The major anticipated clashes in the Sussex Master’s cross-country championships at Lancing on Saturday were unrealised primarily through absence but also the return to form of reigning champion Howard Bristow in the M40 men’s race.
Conditions were again crisp and hard underfoot.
At the County championships two weeks back Chichester’s James Baker had a brilliant run to finish in fifth place virtually one minute clear of the Brighton & Hove runner.
It was later revealed that Bristow had only just returned from a three-week honeymoon in Thailand and had eased off on his training.
At Lancing he appeared to have regained some of his 2016 form and although Baker stayed with him for the first of the three laps from then on it was Bristow all the way to the finish.
Bristow finished exactly one minute ahead of Baker in 33:46 while James Skinner from Haywards Heath, who had held third place throughout the, was closing on Baker but 19 seconds adrift in 35:05.
The women’s race, with neither Emma Macready (Worthing) or Brighton & Hove’s Helena Tobin facing the starter Caroline Hoyte (Arena 80) had things all her own way despite now being in the upper W45 age group. From the gun she was clear and Horsham’s Elspeth Turner, who is in the same age group, bridged the gap between her and the main body of the field.
Hoyte clocked 26:08 to Turner’s 27:07 to take gold and silver in the W45 championship before Arena 80’s Dani Tarleton same home in third place in 27:27 but the gold medallist in the W35 race. Alissa Ellis (Hailsham) took second place in the W35 in 27:41 and Tara Shanahan (A80) 28:06 third place while Karen Murdock (Hastings) was sixth across the finishing line to finish third in the W40 in 28:15.
The afternoon had started with the M50 and M60 race which saw Paul Cousins set for pattern for the afternoon’s race by leading from pillar to post to win in 31:42 from Jonathan Burrell (Haywards Heath) who clocked 32:42 with former champion Keith Newton in third place in 32:48.
John Lowden (Brighton & Hove) was the first M60 to finish finishing fifth overall in 33:03.
In the team events Arena 80 won both the W35 and W45 titles while Brighton & Hove won the M40 and M50 titles and Crawley the M60 title.
Full results are on the Results pages
If you have any queries or want more information regarding this post, please Email Reg Hook.