Nicola Glover won the final handicap race of the 2023 series, just ahead of Andrew Mead, ensuring Jim Knight remained on top of the series table to win the trophy by one point from David Hale.
David was fastest on the day in fifth place, just behind Caroline Fenwick who was the fastest woman.
In third place, Sam Znetyniak drew level with Lucy Wilkes on points for third in the series but narrowly missed out on the minor placing on tiebreak.
With the 2023 series settled, the 2024 version begins on Sunday 28th January with a five-miler from the track starting at 08:30.
All the details are here.


Allan Lee won M50 gold and Joanne Rodda W45 silver at the Kent Masters Cross Country Championships in Central Park, Dartford on 2nd December.
Other SAC runners were Caroline Fenwick, 4th W45, Chris Desmond, 35th M60 and M70s Simon Hallpike and Geoffrey Kitchener 8th and 11th.
The full results are here.
The third race in the 2023/24 Kent Fitness League series took place in Knole Park on Sunday November 26th, writes Jim Knight.
In cold and frosty conditions, a team of 15 organisers from the club set up the course markings very early in the morning and were joined by a further 15 marshals who would guide the 500 runners from the town car park to the start on Broad Walk and around the hilly 5-mile course.
Conditions for the runners were excellent – clear and bright, with the ground hard from the frost. It was a cold morning for the marshals, though.
At 9 am the race started, and 27 minutes 52 seconds later, 21-year-old Alexander Donnelly from Maidstone & Medway AC crossed the line to win the race by 7 second from Robert Jakaman from Dartford Harriers.
James Mason, once again, led the Sevenoaks AC team home in 7th position (and 1st M40), followed by Jamie Philip (13th and 2nd M40), Guilaume Nineven (34th) and Ed Saunders (37th). The other members of the scoring team were William Palmer (60th and 1st M50), Darius Sarchar (75th and 2nd M50), Harvey Taylor (80th), and Chris Desmond (116th and 1st M60)
The men’s team came 3rd, behind Maidstone & Medway (1st) and Petts Wood (2nd)
In the women’s race, Andrea Berquez had another brilliant run to finish in 2nd place, behind the winner - Charlotte Johnson of Maidstone & Medway. She was closely followed by team-mates Joanna Rodda (8th and 1st W45), and Caroline Fenwick (9th.and 2nd W45). The other scoring runners were Nicola Glover (21st) and Pauline Dalton (57th and 1st W55).
The women’s team came 3rd, behind strong teams from Paddock Wood AC (1st) and Canterbury Harriers (2nd)
In the combined team competition, Sevenoaks AC were 2nd and are now lying 2nd in the series.
The SAC results were:
Ov Pos | Lg Pos | Bib | Runner | Age | Time | Club | Score | Rtg | # |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 | 7 | 869 | James Mason | 40 | 28:39 | Sevenoaks AC | V40:1 | 98.33 | 22 |
13 | 13 | 882 | Jamie Philip | 46 | 29:24 | Sevenoaks AC | V40:2 | 96.67 | 3 |
34 | 34 | 879 | Guillaume Nineven | 38 | 30:58 | Sevenoaks AC | M1 | 90.83 | 13 |
37 | 37 | 887 | Edmund Saunders | 41 | 31:15 | Sevenoaks AC | M2 | 90.00 | 24 |
61 | 60 | 881 | William Palmer | 51 | 32:18 | Sevenoaks AC | V50:1 | 83.61 | 9 |
63 | 2 | 836 | Andrea Berquez | 38 | 32:23 | Sevenoaks AC | V35 | 99.51 | 9 |
79 | 75 | 886 | Darius Sarshar | 54 | 33:03 | Sevenoaks AC | V50:2 | 79.44 | 14 |
84 | 80 | 893 | Harvey Taylor | 19 | 33:29 | Sevenoaks AC | M3 | 78.06 | 12 |
102 | 96 | 830 | Richard Alford-Smith | 47 | 34:10 | Sevenoaks AC | NSBLS | 73.61 | 17 |
108 | 8 | 1022 | Joanne Rodda | 47 | 34:17 | Sevenoaks AC | V45 | 96.60 | 2 |
109 | 9 | 852 | Caroline Fenwick | 46 | 34:21 | Sevenoaks AC | F1 | 96.12 | 10 |
112 | 103 | 855 | David Hale | 56 | 34:26 | Sevenoaks AC | NSBLS | 71.67 | Debut |
117 | 107 | 888 | Paul Shelley | 49 | 34:47 | Sevenoaks AC | NSBLS | 70.56 | 9 |
128 | 116 | 846 | Chris Desmond | 60 | 35:20 | Sevenoaks AC | V60 | 68.06 | 87 |
129 | 117 | 874 | Andrew Monk | 47 | 35:29 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 67.78 | 7 |
130 | 118 | 871 | Michael McCarthy | 58 | 35:29 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 67.50 | 26 |
136 | 123 | 873 | Andrew Milne | 41 | 35:39 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 66.11 | 37 |
141 | 127 | 878 | Sebastian Naughton | 49 | 35:43 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 65.00 | 13 |
144 | 128 | 831 | Brian Allen | 51 | 35:49 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 64.72 | 3 |
148 | 131 | 834 | James Baker | 59 | 35:53 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 63.89 | 27 |
155 | 21 | 854 | Nicola Glover | 35 | 36:03 | Sevenoaks AC | F2 | 90.29 | 11 |
