SAC Handicap December 2008

Three runners were in close contention for the Sevenoaks AC 2008 handicap trophy ahead of the final race of the series over seven hilly miles. Only a win on a cold windy Boxing Day morning by either Lindsey Shing or Mark Haworth could stop David Lee winning the trophy.

But of the three runners, only Haworth was able to contest the race, and then only after an enforced three-week break from running.

As it was, they would have had their work cut out even if they had turned up fully fit, as Pauline Dalton, running the seven-mile course for the first time, completely destroyed the rest of the field as she won the race with over five minutes to spare. Dalton was the only runner to beat her handicap and looked completely comfortable in finishing in 52:58.

Geoff Vine had his best run of the series in second place in 51:22, beating club chairman Paul Tabor (63:33) into third by 11 seconds. Not for the first time in the series, Andrew Mead ran the fastest time of the day, although his 46:32 was only enough for eighth place, behind Erik Folkesson (4th in 51:23), Andrew Rackham (5th in 56:23), Geoffrey Kitchener (6th in 53:00) and John Denyer (7th in 48:33), who was also second fastest.

All this left the absent Lee as the series champion, three points clear of Shing, Howarth and Rob Carr, who by the competition's convention, had to be split according to the number of competitors in their four best scoring races in order to determine the minor placings. By this deciding criterion, Shing is runner-up with Carr in third place and Howarth unfortunately losing out in fourth.

The final series table reads: 1. David Lee, 5 pts; 2. Lindsey Shing, 8 (51); 3. Rob Carr, 8 (46); 4. Mark Haworth, 8 (44); 5. Andrew Mead, 11; 6=. Geoff Vine, Jim Knight, 14; 8=. Erik Folkesson, Lyndon Collins, Fraser Partridge, 19; 11. Paul Tabor, 24; 12. David Simpson, 25; 13=. Rob Johnson, John Denyer, Simon Lewis, 26; 16. Simon Hallpike, 30; 17. Chris Desmond, 31; 18. Andrew Rackham, 43; 19. David Truman, 45.

However, the runners have little time to ponder their performances in the 2008 series before the commencement of its successor. The first race of the 2009 series is over the alternate five mile course. It starts from the Sevenoaks School track at 9 am on Sunday 4 January. Newcomers are very welcome to come and run.

**December 2008 Result**
Name	Jan		Feb		Mar		Apr		May		Jun		Jul		Aug		Sep		Oct		Nov		H'cap	Pos	Time	Net
Pauline Dalton																					xx	40'39	18'30	1	71'28	52'58
Geoff Vine									9	37'08	4	51'19	10	36'20	7	52'27	4	35'39	4	51'09			25'30	2	76'52	51'22
Paul Tabor			6	61'20	8	45'17	7	66'48															13'30	3	77'03	63'33
Erik Folkesson	5	37'08			7	37'28			5	35'16	8	52'29					10	37'13	5	50'53	5	36'12	26'00	4	77'23	51'23
Andrew Rackham	10	40'25							16	38'36	12	54'49											21'20	5	77'43	56'23
Geoffrey Kitchener																					10	39'02	24'50	6	77'50	53'00
John Denyer	2	33'13							11	34'03	7	47'59	15	35'22	10	49'12							29'30	7	78'03	48'33
Andrew Mead					xx	34'01	8	58'29	1	31'53	6	46'24	8	31'10					2	43'50	2	31'42	31'40	8	78'12	46'32
David Truman											13	68'40					13	44'29	10	64'04			13'10	9	79'39	66'29
Simon Hallpike	8	38'43	8	53'49	9	39'38	5	53'12	13	38'11					9	53'02	12	38'10	12	58'21	9	39'12	22'00	10	80'05	58'05
Peter Knight					xx	35'42																	25'20	11	80'20	55'00
Chris Desmond	6	33'07			4	30'47					10	46'42					11	32'59					32'10	12	81'03	48'53
Simon Lewis			7	61'00			6	60'56	15	43'46	9	60'27	4	39'17	12	59'42	14	42'48	11	62'25	12	42'59	20'20	13	81'30	61'10
Mark Haworth	1	34'25	4	48'49	2	33'31			6	33'24			11	33'29	11	51'31	1	32'24			8	34'13	30'00	14	84'12	54'12
Lyndon Collins	3	36'12			6	36'46	4	50'29									6	36'07			13	43'05	24'50	15	88'32	63'42
Duncan Warwick-Champion																							18'30	xx	71'56	53'26
Allan Lee									xx	30'10													33'00
Gerald Ashby																					xx	54'37	00'00
Fraser Partridge			5	47'22													8	35'05	3	49'02	3	34'47	27'30
Frances Herd	9	52'41																					01'50
Peter Dillon									4	44'40			14	46'48	8	64'10							13'00
Jim Fitzmaurice									14	42'06													16'30
David Simpson	7	54'01			10	55'49							16	57'00	4	75'20			7	77'37	7	55'43	00'00
Richard Pitcairn-Knowles																	xx	48'58					07'00
Lindsey Shing	4	39'05							2	36'56	1	50'58	5	35'27			7	36'15	1	50'12	6	37'04	25'40
David Lee	xx	36'04	1	47'49			1	47'49									2	33'41			1	33'29	28'30
Jim Knight			2	56'27	5	41'35	3	57'37	8	41'07							9	42'12			4	41'27	18'20
Robert Carr			3	49'08	1	34'08	2	48'24	10	35'28	3	48'05	13	35'05	2	47'33	3	33'28	6	49'06	11	36'50	28'30
Samantha Core									xx	39'28			7	38'35									21'20
Robin Coombs									xx	39'21			2	37'06									23'30
Graham West											xx	53'42	3	36'51			5	37'26					23'50
Simon Rowe											11	54'53	12	36'51	3	51'24							23'50
Robert Peers					11	37'37													9	51'46			23'00
Suzy Claridge									12	40'04			6	37'20	5	52'28							23'10
Robert Brophy									7	36'26					1	50'22							24'30
Caitlin Carr																	xx	51'18					03'50
Rob Johnson											2	56'14	1	37'37			15	45'45	8	56'42			22'40
Marie OConnor											xx	73'28			6	74'23							01'20
Martin Knight					3	31'00																	31'50
Cathy Hughes									3	37'16	5	53'51	9	36'46									23'50
Sandra Nehrebecka																	xx	42'10					16'30
Happy Fisher													xx	49'02									06'50


Series Champion: David Lee	Series Runner-up: Lindsey Shing	Series Third-Placer: Rob Carr

December Winner: Pauline Dalton	December Runner-up: Geoff Vine	December Third-Placer: Paul Tabor

2009 series dates:

Sunday 9 am: 4 January (5M), 22 February (7M), 22 March (5M), 12 April (7M).

Tuesday 7 pm: 19 May (5M), 9 June (7M), 14 July (5M), 11 August (7M).

Sunday 9 am: 20 September (5M), 4 October (7M), 1 November (5M).

Thursday 9 am: 26 December (7M).

Last Updated on 27-12-08

By Hallpike