“Sweatshop” Men’s Surrey CC League Division One, Race 1, Brockwell Park

A creditable opener - but 110 points adrift

Acting Team Manager Gordon Biscoe took a trip down memory lane as he found himself back in the land of team declaration sheets and speaking politely to AW correspondent Martin Duff while our regular TM was unavoidably absent at a family function. Many thanks to Gordon for stepping into the breach.

We were also missing a great many of our regular scoring team as the Chicago Marathon and the following week’s activities in the European Clubs Half Marathon Championship and the Reebok Cross Series also caused this match to be given a miss. So, all in all, this can be counted a creditable opener in which some new names worked their way into the scoring ten and we found ourselves “only” 110 points adrift of Thames. Conditions were windy and there had been overnight drizzle but further promised rain did not materialise.

Stephen Sharp, one of our few regular A team man in the Park, was always comfortably in control of the trio which worked themselves clear of the field after the first lap, but yet again Will Cockerell was opening a few eyes with his forward running just 50 metres behind this group. Will had his best ever training session the previous Tuesday, all but holding our own Dave Anderson until the last rep., and is now on the verge of breaking into “National” team status. Great running too from Padraic Buckley, 10th in his first ever Surrey League race and promising to be one of the cornerstones of our future teams. It was also first time in the scoring squad for 18 year-old Jonathan Blackledge and triathlete Rob Tubbs.

Can we get back to the Thames Hare & Hounds Boys? Next match will tell – it’s on their home patch at Putney Vale on the far side of the Common in five weeks time.

Great running came from Dale Seddon to head the younger age groups race and lead Belgrave to a team win in the U17/U15 section.

1 Thames Hare & Hounds 186; 2 Herne Hill H 245; 3 Belgrave H 296; 4 South London H 419; 5 Reigate Priory AC 521; 6 Dulwich Runners 632; 7 Guildford & Godalming AC 638; 8 Aldershot F&D AC 658.

1 S.Sharp (Belgrave H) 23:07; 2 E.Prickett (Reigate Priory) 23:18; 3 S.Major (South London H) 23:21; 4 W.Cockerell (Belgrave H) 23:45; 5 N.Altmann (Thames H&H) 23:51; 6 M.Normington (Herne Hill H) 23:58; 10 P.Buckley 24:12; 12 K Nash 24:18; 16 J. Blackledge (U20) 24:28; 20 K.Hegvold (M40) 24:40; 50 B.Barton 25:12; 57 R.Tubbs 24:34; 68 C.Dickenson (M50) 26:55; 77 S.Zealey 27:18; 80 S.Kennefick 27:29; 84 R.Poulter 27:34; 101 R.Marcus 28:21; 102 P.Tarpey 28:22; 120 P.Carstairs 29:22; 147 J.Singh 33:06; 151 R.Bale 34:43; 157 M.Graham 37:09; dnf W.Lynch; 158 finished.

Under 17/Under 15
1 Belgrave 30; 2 Herne Hill H 69; 3 Guildford & Godalming 105; 4 South London H 122; 5 Ranelagh H 125.
1 D.Seddon (Belgrave) 13:06; 7 E.Rimdap 14:50; 8 R.Collier 14:52; 10 P.Cowling 15:15; 11 N.Ambrose 15:18; 12 S.Stephens 15:19.

Under 13
1 South London H 19; 2 Ranelagh H 90; 3 Belgrave H 102; 4 Guildford & Godalming 110; 5 Dulwich R 114.
1 P.Humphrey (South London H) 13:57; 5 A.Graham 15:10; 7 T.Ashby 15:27.

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