156 | 135 | 870 | Jonathan Maxim | 45 | 36:08 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 62.78 | Debut |
170 | 145 | 859 | David Killpack | 38 | 36:46 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 60.00 | 6 |
180 | 153 | 832 | Andrew Ashlee | 54 | 37:06 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 57.78 | 30 |
187 | 159 | 835 | Adam Bates | 40 | 37:17 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 56.11 | 3 |
201 | 169 | 849 | Graham Dwyer | 51 | 37:34 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 53.33 | 23 |
207 | 174 | 868 | Jonathan Marsh | 63 | 37:40 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 51.94 | 8 |
216 | 180 | 896 | Anthony Waldron | 56 | 37:52 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 50.28 | 37 |
223 | 186 | 850 | Andrew Evans | 53 | 38:05 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 48.61 | 55 |
225 | 188 | 862 | Leonard Lai King | 44 | 38:11 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 48.06 | 13 |
236 | 198 | 872 | Nicholas Mileham | 43 | 38:28 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 45.28 | 6 |
238 | 200 | 877 | James Nash | 32 | 38:31 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 44.72 | 16 |
260 | 215 | 900 | Daniel Witt | 48 | 39:18 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 40.56 | 69 |
271 | 219 | 866 | Alan Male | 53 | 39:37 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 39.44 | 7 |
283 | 55 | 845 | Julia Davis | 26 | 40:10 | Sevenoaks AC | NSBLS | 73.79 | 13 |
287 | 57 | 844 | Pauline Dalton | 59 | 40:15 | Sevenoaks AC | V55 | 72.82 | 61 |
329 | 77 | 883 | Sarah Philpott | 45 | 41:29 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 63.11 | 3 |
330 | 78 | 898 | Bridgit Weekes | 65 | 41:30 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 62.62 | 23 |
356 | 269 | 856 | Simon Hallpike | 70 | 42:23 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 25.56 | 61 |
360 | 89 | 901 | Samantha Znetyniak | 48 | 42:30 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 57.28 | 15 |
386 | 103 | 876 | Jane Morgan | 46 | 43:23 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 50.49 | 8 |
396 | 289 | 867 | Simon Mann | 43 | 43:43 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 20.00 | 2 |
437 | 128 | 889 | Sarah Shewell | 64 | 45:49 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 38.35 | 126 |
445 | 132 | 843 | Becca Crowe | 63 | 46:40 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 36.41 | 13 |
526 | 354 | 892 | Lionel Stielow | 74 | 53:27 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 1.94 | 26 |
543 | 184 | 857 | Anna Humphrey-Taylor | 54 | 56:57 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 11.17 | 7 |
549 | 190 | 833 | Maria Ashlee | 52 | 59:02 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 8.25 | 3 |
The full results are here.
It was a great effort by everyone in the club, especially Race Director Richard Thomas who, after 5 years as Race Director for this Kent Fitness League event and also the Sevenoaks 7 is retiring from the role. A big thank-you to Richard and his team of 30 marshals and officials, and the 47 Sevenoaks AC runners who competed for the club.
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 7th 2024.
The second race in the Kent Fitness League 2023/24 season took place in Eltham on Sunday Nov 19th, writes Jim Knight. 545 runners from18 Kent Athletics Clubs, including a strong team of 41 from Sevenoaks, tackled the hilly course through Oxleas Woods in bright sunny, but cold conditions.
After coming 3rd in the first race in Swanley on Nov 12th, Sevenoaks ladies ran even better in Eltham to win the race and improve to 2nd in the series.
Star runner Andrea Berquez led throughout the race to secure a comfortable win in 35 minutes 38 seconds. The other scoring team members all ran brilliantly – Caroline Fenwick (11th &1st W45), Joanne Rodda in her first KFL race (14th), Cath Linney (16th) and Pauline Dalton (54th) – to score a comfortable win over Canterbury Harriers in 2nd position.
In the men’s race, Allan Lee 50 year-old was a brilliant 3rd (& 1st M50) just 17 seconds behind the winner, having missed the Swanley race through injury. James Mason was 6th again (&1st M40), followed by Ed Saunders (36th), Guillaume Nineven (41st), Luke Green (78th), Harvey Taylor (84th), William Palmer (64th), and Keith Dowson (110th).
Medway & Maidstone AC won the men’s race with Sevenoaks in 2nd, just ahead of Dartford Harriers.
In the series, Petts Wood Runners still lead the combined team event with Medway & Maidstone 2nd and SAC 3rd. However the Sevenoaks women’ team, in 2nd place, is only one point behind leaders Canterbury Harriers.
