Sevenoaks AC Handicap 26 December 2007

track

John Denyer left it until the last race to snatch the Sevenoaks Athletics Club Handicap trophy with his first win in the 2007 series. 

The 59-year-old beat his handicap by a minute to take the hilly 7 mile race by 37 seconds in 45:17, his best for several years. Only a win in this race was enough to secure the series, which had been led since the summer by Carol Beadle. Denyer, who also won the 2006 series, thus takes a place in the Club's history as the first runner to retain the title. In a format that encourages continual improvement, Denyer's achievement is a testament to his training regimes: the veteran runner is also an endurance running coach for the club.

On a windy and chilly morning, only one other runner beat his handicap on the day. This was Jim Knight, who improved on his time in the same race last year by around 20 seconds to record 57:54. Knight was nearly a minute clear of his son Martin, who was third in 44:00. This was the fastest time of the day, some consolation for losing out to Dad.

Another veteran runner and coach, Geoff Kitchener, was fourth in an exciting sprint finish with Suzy Claridge. Claridge looked strong over the final few hundred metres on the track, but Kitchener, whose sprinting won him the club's track and field Grand Prix this year, unleashed his trademark finish in the final straight. Kitchener (50:03) was two seconds ahead of fifth-placed Claridge (53:35) at the line.

In the minor series placings, neither Carol Beadle nor third-placed David Truman was present for the final race, but none of the challenging runners were able to make an impact in the final event, so the two were second and third respectively.

With the 2007 series completed, the runners have only a few days to recover before the 2008 series begins in the new year. The first race is over the alternate five mile course and starts from the Sevenoaks School track at 9 am on Sunday 6th January. Newcomers are very welcome to come and run.

Name  Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov H'cap Ps Time Net
John Denyer 2 34'44     2 34'08         7 49'11 3 33'37 8 48'41 2 33'24 3 46'39     27'20 1 72'37 45'17
Jim Knight                                             15'20 2 73'14 57'54
Martin Knight                                             30'10 3 74'10 44'00
Geoffrey Kitchener         7 35'40                             6 36'09 24'10 4 74'13 50'03
Suzy Claridge                         12 39'34 2 53'00             20'40 5 74'15 53'35
Rob Johnson 6 42'18     12 46'04             9 40'56 3 55'44             17'50 6 74'33 56'43
Simon Lewis 14 48'16     13 45'41     12 42'14 12 65'54 19 43'40     1 40'57 8 60'03     16'50 7 74'49 57'59
Peter Dillon                 11 45'53     14 45'14 17 69'37             11'30 8 75'27 63'57
Lyndon Collins 4 36'05     5 35'50 7 49'31             6 50'48 4 35'32 4 49'28 4 35'48 24'40 9 75'48 51'08
Erik Folkesson 7 36'45     6 35'58             6 35'30                 24'30 10 76'30 52'00
Paul Tabor 13 44'01     9 41'48         10 63'29 17 44'06         10 62'37 8 43'20 15'40 11 77'29 61'49
Mark Haworth                                 xx 34'52 2 47'55 2 34'42 25'40 12 79'39 53'59
David Simpson 9 52'42     4 51'42             15 53'29 13 75'28         10 55'51 02'00 13 79'49 77'49
Robert Carr     10 52'33     5 48'27 8 36'14     16 36'46 16 56'05 11 41'24         25'10 14 84'32 59'22
Gerald Ashby xx 55'57 6 73'45 3 53'08                                 00'00      
Carol Beadle 1 40'26 4 53'32     2 52'18     1 51'26         9 39'13         22'10      
Simon Hallpike 3 36'05 5 49'20 10 37'14 8 50'04 9 37'17 5 50'32 13 36'49 15 53'22 5 36'01 5 50'02 7 36'59 24'20      
Simon Rowe 5 37'15 7 50'55     4 50'34 5 36'15 9 53'01 4 35'56 10 52'00             23'50      
Geoff Vine 8 37'09                             6 36'20         23'50      
Nicola Macaulay                 13 47'47                         07'30      
Alexia Taylor 11 53'53             1 48'05 8 68'49         8 49'39         07'00      
Malcolm Fisher                                         1 31'50 29'30      
David Truman     3 57'47     6 58'08     2 58'22 2 41'04 14 60'59 10 43'25 6 58'22 3 41'25 16'40      
Chris Rowley             xx 59'05                             14'30      
Peter Ash xx 37'16     1 36'25 3 49'29     6 50'51         3 35'40         24'10      
Sean Taylor xx 44'40 1 57'07 8 39'41                                 18'40      
Chris Desmond 12 35'55 9 45'22                 1 31'00 9 45'05 7 32'25     9 32'43 30'40      
Heather Fitzmaurice         xx 39'52 1 47'58 4 33'33 3 47'22 7 33'16 11 48'30     9 49'40     27'30      
Jim Fitzmaurice     xx 52'46         7 39'30 11 59'03             7 55'28     20'50      
Robert Peers                                     xx 46'18     27'20      
Lindsey Shing                     xx 62'55     1 52'55             20'40      
Robert Brophy             9 53'23         5 36'27             5 37'04 23'10      
Mark Lowton                         xx 51'17                 02'30      
Tim Partridge                         xx 41'32                 16'00      
Amanda Saunders                         xx 49'45                 04'40      
Andrew Rackham 10 35'30 8 45'13 11 36'51 10 51'18 6 32'51     10 32'40 12 48'39             28'20      
Jeff Tribe                 xx 45'42 4 64'31 20 49'45                 10'20      
Fraser Partridge                 10 34'29     8 33'12 4 45'40             28'00      
Frances Herd                                 xx 49'32         05'00      
Nick Partridge                 2 40'50     18 43'53                 17'00      
Tracy Vine                 xx 50'32         7 71'55             03'40      
Tony Kelly     2 52'49                                     20'50      
Zelda Williamson                 xx 43'49                         13'00      
David Barley                 3 38'08     11 38'25                 20'50      
Simon Dixon                     xx 51'04                     22'30      
Cathy Hughes                 xx 38'08                         20'50      
Leila Hackett                                 xx 45'56         10'00      
Jane Lindop                 xx 43'49         5 62'02             13'00      
Nigel Cornish                             xx 50'30             23'10      
John Edwards                                 xx 42'05 1 57'54     15'40      
Sarah Pratt                                 xx 55'40         00'00      

Final series positions:
1. John Denyer 7 pts; 2. Carol Beadle 8; 3. David Truman 10; 4. Peter Ash 13; 5. Heather Fitzmaurice 15; 6. Lyndon Collins 16; 7= Simon Rowe, Simon Hallpike 18; 9. Rob Johnson 24; 10. Chris Desmond 26; 11= Alexia Taylor,  Simon Lewis 28; 13. Erik Folkesson 29; 14= Andrew Rackham, Robert Carr 34; 16. David Simpson 36; 17. Paul Tabor 37; 18. Peter Dillon 50.

John D Jim K
Martin K Geoff K Suzy C
John Denyer
Jim Knight
Martin Knight Geoff Kitchener Suzy Claridge

2008 series dates:

Sunday 9 am: 6 January, 17 February, 23 March, 20 April, 21 September, 5 October, 16 November; 

Tuesday 7 pm: 20 May, 10 June, 8 July, 12 August; 

Friday 9 am: 26 December.


Last Updated on 28-12-07
By Hallpike