ESM’s veterans picked up two of the three team trophies in this combined men’s and women’s race at Mad Bess Wood. A total of six individual medals were won including golds for Fiona Kennedy and Christine Meek.
Although the course was very muddy in places, it was very firm underfoot elsewhere for the runners and the first one home for the Club was Angelo John who finished in 5th place. With excellent support from Rob Brown (7th) and James Steel (12th), Ealing’s M40 men pipped Harrow by a single point to win the team trophy.
There was some confusion near the end of the race for all four leading women as they went off course before the final turn into the finish field. As a result, Fiona Kennedy found herself in the lead until being caught close to the line. She finished in 20th place overall to take the W55 gold medal. Third woman to finish was Alison Hopkins who won W35 silver with 24th place.
The next man home was Pete Drew who finished in 33rd place ahead of the first of ESM’s M50 runners, Ian Leslie who was 38th. Third scorer for the women’s team was Christine Meek who finished 45th to win the W45 gold medal. In another close contest, the women retained the team trophy by two points from Serpentine.
Two more M50’s, James O’Neill (48th) and Dave Foley (50th), were next before Rob Howells finished 52nd to win the M60 silver. Patricia Thomas, who finished 62nd to win W45 bronze, was the first of the six remaining Ealing women who all finished within the space of less than one minute.
W45 Gill Morgan was next home in 64th place ahead of W35 Nikki Baker (67th), W45 Jane Ruhland (68th), Carol Jones who won W55 silver in 70th and W35 Mary Walsh who was 71st. M60 Alan Keeler (80th) was the final runner home for ESM and the M50 team finished in fifth place.
Results: Middx Vets XC 2013