The SAC results were as follows:
Ov Pos | Lg Pos | Bib | Runner | Age | Time | Club | Score | Rtg | # |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | 3 | 863 | Allan Lee | 50 | 30:43 | Sevenoaks AC | V50:1 | 99.45 | 16 |
6 | 6 | 869 | James Mason | 40 | 31:16 | Sevenoaks AC | V40:1 | 98.61 | 21 |
36 | 36 | 887 | Edmund Saunders | 41 | 34:31 | Sevenoaks AC | V40:2 | 90.30 | 23 |
41 | 41 | 879 | Guillaume Nineven | 38 | 34:52 | Sevenoaks AC | M1 | 88.92 | 12 |
60 | 1 | 836 | Andrea Berquez | 38 | 35:58 | Sevenoaks AC | V35 | 100.00 | 8 |
66 | 64 | 881 | William Palmer | 51 | 36:20 | Sevenoaks AC | V50:2 | 82.55 | 8 |
84 | 78 | 1021 | Luke Green | 32 | 37:29 | Sevenoaks AC | M2 | 78.67 | Debut |
93 | 84 | 893 | Harvey Taylor | 19 | 38:07 | Sevenoaks AC | M3 | 77.01 | 11 |
96 | 86 | 878 | Sebastian Naughton | 49 | 38:14 | Sevenoaks AC | NSBLS | 76.45 | 12 |
99 | 89 | 830 | Richard Alford-Smith | 47 | 38:27 | Sevenoaks AC | NSBLS | 75.62 | 16 |
100 | 11 | 852 | Caroline Fenwick | 45 | 38:29 | Sevenoaks AC | V45 | 94.57 | 9 |
104 | 92 | 834 | James Baker | 59 | 38:40 | Sevenoaks AC | NSBLS | 74.79 | 26 |
116 | 14 | 1022 | Joanne Rodda | 47 | 39:14 | Sevenoaks AC | F1 | 92.93 | Debut |
120 | 106 | 1044 | Nick Humphrey-Taylor | 51 | 39:29 | Sevenoaks AC | NSBLS | 70.91 | 8 |
124 | 110 | 848 | Keith Dowson | 60 | 39:38 | Sevenoaks AC | V60 | 69.81 | 17 |
130 | 16 | 865 | Catherine Linney | 54 | 40:00 | Sevenoaks AC | F2 | 91.85 | 45 |
132 | 116 | 874 | Andrew Monk | 47 | 40:04 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 68.14 | 6 |
133 | 117 | 832 | Andrew Ashlee | 54 | 40:08 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 67.87 | 29 |
138 | 120 | 846 | Chris Desmond | 60 | 40:20 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 67.04 | 86 |
145 | 21 | 854 | Nicola Glover | 35 | 40:45 | Sevenoaks AC | NSBLS | 89.13 | 10 |
154 | 133 | 831 | Brian Allen | 51 | 41:02 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 63.43 | 2 |
158 | 136 | 896 | Anthony Waldron | 56 | 41:20 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 62.60 | 36 |
160 | 138 | 868 | Jonathan Marsh | 63 | 41:27 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 62.05 | 7 |
162 | 140 | 872 | Nicholas Mileham | 43 | 41:33 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 61.50 | 5 |
164 | 142 | 835 | Adam Bates | 40 | 41:33 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 60.94 | 2 |
170 | 147 | 859 | David Killpack | 38 | 41:41 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 59.56 | 5 |
173 | 149 | 849 | Graham Dwyer | 51 | 41:51 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 59.00 | 22 |
227 | 37 | 853 | Vanessa Gilmartin | 48 | 43:42 | Sevenoaks AC | NSBLS | 80.43 | 30 |
228 | 191 | 862 | Leonard Lai King | 44 | 43:44 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 47.37 | 12 |
250 | 205 | 850 | Andrew Evans | 53 | 44:39 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 43.49 | 54 |
256 | 209 | 900 | Daniel Witt | 48 | 44:52 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 42.38 | 68 |
260 | 211 | 866 | Alan Male | 53 | 45:09 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 41.83 | 6 |
266 | 51 | 883 | Sarah Philpott | 45 | 45:29 | Sevenoaks AC | NSBLS | 72.83 | 2 |
275 | 54 | 844 | Pauline Dalton | 59 | 45:53 | Sevenoaks AC | V55 | 71.20 | 60 |
302 | 63 | 898 | Bridgit Weekes | 65 | 47:01 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 66.30 | 22 |
345 | 264 | 856 | Simon Hallpike | 70 | 48:22 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 27.15 | 60 |
349 | 84 | 901 | Samantha Znetyniak | 48 | 48:40 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 54.89 | 14 |
354 | 86 | 889 | Sarah Shewell | 64 | 49:05 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 53.80 | 125 |
458 | 132 | 843 | Becca Crowe | 63 | 55:28 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 28.80 | 12 |
482 | 340 | 892 | Lionel Stielow | 74 | 58:09 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 6.09 | 25 |
517 | 162 | 857 | Anna Humphrey-Taylor | 54 | 1:02:58 | Sevenoaks AC | NS | 12.50 | 6 |
The full results are here.
The next race in the series will take place in Knole Park, Sevenoaks, on Nov 26th when SAC will have the difficult task of organising the race and also fielding a strong team of runners. The race starts at 9 am.
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+).