Aldershot Road relays, inc. Men's SEAA 6-Stage Championship, Photos

SEAA Champs - a fine race but the battle's not over

A year or more of generally being in the doldrums has coincided with rival teams growing in strength. No longer do we attend road races as odds-on favourites - it's more likely that we're regarded as the underdogs – but the sport is more interesting for that and when it all goes right then victory is even sweeter.

The team line-up wasn’t settled until the preceding Tuesday evening when David Anderson and the Skipper had a “shoot out” over two laps of “the Bridges” - two laps of 3km with the protagonists running in opposite directions. As a result, come race day, David was back in the A team after too long an absence, taking charge of stage one.

A powerful start from Harrow’s Adam Bowden took him well clear of a bunch of a dozen athletes that was gradually whittled down until Blackheath’s Atkinson and our own Davy were alone in 2nd and 3rd. Eighteen-fourteen: not at all bad after what had variously been reported as “five weeks of running” or “one real session.” The Beagles had a slow start and were down in 13th, half a minute behind the Bels although their B team were lying 8th. Bedford weren’t far away though and dark horses Wells City were also close at hand.

Great things were expected of Mark Pollard – and they still are! But he wasn’t quite firing on all cylinders on this occasion. Harrow and Blackheath slipped back but Ben Moreau of Aldershot came through strongly to head the field while Beagler Hepples was on a sub-18 rescue mission. Young Mitch Goose of Norwich also came by and the net result was that we’d dropped one place. Mark gave everything he had to finish his tour of duty – and although disappointed is quietly determined that he’ll set the record straight next time out.

Enter Simon Jones, fighting for a spot in the National line-up and clashing with Newham’s Michael East. Ok, East turned out to be a long way short of his best – but Simon wasn’t to know that as he showed no fear and coolly cruised past all the men ahead. His 8:59 for the first circuit and 9:13 for his second gave the Bels a marvellous 25 second advantage; a “gutsy” and courageous run, acknowledged by all who watched it.

A relaxed Stephen Sharp gradually extended the lead until he was 34 seconds to the good, notching up second fastest for the stage. It was a two-horse race now and things were looking good for the Bels, but way down the field, Wells City’s Frank Tickner was ripping out an astounding 17:11. It was the best time on the course since 1989, eclipsing performances by such luminaries as Keith Cullen and Mo’ Farah. But this drama was a minute and a half off the front where Stephen had already sent a determined Phil Wicks on his way.

Phil’s aggressive start yielded an 8:41 first lap. He’d gone for it big time, determined to record a startling time. But Rushmoor Arena bit back at him over the second circuit and much to his disappointment he could only record what ended up as fourth fastest of the day, fastest Belgravian, and an entry to the sub-18 club. Disappointed he may have been, but the Beagles were now left with the nigh on impossible task of pulling back a minute and a half.

The experienced Dave Mitchinson had been saved 'til last to put the Beagle boot in should things be close. There was a lot of pressure on Belgrave’s James Kelly. Sure there was no way 91 seconds could be pulled back – but would the responsibility of a last leg run affect the newest member of our team? Far from it: our Anglo-American 24 year-old went out hard to make sure that there were no immediate inroads being made into his lead – and then switched into cruise control to make sure that all was safe. It was a mature run.

As a fine race by the Bels came to a conclusion the Beagles’ team manager proffered a hand to his Belgrave counterpart – but make no mistake, the battle will be renewed with intensified vigour in three weeks time.

And before we consign this race to the history books - we must congratulate the Bs. They fought hard for the highest possible place and as third B team home have earned the Bels the right to place two claret and gold vests on the start line at Sutton Park.

1 Belgrave H 1:49:39; 2 Newham & Essex Beagles 1:50:44; 3 Bedford & County AC 1:51:47; 4 Wells City H 1:52:14; 5 Aldershot, Farnham & D 1:52:33; 6 Newham & Essex Beagles ‘B’ 1:54:47; … 27 Belgrave H ‘B’ 2:02:18; … 89 teams started; 69 teams finished.

A – David Anderson (team position 3, ranking on stage 3) 18:14; M Pollard (4, 6) 18:34; S Jones (1, 1) 18:12; S Sharp (1, 2) 18:14; P Wicks (1, 1) 17:59; J Kelly (1, 4) 18:26.

B – W Cockerell (20, 19) 18:59; P Willis (19, 24) 19:53; K Hegvold M45 (19, 23) 19:52; J Fairbourn (21, 27) 20:36; D Mason (23, 31) 20:56; M Humphrey (27, 48) 22:02.

C – T Weeks (71) 21:30; Don Anderson M50 (79) 24:43.

Fastest: 1 F Tickner (Wells City) 17:11; =2 S Hepples (Newham &EB) and A Bowden (Harrow) 17:54; 4 P Wicks (Belgrave H) 17:59; 5 D Deed (Bedford &C) 18:02; 6 B Tickner (Wells C) 18:04; … =9 S Jones 18:12; 12 D Anderson and S Sharp 18:14; … =20 J Kelly 18:26.

Restored from the club's earlier website, belgraveharriers.com, and published here as originally written.