Gloucs. XC League: Cinderford

Saturday 21st Jan. 2006

Helen Russell racing thro' the woods.

The weather for the fourth and final fixture in the 2005-6 GXCL was much better than last year’s corresponding fixture that had been more like a polar trek. This time it was a bright and sunny afternoon although it was still cold in the shaded sections through the woods. Laps took in some stony forest trails which were tough on spike-wearers and soft pine needle-covered, root-strewn paths. Sections of the course were much muddier than in previous years so the overall going was heavier.

Simon Lanckham, fresh from B&R’s team victory in the U15 boy’s event at last week’s Worcs. Champs, was our only competitor in any of the younger age groups and finished 12th out of 28 runners.

The women’s race was 7 km over two laps, with Helen Russell starting well and maintaining her position to be first B&R woman in 18th place. Jane Anderson set off too fast and finished just 21 seconds and two places ahead of Judy Appleby who had closed on her with a fast finish. Over the series of races, Jane and Judy finished fourth in the Vet Women 40 and 45 age categories respectively, with Judy missing out on third place by only 7 points. On the day the women’s team was eighth out of ten complete teams and they also finished eighth in the league.

Left: The return of Tony Woodward. Right: Len Quartly alongside Kenilworth’s green-vested Tom Dable

There was a change from previous fixtures in the men’s race with Phil Carbutt picking up an injury and not being the first B&R runner home. He was of course still the first Vet 50 home and duly won that category in the overall series. Damian Lewis was third junior man in the three lap race and in 21st place was first B&R runner, just 8 seconds ahead of Kevin Lanckham. Kevin finished 6th in the very competitive senior men’s category in the series. Ian Keyte, Dave Whipp and Len Quartly completed the scoring six for the senior men’s team which finished sixth out of eleven teams at Cinderford. A particularly welcome sight was the return to racing of Tony Woodward who has been a terrific non-running supporter at the previous league events and who was clearly enjoying being back in harness. The men’s vet team were surprisingly only eighth out of eleven teams on Saturday but finished a very creditable fourth in the league, level on points with Bourton behind third-placed Gloucester.

Selected results from Cinderford: (B&R shown in red)

U15 boys

1 Ollie Bower (City of Bath) 12.29

2 Chris Bull (Leamington) 12.34

3 Gregg Halliwell (Westbury) 13.11

12 Simon Lanckham 14.08

28 finishers

Senior women

1 Rachel Felton (Severn AC) 27.41

2 Gill Browning (City of Bath) 28.22

3 Jane Wassell (Cirencester) 28.33

18 Helen Russell 32.21

35 Jane Anderson  35.09

37 Judy Appleby  35.30

57 finishers

Senior women's teams (3 to count)

1 City of Bath 20

2 Severn AC 54

3 Tewkesbury 55

8 Bromsgrove & Redditch 90

10 complete teams

Click HERE for full women’s results and HERE for full team results from Cinderford.

Senior men

1 Julian Emery (Clevedon) 37.01

2 D. Walmsley (M40) (Bourton)37.16

3 Tim Dalton (JM) (Severn) 37.33

21 Damian Lewis (JM)  39.53

23 Kevin Lanckham  40.01

24 Phil Carbutt (M50)  40.07

40 Ian Keyte (M45)  42.00

107 Dave Whipp (M50)  49.16

130 Len Quartly (M60)  55.35

135 Tony Woodward (M60) 58.40

141 finishers

Click HERE for full men’s results and HERE for full team results from Cinderford.

Senior men's teams (6 to count)

1 Clevedon AC 51

2 City of Bath 119

3 Severn AC 145

6 Bromsgrove & Redditch 345

11 complete teams

Mens veteran teams (4 to count)

1 Clevedon AC 53

2 Leamington 205

3 Bourton RR 237

8 Bromsgrove & Redditch 301

11 complete teams

Selected overall league results

(Best 3 races from 4)

Vet women 40

4 Jane Anderson

Vet women 45

4 Judy Appleby

Senior men

1 J. Emery (Clevedon) 10

2 J. Muddeman (Leamington) 18

2 G. Hipe (Severn) 18

6 Kevin Lanckham 59

Vet 50 men

1 Phil Carbutt (B&R) 34

2 T. Hutchinson (City of Bath) 148

Senior men’s teams

1 Clevedon 203

2 Severn 318

3 City of Bath 390

8 Bromsgrove & Redditch 1615

Vet men’s teams

1 Clevedon 255

2 Leamington 670

3 Gloucester 701

4 Bromsgrove & Redditch 839

4 Bourton RR 839

10 teams

Click HERE for more overall series results

P. Anderson 25/1/06