Twelfth at Nationals for Diprose

Sevenoaks AC Athlete, Holly Diprose, continues to improve this season, placing 12th at the English Cross Country Championships, held at Parliament Hill Fields, London on Saturday 22nd February, writes head coach Darrell Smith. 

Competing in the U17 Women’s 5K Race, the Kent Champion was just outside the top 25 after a kilometre, but gradually moved up to 14th, taking two more Athletes at the finish to place 12th. 

There was also success for Eva Vitorino Hiietamm who placed 38th in the U13 Girls Race, an age group she will still be eligible to compete in next year. 

Both Holly and Eva  are set to compete for Kent in the UK Cross Country Champs on March 8th. 

In all, a dozen Sevenoaks AC junior athletes competed at the historic championships, also known as "the National", at the iconic Parliament Hill course:

JW: Poppy Crosthwaite 94th.
u17W: Holly Diprose 12th; Ella Baker 74th.
u15B: James Ross 163rd.
u13G: Eva Vitorino Hiietamm; Chloe Robinson 232nd; Arabella Chen 275th.
u13B: Robert Benjamin Dilley 151st; Gabriel Maduit 184th; Zack Beckett 220th; Hadrien Maduit 239th; Maurice De Baets 244th.

The full results are here.

KFL 2024-25 - Match 5 - Allhallows

The penultimate race of this year’s Kent Fitness League took place in Allhallows Holiday Park near Rochester on Sunday February 2nd, writes Jim Knight.

Allhalows is one of the toughest courses in the 7-race series - nearly 6 miles long with sections on sand and seaweed, in mud, over ditches and with slippery wooden sections in-between. Several runners fell on the slippery surfaces, and everyone found it a really gruelling course.  

26 Sevenoaks AC athletes were amongst the 443 runners who took part in cold but bright and sunny conditions.

Once again, Sevenoaks’ Andrea Berquez ran brilliantly to win the women’s race and, after 4 wins confirms her place as women’s series champion. She was closely followed in Allhallows by Nicola glover (6th and 3rd F35), with Jo Rodda (11th and 2nd F45), Cath Linney (18thand 1st F55), and Sophie Day (21st) as the other members of the scoring team.

The women’s team were beaten into second place by a strong team from Canterbury Harriers who have just ousted Sevenoaks from the top of the leaderboard in the series.

In the men’s race Sevenoaks had one of their best races of the season, coming 2nd behind a very strong team from Petts Wood. Jamie Philip had another outstanding run to place 5th (1st M45), with Jake Mears (15th), Ed Saunders (21st), Steven Hough (27th), Michael Lochead (44th), Andrew Hutchinson (46th), Keith Dowson (61st and 1st M60), and Paul Shelley (64th). Jeremy Winter had another good run to place 2nd M70.

The Sevenoaks AC results were:

Ov Pos	Lg Pos	Bib	Runner	Age	Time	Club	Score	Rtg	#
5	5	894	Jamie Philip	47	35:01	Sevenoaks AC	V40:1	98.62	7
15	15	1140	Jake Mears	20	36:55	Sevenoaks AC	M1	95.17	3
21	21	899	Edmund Saunders	42	37:39	Sevenoaks AC	V40:2	93.10	31
27	27	873	Steven Hough	51	38:29	Sevenoaks AC	V50:1	91.03	5
33	1	1077	Andrea Berquez	39	38:47	Sevenoaks AC	V35	100.00	16
45	44	881	Michael Lochead	44	39:52	Sevenoaks AC	M2	85.17	25
47	46	874	Andrew Hutchinson	45	39:57	Sevenoaks AC	M3	84.48	27
54	52	1161	James Ruckley	31	40:25	Sevenoaks AC	NSBLS	82.41	Debut
64	61	857	Keith Dowson	61	41:05	Sevenoaks AC	V60	79.31	22
68	64	1141	Paul Shelley	50	41:41	Sevenoaks AC	V50:2	78.28	12
75	6	864	Nicola Glover	37	42:16	Sevenoaks AC	F1	96.73	20
76	70	907	Daniel Witt	50	42:21	Sevenoaks AC	NS	76.21	77
82	74	875	David Killpack	39	42:54	Sevenoaks AC	NS	74.83	15
85	11	896	Joanne Rodda	48	43:11	Sevenoaks AC	V45	93.46	10
102	91	888	Shaun Mullen	48	44:59	Sevenoaks AC	NS	68.97	13
118	18	880	Catherine Linney	55	45:47	Sevenoaks AC	V55	88.89	53
130	21	1078	Sophie Day	36	46:26	Sevenoaks AC	F2	86.93	3
146	121	844	Brian Allen	53	47:31	Sevenoaks AC	NS	58.62	11
150	124	847	Adam Bates	41	47:37	Sevenoaks AC	NS	57.59	11
154	128	878	Leonard Lai King	45	47:50	Sevenoaks AC	NS	56.21	20
176	145	859	Andrew Evans	54	49:44	Sevenoaks AC	NS	50.34	60
184	34	862	Heather Fitzmaurice	55	50:03	Sevenoaks AC	NS	78.43	83
191	156	906	Jeremy Winter	71	50:40	Sevenoaks AC	NS	46.55	14
220	177	883	Simon Mann	44	53:01	Sevenoaks AC	NS	39.31	5
241	49	905	Rosie Williams	56	54:21	Sevenoaks AC	NS	68.63	3
249	52	845	Clare Ambrose	56	54:54	Sevenoaks AC	NS	66.67	4

