 17 37
Phil Douglas 20 02
Neil Jaggard 20 29
Lez Robbinson 17 14
13 BARROW "B" 75:46
Darren Beswick 18 06
James Knight 18 13
Ian Scarrott 18 10
Matthew Cumberland 21 17
14 DESFORD 75:59
Alistair Richards 16 49
Neil Ackland 19 19
Andy Hurd 19 33
Lee Barber 20 18
15 SHEPSHED 77:38
Martin Booth 17 53
Gareth Pymm 18 50
Bob Haskins 22 16
Mick Davis 18 39
16 BIRSTALL 79:38
Dave Richards 21 56
Steve Powell 19 20
Neil Wright 16 54
Gareth Price 21 28
17 HEANOR "C" 81:02
Ed Godber 20 36
Rich Charlesworth 20 36
Chris Mellors 20 08
Russ Wilkinson 19 42
18 BARROW "C" 81:39
Chris Perry 19 36
Joe Sadler 21 09
Ken Huddart 20 40
Chris Dawkins 20 14
19 CORITANIANS "B" 86:26
Dave Saunders 17 55
Nev Francis 18 26
Dick Willingale 23 14
Tony Forryan 26 51
20 HARBOROUGH "B" 92:51
Martin Hughes 21 08
Geshom Nyathi 26 17
Dave Ward 24 32
John Thompson 20 54
Fastest Leg:
Geraint Davies 14 36
Men Vets (4-Stage)
1 CORITANIANS "A" 64:22
Gordon Lee 15 10
Gareth Deacon 16 02
Derek Guess 16 36
Rob Sheen 16 34
2 CORITANIANS "B" 69:28
Danny Keating 16 42
Andy Hart 17 10
John Grindley 17 57
Craig Sabin 17 39
3 HARBOROUGH "A" 70:36
Will Clapp 17 06
Martin Gore 17 01
Richard Bufton 18 27
Ady King 18 02
4 WIGSTON PHOENIX "A" 76:34
Rob Gregory 18 46
Les Chesterton 19 35
Clive Jones 19 45
Colin Baxter 18 28
5 WREAKE 76:51
Richard Bettsworth 17 10
Jim Ketteringham 18 26
Andy Steel 21 10
John Skevington 20 05
6 SHEPSHED 77:38
John Mould 19 22
Mark Stock 18 15
John Noble 19 02
John Harris 20 59
7 BARROW "A" 78:04
Ian Paramore 17 21
John Rees 18 45
Nigel Hillier 20 42
Paul Zurawliw 21 16
8 WIGSTON PHOENIX "B" 84:32
Nigel Ayres 20 31
Dave Wilmot 20 57
Ray Draycott 21 40
Ian Fraser 21 24
9 DESFORD STRIDERS "A" 86:04
Duncan Percy 22 59
Paul Goddard 19 59
Dave Playford 22 20
Richard McBean 20 46
10 HARBOROUGH "B" 86:40
Graeme Rolfe 19 56
Tony Harrison 20 17
Peter Leach 23 21
Chris Loake 23 06
11 DESFORD STRIDERS "C" 89:17
Henry Long 23 19
Mark Goodrich 23 06
Dave Lawrie 19 54
Francis Breen 22 58
12 DESFORD STRIDERS "B" 90:48
Gary Grimsley 22 30
Mark Dixon 21 48
Sean Tebbutt 21 37
Steve Bailey 24 53
13 BARROW "B" 93:35
John Hudson 23 03
Bob Aird 25 57
Bill Phillips 23 00
Mark Sadler 21 35
14 BIRSTALL 94:18
Deryk Woods 25 31
Dean Grimbley 23 06
John Brennan 22 54
Adam Warner 22 47
Fastest Leg:
Gordon Lee 15:10
Men Under 20 (4-Stage)
1 OWLS U20 62:04
Lewis Smart 15 20
Sam Stabler 14 54
Niall McSharry 16 26
Daniel Hallam 15 24
2 LEICESTER CORITANIAN U20 70:06
Elliott Hart 18 19
Danny Callow 17 10
Liam Phelan 17 00
Steven Maddocks 17 37
3 WREAKE "A" U20 74:45
Matt Kirby 18 30
Josh Slingsby 17 56
George Bettsworth 19 34
Greg Webb 18 45
4 HARBOROUGH U20 82:00
Matt Driver 18 20
Jake Watson 18 37
Dan Taylor 23 03
Matt Taylor 22 00
5 WREAKE "B" U20 83:47
Will Goodbourn 21 56
Spenny Lyon 19 57
Rowan Thompson 21 23
Ellis Jones 20 31
Fastest Leg:
Sam Stabler 14 54
Senior Women (3-Stage)
1 CHARNWOOD "A" 53:50
Tara Krzywicki 16 42
Laura Johnson 18 57
Katie Lomas 18 11
2 BARROW "A" 58:26
Jo Robinson 20 01
Monique Raaijmakers 20 10
Emily Ault 18 15
3 CHARNWOOD "B" 58:36
Amber-Sian Magee 19 08
Lucy Hall 19 29
Michelle Hooton 19 59
4 HARBOROUGH "A" 60:31
Yvonne Scarrott 19 52
Emily Taylor 20 45
Karen Brooks 19 54
5 FLECKNEY & KIBWORTH 62:02
Lorna Waters 20 02
Jody Ward 21 43
Kate Dormer 20 17
6 BIRSTALL 64:57
Katrina Kemp 20 09
Lesley Griffin 22 07
Marie Squires 22 41
7 HEANOR "A" 65:40
Glenda Alton 21 14
Jill Burke 20 21
Tracie Morris 24 05
8 DESFORD "B" 65:59
Lisa Charlton 22 30
Julie Messenger 23 21
Jane Davies 20 08
9 HARBOROUGH "B" 66:02
Sarah Ward 20 52
Unity Hamilton 22 38
Nicola James 22 32
10 CHARNWOOD "C" 68:20
Madelaine Lomas 21 24
Lisa Reece 24 46
Heather North 22 10
11 WREAKE 68:54
Karen Roberts 24 36
Liz Goodbourn 23 01
Jenny Smith 21 17
12 BARROW "B" 72:22
Jacky Reynolds 22 51
Ann Hillier 25 46
Sue Zurawliw 23 45
13 BARROW "C" 72:25
Lorraine Toll 23 00
Bridie D'Arcy 23 56
Janet Hudson 25 29
14 HARBOROUGH "C" 77:56
Jackie King 25 28
Lianne Brooks 24 44
Marise Taylor 27 44
15 HEANOR "B" 77:59
Jackie Hancock 27 21
Jodi Wainwright 26 07
Kate McNally 24 31
16 DESFORD "A" 78:37
Fleur Foster 22 38
Marie Hobbs 25 42
Valda Holmes 30 17
Fastest Leg:
Tara Krzywicki 16 42
Women U20 (3-Stage)
1 CHARNWOOD "A" U20 63:42
Kim Jalland 20 27
Isabelle Perry 23 57
Grace Hobbs 19 18
Fastest Leg:
Grace Hobbs 19 18

