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THIS WEEKS NEWS RELEASE

GRANT RAMSAY is Fairlands Valley Spartans’ overall champion for 2012. He won the long and short distance championships for men.

Nearly one hundred members of the club enjoyed their Presentation Evening and Disco at Knebworth Barns on Friday.

News Release                                                                                                 27th January 2013

 

CHAMPIONS NIGHT FOR SPARTANS

Spartans In Italy

 

GRANT RAMSAY is Fairlands Valley Spartans’ overall champion for 2012.  He won the long and short distance championships for men.

Nearly one hundred members of the club enjoyed their Presentation Evening and Disco at Knebworth Barns on Friday.

The award winners were:

IRIS HORNSEY won the women’s short distance age related championship; JULIE SIMMONS was second and club chair BEVERLEY HARLOW third.  All runners in short distance championships had to run three out of 1500 metres, 5 kilometres, 5 miles and 10 kilometres.

BARRY OSBORNE was delighted to win the men’s short distance age related championship; ANDY NEATHAM was second and DAVID BOWKER third.

In the female long distance age graded championship KERRY JAMES won with Beverley Harlow second and Sharon Crowley third.  In all long distance championships runners had to run three out of 10 miles; half marathon; 20 miles and full marathon.

The male age graded championship was won by SIMON BELL with GRAHAM BLACKBURN second and PETE SMITH third.

ANN TRYSSESOONE was surprised and really delighted to win the award for most improved female in 2012.  ANDY PRIOR was the most improved male.

RHIANNON GRIFFIN was the Starter of the Year AND came second in the female open short distance championship.  JO LAING won that championship and KERRY JAMES came third.  In the open championship it’s simply the case that the fastest runners win.

Jo Laing also won the long distance open championship for women.  In this case NIKKI ANDREWS was second and PAULETTE ELDRIDGE third.

Grant Ramsay won the men’s open short distance championship with SIMON JACKSON second and RICHARD BATE third.  Grant also won the long distance championship with ANDREW PATTERSON second and CHRISTOPHER WESTCOTT third.

STEVE SMITHSON won the Chairman’s Award for services to the club.

The contest for the prestigious Spartan of the Year was so close that there were two winners — Steve Smithson and CHRIS LEIGH.

Having won both open categories Jo Laing was the overall female champion.  Grant Ramsay won both male categories with fantastic scores making him the male champion and overall club champion.

Sharon Crowley and Mark Cheadle won the Captains’ Awards which were presented by Tracy Pez and Nick Witcombe.

In addition Simon Harris was congratulated for winning the Paul Pearce Disability Award; as were David Bowker who won gold in the British Masters Athletics Federation Championships; Iris Hornsey who won gold and silver at the British Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships and three golds at the British Masters Athletics Championships; Monica Brown who won silver at the British Masters heptathlon, silver in the pentathlon and bronze in the British Masters Athletics Federation outdoor pentathlon; and Grant Ramsay who represented Team GB in the European Veterans Marathon Championships

Lots of pictures of the presentation evening are available from the gallery on www.fvspartans.org.uk or direct from Jim Brown (0793 968 7509).

Spartans In  Italy

Two Spartans were in Naples, Italy for a marathon & half marathon on Sunday.  It was a lovely sunny day and after a coolish start almost perfect running weather.  The course took in much of Central Naples including its cobbled streets, which were rather wearing.  Roger Biggs completed the marathon in 4:19:44 and Barbara Wilson the half marathon in 2:16:49.

Cheadle in Canterbury

On Sunday the sun came out to thaw the roads of Canterbury which meant the 10 miles road race could go ahead after several local races had been cancelled recently.  The sun was bright, the wind strong and hills steep!  MARK CHEADLE ran the undulating 10 mile course in a new personal best of 1:22:27 taking nearly 10 minutes of his old PB.

Coming Events

Many Spartans will be enjoying a busy programme of races, social and training events over the next few weeks including the:

 

  • Spartans Handicap 5 and  10 mile races on Sunday 10th February (new date).
  • Cross Country League in Watford on Sunday 17th February.
  • County Veterans Cross Country Championships on Sunday 17th March 2013.
  • Virgin London Marathon on Sunday 21st April.
  • Stevenage Half Marathon on Sunday 3rd November.

 

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