The full results are here.

Petts Wood’s win ensures that they will win the men’s series, but the women’s series and the combined team positions will be decided following the final race in Rough Common, Canterbury on February 23rd.

In the combined team competition, Sevenoaks are just one point behind Petts Wood and in the women’s competition, Sevenoaks are just one point behind Canterbury Harriers. To win the series, Sevenoaks women need to beat Canterbury in the final race and the combined team needs to finish ahead of Petts Wood. It all depends on fielding a strong fit team for the final show-down.

KFL 2024-25 - Match 4 - Minnis Bay

A team of 22 runners from Sevenoaks Athletics Club braved the elements to run in the 4th race of the KFL series, in Minnis Bay, Birchington on Sunday January 5th, writes Jim Knight.

It was wet, windy and cold, but despite the bad weather 451 runners from across Kent took part in the race. Following the recent heavy rain, the course was even wetter than normal, making it a gruelling 6-mile race with waist deep water in some of the dykes. 

The SAC team was missing several star runners, but still performed really well, with the women’s team coming 2nd and the men 5th. The combined team came 3rd.

Joanna Rodda led the SAC women’s team home in 3rd place (and 1st W45), closely followed by Nicola Glover in 4th.   The other scoring members of the SAC women’s team were Heather Fitzmaurice (33rd), Vanessa Gilmartin (36th) and Rosie Williams (44th). This was an outstanding performance as only 6 Sevenoaks AC women made it to the race, and the team needed 5 to score. In contrast, the winning women’s team, Canterbury Harriers, fielded a team of 15.

In the men’s race, Sevenoaks’ fastest runner was Guilaume Nineven (9th) closely followed by Ed Saunders in 10th place. The other scoring members were Paul Fanti (36th), Andrew Hutchinson (52nd), Keith Dowson (62nd and 1st M60), Seb Naughton (73rd), Andrew Monk (84th), and David Kilpack (87th).
Once again, Sevenoaks’ Jeremy Winter was the fastest M70.
A special mention for Adam Bates (pictured) who lost a shoe in one of the dykes, spent 5 minutes in waist-deep water to find it…….and still finished in 286th position.

After 4 races, the SAC women are still leading the series just ahead of Canterbury Harriers …..by just one point. The men’s team are lying 3rd and the combined team 2nd, just one point behind the leaders, Petts Wood Runners.

The SAC positions and times were:

Ov Pos	Lg Pos	Bib	Runner	Age	Time	Club	Score	Rtg	#
9	9	891	Guillaume Nineven	39	38:54	Sevenoaks AC	M1	97.35	19
10	10	899	Edmund Saunders	42	39:13	Sevenoaks AC	V40:1	97.02	30
36	36	860	Paul Fanti	51	41:43	Sevenoaks AC	V50:1	88.41	6
53	52	874	Andrew Hutchinson	45	43:07	Sevenoaks AC	V40:2	83.11	26
63	62	857	Keith Dowson	61	43:43	Sevenoaks AC	V60	79.80	21
75	3	896	Joanne Rodda	48	44:52	Sevenoaks AC	V45	98.66	9
76	73	890	Sebastian Naughton	50	44:53	Sevenoaks AC	V50:2	76.16	20
79	4	864	Nicola Glover	37	45:03	Sevenoaks AC	V35	97.99	19
91	84	886	Andrew Monk	48	45:41	Sevenoaks AC	M2	72.52	14
94	87	875	David Killpack	39	46:03	Sevenoaks AC	M3	71.52	14
95	88	907	Daniel Witt	49	46:07	Sevenoaks AC	NS	71.19	76
145	128	844	Brian Allen	53	48:55	Sevenoaks AC	NS	57.95	10
177	149	884	Jonathan Marsh	65	50:10	Sevenoaks AC	NS	50.99	13
184	153	846	James Baker	60	50:53	Sevenoaks AC	NS	49.67	33
193	33	862	Heather Fitzmaurice	55	51:32	Sevenoaks AC	V55	78.52	82
198	164	878	Leonard Lai King	45	51:45	Sevenoaks AC	NS	46.03	19
204	169	906	Jeremy Winter	71	52:13	Sevenoaks AC	NS	44.37	13
212	36	863	Vanessa Gilmartin	49	52:49	Sevenoaks AC	F1	76.51	37
235	192	882	Alan Male	55	54:05	Sevenoaks AC	NS	36.75	11
243	44	905	Rosie Williams	56	54:18	Sevenoaks AC	F2	71.14	2
286	225	847	Adam Bates	41	56:43	Sevenoaks AC	NS	25.83	10
341	84	900	Sarah Shewell	65	1:00:41	Sevenoaks AC	NS	44.30	131