Sunday 4th April 2010

SCOTTISH mountain-running international Sula Young was in action at the three-day Manx Harriers Easter Running Festival held in the Isle of Man.

In the three series race series that attracts a large contingent of Britain’s top university talent to the isle, 31-year-old Young, the 2007 Leicestershire 10,000m track champion who competes for Highgate Harriers and the Leicester-based Beaumont Running Club, finished third in the opening 10km on Good Friday event around Port Erin & Port St. Mary where Edinburgh’s Sarah Inglis, winner of the Antrim McCain UK Cross Challenge U20 race, claimed victory with a time of 35mins 16secs ahead of Emma Raven of Leeds (37:22) as Young clocked 37:22.

On Saturday over the three-mile Peel Hill fell race the top three replicated their result of the previous day this time with mountin-running specialist Young (18:01) claiming second place eight seconds adrift of Inglis (17:54) with Raven third (18:21).

Easter Sunday witnessed the final event of a packed weekend of racing - an out and back 5km course along the Douglas Promenade in the capital starting at the Sea Terminal where Emma Raven prevailed clocking a time of 17:14 ahead of Inglis (17:52) with Young finishing fourth in 18:26.

Full results are available on the following link: www.manxtimingsolutions.com/Results/2010/20100402_EAF/EAF_ResultsMaster.htm

Friday 2nd April 2010

IAN GRIME (Newham & Essex Beagles) claimed a fine victory at the Caldervale 10 in Lancashire outpacing the field by well over a minute to secure the win on over a tough demanding course on Good Friday.

The 39-year-old Loughborough University graduate followed up his win over 5k in Littleborough the previous week by taking the victory in a time of 54mins 09secs finishing ahead of Preston Harrier Gary Pennington (55:23).

In 2007 Grime made a remarkable return to the sport following undergoing major heart surgery winning the Edinburgh Marathon, this after he was told to stop running when it was discovered he was suffering from a rare heart condition.

He was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation - a condition which typically affects people over 65 - which meant his heart rate would jump dramatically, triggering pounding chest pains, breathlessness, dizzy spells and exhaustion.

