Hi Everyone,
A big thank you to all of those of you who took part in the X-Country Fitness League series of races. This is our first season and you have done remarkably well. Hopefully we can encourage more of the membership to join you for next season, if not the X-Country relays at the end of February. We are all mighty proud of you.

From all of the Larks Committee

Oxleas Meadow - Race Report.

233 made it around the 5 ½ miles of tracks of Oxleas Meadow and the surrounding woods on Sunday to complete the final race in the series. However, an as yet unknown number didn't make it home having come a cropper on one of the steep descents. One of these was Martin Forder (Istead) who went into the race holding a slender championship lead ahead of Steve Roberts (Paddock Wood). The hapless Forder, who seems to have spent a lot of time this season kissing the dirt, took a dive near the top of the hill on the first lap (whilst lying second), twisting his ankle. This left Roberts a clear run to win the race and secure the championship for the second time.

David Law (Maidstone Harriers) beat the rest to finish second - his best placing of the season - then David Hall led the rampaging army of Dartford Roadrunners home in third. Needless to say, Dartford made it six wins out of seven and secured their first team championship title in the competition. Amongst their happy throng was Steve Adams in 4th place who shook off the challenge of Chris Desmond (Sevenoaks) to take the over 40 championship. 55 year old Phil Wallace (M&M) registered a notable performance in finishing 8th on the day - he finishes second M50 to Paul Ross-Davies.

A rather fast and fit looking Dulwich lady runner joined us on the start line, and proceeded to beat all the other women and most of the men. It turned out to be Kent Championship silver-medallist Meredith Pannett - who was accorded only guest status - but she did well to finish 15th overall. Missing from the start line were championship leader Annabelle Stearns (Gravesend) who failed to overcome a foot injury sustained at the end of last year and Debbie Percival (Istead) who was lying second before the race. Their joint absence effectively dampened a long awaited tousle for the championship and Percival took the title by virtue of having 5 good races to draw on from earlier in the season.

The battle for female honours was therefore opened up and could have been snapped up by Michelle Flaxton (Dartford) or Sara May (Canterbury) who were both in contention throughout the race, or Emma Harraden (Medway) who finished strongly. But in the end the race went to the older and wiser figure of Liz Batty (Invicta) who led the field home to record her first victory and thus secured the over 45 championship.

As we give one award per person/team, the final championship honours will be distributed thus :-

Combined team champions - Dartford Roadrunners

Ladies team champions - Canterbury Harriers

Overall Men: 1. S Roberts, 2. M Forder, 3. D Hall

O40 Men: 1. S Adams; 2. C Desmond, 3. D Thompson (Dart)

O50 Men: 1. P Ross-Davies; 2. P Wallace, 3. M Stacey

O60 Men: 1. A Johnson, 2. E Broad, 3. J Rains

O70 Men: 1. R Pitcairn-Knowles

Most Improved Man A Telford (Canterbury)

Overall Women: 1. D Percival, 2. H Fitzmaurice-Cotton, 3. S Maguire

O40 Women: 1. J Cobby, 2. J Blackmore, 3. S Shewell

O45 Women: 1. E Batty, 2. M Povey, 3. W Smith

O50 Women; 1. P Halstead, 2. A Ross-Davies, 3. P Hall

Most Improved Lady K Morgan (Plumstead)

Each of the above will get trophies awarded at our presentation on 29th March at Maidstone. This will follow our relay match in Mote Park which starts at 11.00am on that day. Details on this have been circulated to all team captains and also appear on the Swanley website www.swanleyanddistrictac.org/ I hope to see a really good turnout on that day.

ROB BRIGHT