The full results are here.

The next race is in Betteshanger Park, Deal on January 12th.

The Kent Fitness League is a series of cross-country races between the 18 registered Athletics Clubs in Kent. Any number of club members can compete, but 12 are needed to score in the team competition – 8 men (of whom one must be aged 60+, two must be 50+ and two 40+) and 5 women (of whom one must be aged 55+, one 45+ and one 35+).

KFL 2024-25 - Match 3 - Knole

The third race in the 2024/25 Kent Fitness League series took place in Knole Park on Sunday December 1st, 2024, writes Jim Knight.

In mild and misty conditions, a team of 12 organisers from Sevenoaks AC set up the course markings very early in the morning and were joined by a further 20 marshals who would guide the 500 runners from the town car park to the start on Broad Walk and marshal the hilly 5-mile course. 

At 9 am the race started, and 27 minutes 26 seconds later, 39-year-old Robert Jakaman from Dartford Harriers crossed the line to win by 35 seconds from Alex Cameron, also from Dartford Harriers.

Jamie Philip, once again, led the Sevenoaks AC men home in 9th position (and 1st M45), followed by Jake Mears in 15th, Guilaume Nineven in 16th, and Ed Saunders in 24th. The other members of the scoring team were Paul Fanti (43rd and 4th M50), Steven Hough (50th and 5th M50), William Palmer (57th and 8th M50), and Keith Dowson (98th and 1st M60).

Once again, there were great performances from our M70’s with Jeremy Winter 1st and Simon Hallpike 2nd.

The men’s team came 3rd, behind Maidstone & Medway AC (2nd) and Petts Wood Runners (1st)

However, the star performer of the day was, once again, Sevenoaks’ Andrea Berquez, who completed the course in 31minutes11seconds, placing 41st overall and 1st female - 46 seconds ahead of second placed Sarah Brushett from Dartford Harriers. Andrea remains unbeaten in the series so far. She was closely followed by team-mates Nicola Glover (12th and 7th W35), Hannah Sangan (13th), Joanna Rodda (22nd and 5th W45), and Cath Linney (23rd and 2nd W55).

Great performances, also, from our W65 competitors, with Bridgit Weekes 1st, Glenda Goscombe 2nd and Sally Shewell 4th. 

The women’s team came 2nd, behind a strong team from Canterbury Harriers but remains in the lead in the series.

Sevenoaks AC combined team were winners on the day and are now leading the series, just one point ahead of Petts Wood.

It was a great effort by everyone in the club, especially Race Director John Stevens and his team of 30 marshals and helpers. A big thank-you to them and the 44 runners who competed for the club.

The full SAC results were:

Ov Pos	Lg Pos	Bib	Runner	Age	Time	Club	Score	Rtg	#
9	9	894	Jamie Philip	47	29:01	Sevenoaks AC	V40:1	97.68	6
15	15	1140	Jake Mears	20	29:21	Sevenoaks AC	M1	95.94	2
16	16	891	Guillaume Nineven	39	29:27	Sevenoaks AC	M2	95.65	18
24	24	899	Edmund Saunders	42	30:12	Sevenoaks AC	V40:2	93.33	29
40	1	1077	Andrea Berquez	39	31:11	Sevenoaks AC	V35	100.00	15
44	43	860	Paul Fanti	51	31:20	Sevenoaks AC	V50:1	87.83	5
51	50	873	Steven Hough	51	31:41	Sevenoaks AC	V50:2	85.80	4
59	57	893	William Palmer	52	32:14	Sevenoaks AC	M3	83.77	12
70	67	902	Harvey Taylor	20	32:57	Sevenoaks AC	NSBLS	80.87	17
74	71	881	Michael Lochead	44	33:14	Sevenoaks AC	NSBLS	79.71	24
87	82	886	Andrew Monk	48	34:05	Sevenoaks AC	NSBLS	76.52	13
93	87	1141	Paul Shelley	50	34:28	Sevenoaks AC	NSBLS	75.07	11
106	98	857	Keith Dowson	61	35:08	Sevenoaks AC	V60	71.88	20
116	12	864	Nicola Glover	36	35:30	Sevenoaks AC	F1	93.71	18
120	13	897	Hannah Sangan	30	35:36	Sevenoaks AC	F2	93.14	8
125	111	907	Daniel Witt	49	35:49	Sevenoaks AC	NS	68.12	75
144	126	875	David Killpack	39	36:33	Sevenoaks AC	NS	63.77	13
148	130	846	James Baker	60	36:39	Sevenoaks AC	NS	62.61	32
152	20	868	Joanna Grobel	41	36:43	Sevenoaks AC	NSBLS	89.14	4
157	137	1138	Reinhard Kreth	52	36:57	Sevenoaks AC	NS	60.58	Debut
164	22	896	Joanne Rodda	48	37:07	Sevenoaks AC	V45	88.00	8
165	23	880	Catherine Linney	55	37:13	Sevenoaks AC	V55	87.43	52
174	148	844	Brian Allen	52	37:23	Sevenoaks AC	NS	57.39	9
187	159	869	Rob Hadden	56	37:56	Sevenoaks AC	NS	54.20	3
190	29	1078	Sophie Day	36	38:00	Sevenoaks AC	NS	84.00	2
208	172	847	Adam Bates	41	38:33	Sevenoaks AC	NS	50.43	9
209	173	884	Jonathan Marsh	64	38:39	Sevenoaks AC	NS	50.14	12
220	39	848	Elizabeth Bull	37	39:13	Sevenoaks AC	NS	78.29	3
227	40	863	Vanessa Gilmartin	49	39:25	Sevenoaks AC	NS	77.71	36
234	191	885	Anton Mauve	58	39:56	Sevenoaks AC	NS	44.93	2
244	46	895	Sarah Philpott	46	40:06	Sevenoaks AC	NS	74.29	7
260	209	906	Jeremy Winter	70	41:00	Sevenoaks AC	NS	39.71	12
261	210	849	Peter C	30	41:00	Sevenoaks AC	NS	39.42	2
264	212	882	Alan Male	54	41:07	Sevenoaks AC	NS	38.84	10
273	59	1083	Bridgit Weekes	66	41:47	Sevenoaks AC	NS	66.86	27
290	228	871	Simon Hallpike	71	42:34	Sevenoaks AC	NS	34.20	64
300	66	845	Clare Ambrose	56	42:50	Sevenoaks AC	NS	62.86	3
314	242	887	Enrique Montes Gil	50	43:14	Sevenoaks AC	NS	30.14	Debut
320	246	883	Simon Mann	44	43:36	Sevenoaks AC	NS	28.99	4
387	291	856	Chris Desmond	61	46:37	Sevenoaks AC	NS	15.94	91
404	107	865	Glenda Goscomb	66	47:27	Sevenoaks AC	NS	39.43	8
414	111	900	Sarah Shewell	65	48:00	Sevenoaks AC	NS	37.14	130
473	329	903	Richard Thomas	67	53:52	Sevenoaks AC	NS	4.93	2
497	340	901	Lionel Stielow	75	56:28	Sevenoaks AC	NS	1.74	29

The full results are here.

Men’s team captain, Dan Witt said, “Amazing performance from Jamie to sneak into the top 10, and also Jake and Gui in the top 20. Great performances throughout.” Women’s team captain, Caroline Fenwick added, “Walking to the start, I overheard many comments from other team members such as, 'this is my favourite race' and 'such a great course', whilst they stood taking photos of beautiful Knole park bathed in the morning light. It was wonderful to see a huge turnout by the SAC team, many putting the team first despite other races and commitments. Congratulations to Canterbury Ladies who all ran well, Petts Wood also had a very strong team out. Andrea Berquez ran an incredible race to win and then supported by powerful performances by all the female scorers, Sevenoaks women placed second, and the combined team secured their second win of the season. I'd like to thank ALL the team though. The non-scorers also help our team position, it really is a team effort. We have women in the team of all ages. Some that are new to racing, and some who have raced for over 50 years! They all ran exceptionally well and are part of our incredible SAC team. 

The Kent Fitness League is a series of cross-country races between the 18 registered Athletics Clubs in Kent. Any number of club members can compete, but 13 are needed to score in the team competition – 8 men (of whom one must be aged 60+, two must be 50+ and two 40+) and 5 women (of whom one must be aged 55+ one 45+ and one 35+).

The next race in the series will be in Minnis Bay, Birchington on January 5th, 2025.