Full results are available on the following link: www.ukroadraces.info/Csv_Files/2010/calder10.htm

Sunday 28th March 2010

ANDI Jones and Michelle Ross-Cope completed comfortable victories to secure the England Athletics championships titles at the Asics Wilmslow Half Marathon.

Jones (Salford) had a comfortable victory clocking 64:45 ahead of Gareth Raven (Sale Harriers Manchester) 65:37 and Matthew Pierson (Holmfirth) 65:47.

Nigel Stirk finished in 11th place overall with a time of 67:49 recording one of the fastest clockings for a Leicestershire county athlete for several years as the Tipton Harrier warms-up for next months Virgin London Marathon as he chases his personal best of 2:27.55 in the capital.

In the women’s event Michelle Ross-Cope (City of Stoke) took the victory in a PB of 72:02 ahead of Rebecca Robinson (Kendal) 73:17 and Alyson Dixon (Chester-le-Street) third in 74:04.

Full results are available on the following link: www.tdl.ltd.uk/results.php?checked=1&race_id=332&submit_x=148

Sunday 21st March 2010

ZERSENAY Tadese of Eritrea has smashed the world record for the half marathon distance by clocking a stunning time of 58 minutes 23 seconds in Lisbon.

The reigning four-time world half-marathon champion surpassed the previous global best of Kenya's Sammy Wanjiru of 58:33 by 11 seconds to claim the Euro 50,000 bonus on offer for a world record.

Tadese stormed home ahead of Kenyan duo Sammy Kitwara (1:00:03) and Duncan Kibet (1:00:21).

Sunday 21st March 2010

GREAT Britain’s Mara Yamauchi has won the New York City Half Marathon with a new course-record on her debut appearence in the race.

Yamauchi (36), warming-up for next months Virgin London Marathon seized the women's lead with a few miles remaining when she overtook American Deena Kastor, who was out in front the entire race until that point. Yamauchi eventually stopped the clock in one hour nine minutes 17 seconds to claim victory.

Peter Kamais representing Kenya lead in the men’s race at the halfway point after race favorite, Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie, suffered an asthma attack dropping out after nine miles. Kamais went on to take the victory in a time of 59 minutes 52 seconds.

2010 Saucony Midlands AAA 12 & 6 Stage Relays Championships

Sutton Park, Birmingham

Saturday 20th March 2010

CHARNWOOD AC have successfully defended their title at the 2010 Saucony Midlands AAA Six-Stage Relays Championships following a tough and competitive battle with Coventry Godiva Harriers as British international Tara Krzywicki anchored home the team to victory complete a hat-trick of titles for the Loughborough club.

The green and gold’s once again underlining their position as Leicestershire’s most successful relays club in the sports history having achieved multiple national and regional titles on both the roads and cross-country over the past decade.

However, nothing in sport and life comes easy and Coventry Godiva Harriers were determined to play party poopers at Sutton Park and take the title away from rivals Charnwood.

With top international’s Hannah Whitmore and Jane Potter missing the event the inform Clare Mensley, having won the LRRL title the previous week, running on the opening leg the 21-year-old Loughborough University student took on the mantle clocking a time of 17:25 to finish in fourth place overall at the changeover as Ireland's Rose-Anne Galligan (16:34) gave Gloucester a surprise early lead.

On the second stage Laura Johnson faced the tough prospect of former British steeplechase record-holder Tina Brown, however, Johnson produced a spirited performance with a time of 18:13 keeping Charnwood in the hunt for a podium place lying in fifth place overall as Brown (16:13) moved Coventry into the lead ahead of Telford and third placed Bristol.

Gemma Steel, currently enjoying the best winter season of her career having won the Midlands cross-country title in January and secured her senior international debut for England, lined-up on stage three producing a superb leg attacking Coventry’s lead by clocking the fastest individual time for Charnwood of 16:25 to pull the team into second place with Telford third.

On stage four Gemma Hillier, having led the Loughborough students to victory at the recent Ed Prickett Memorial Relays consolidated Charnwood’s second place with a solid time of 17:37 handing over to Sarah Gaunt to keep the pressure on Coventry’s lead.

England international Gaunt (17:18) challenged Coventry’s Joanna Emery (17:38) narrowing the margin of their advantage as the destination of this year’s winners came down to a final stage decider as Tara Krzywicki lined-up against Rachel Buxton.

Krzywicki, showing no ill-affects of the twisted ankle that forced the 36-year-old out of last weekend’s UK Cross Challenge final in Birmingham powered around the course comfortably surpassing Buxton guiding home Charnwood to a successful title defence with a combined time of 1hr 43mins 34secs, a time which by the finish amounted to a huge 54 second advantage over Coventry.

Coventry claimed second in 1:44.28 as Bristol & West led by Loughborough graduate Suzie Richards completed the podium places.

This fine performance adds a further trophy to the huge mantle-piece at Charnwood’s club house with the national four-stage road and cross-country relay championship titles already secured for the 2009/10 winter season the Loughborough club will now look to complete a clean sweep of victories at the national six-stage event at the same Birmingham venue later in the month where they will face tough opposition from Aldershot, Farnham & District led by three-time junior European cross-country champion Steph Twell.

Harborough AC were also in action at Sutton Park, led by Hannah Eveleigh (18:54) combined with teammates Karen Brooks (20:05),
 Hazel Buswell (24:20),
 Linda Lawton (25:49),
 Unity Hamilton (22:52) and Lin Farrow (25:52) they finished in 25th place with a time of 2:17.52.

Barrow Runners clocked a combined time of 2:29.10 with their team of Monique Raaijmakers (20:14),
 Kath Spencer (24:09),
 Susan Zurawliw (23:56),
 Sharon Williams (28:29),
 Christine Spencer (31:19)
 and Joanne Robinson (21:03) finishing in 30th place.

Birmingham-based club Tipton Harriers completed a fine victory to retain their Men’s 12-Stage title as the team featuring Leicestershire’s Nigel Stirk on the penultimate leg clocked a combined time of 3:49.24 finishing ahead for the second consecutive year of Coventry Godiva Harriers (3:51.08) with Bristol & West (3:54.50) third.

The Leicester OWLS produced a spirited performance when Geraint Davies set them on their way with a 26:36 clocking on the opening first long-leg.

He was followed by Tom Meakin (16:02), 
Jason Williams (16:11),
 Paul Miles (27:43),
 David Lipscomb (16:19),
 Lewis Smart (16:08),
 Simon May (30:30),
 Mike McSharry (22:16),
 Tom Bell (16:07),
 Steve Platts (29:18), head coach 
Wayne Walker (17:04) and 
Joe Archer (20:02) as the Wigston-based club finished 9th overall with a combined time of 4:14.16.

Charnwood finished in 17th place overall with their team of Tom Whitmore (32:00),
 Mark Whitmore (19:19), 
Nigel Scoggins (20:32),
Richard Brown (31:04),
 Stephen Mears (16:08),
 Mark Kingsbury (17:47), 
Ben Lacey (30:30),
 Scott Baxter (16:50),
 Mark Crofts (16:28),
 Peter Swaine (30:54),
 Paul Harmer (16:11) and
 Steven Jeffers (17:08) clocked a time of 4:24.51.

Harborough AC finished in 25th with a combined time of 4:40.57 with their team of William Clapp (30:13),
 Daniel Worley (16:53),
 Adam Brooks (18:07),
 Martin Gore (32:07), 
Graeme Rolfe (19:45),
 Howard Crabtree (20:11),
 Scott Speller (32:53),
 Stan Costall (18:46),
 Richard Brown (20:03),
 Richard Bufton (34:17),
 Ady King (18:39)
 and Matthew Driver (19:03).

Barrow Runners completed the Leicestershire teams in action in Birmingham as they finished in 31st place overall with a time of 4:50.38 with their squad of Ian Scarrott (33:24), Russell Lewin (18:28),
 Nigel Hillier (20:12),
 James Knight (34:04),
 Ian Paramore (17:36),
 Darren Beswick (19:15),
 Jamie Harper (34:07), 
Malcolm Harris (21:21),
 Paul Zurawliw (22:21),
 Stuart Spencer (29:04),
 Chris Perry (19:47) and Chris Dawkins (20:59).

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the results pages www.athletics-leics.com/results.html

2010 Saucony Midlands Masters AAA 6 Stage Relays Championships

Sutton Park, Birmingham

Saturday 20th March 2010

ROYAL blue was the colour of success as the Leicester Coritanian men’s team rolled back the years to successfully defend their title at the 2010 Saucony Midlands Masters AAA 6 Stage Relays Championships at Birmingham’s Sutton Park.

The team that contained six of the most successful athletes to emerge from Leicestershire athletics over the past two-decades finished clear of Tipton and Redhill to cross the line in a combined time of 2hrs 07mins 31secs retaining the title with their team of Danny Keating (30:45), Rob Sheen (16:25),
 Craig Sabin (17:38),
 Gareth Deacon (29:37),
 Simon Cotton (fastest of the shortest legs 16:16) and
 Derek Guess (16:50).

Full results are available on the results pages www.athletics-leics.com/results.html