On a very cold but sunny day, the walkers set off on this undulating country out and back course, and apart from a couple of icy corners was a good day for racing.
Numbers were a bit down this year with only five of last years finishers starting.
Leicester WC’s Emma Achurch, making the long trip to Steyning for a time trial, set off at a cracking pace, chased by Steyning’s Ian Richards, Emma reached the turn in 36m 36s with Ian starting to find the pace too hot turning in 38m 56s, on the return Emma walking a very controlled race with a good and fluent style and enjoying the countryside, pulled further away from Ian to finish in a new Ladies Record for this course, coming back faster than she went out to win in 72m 48s. Ian managed to hang onto to win the Men’s race in 83m 56s, and was pleased to not aggravate his injury. Jimmy Ball finished strongly to take 2nd pulling away from Nuneaton’s Steve Arnold in 3rd, 4th was a very pleased Trevor Jones of Steyning who has been out of racing for approximately 18 months with a hamstring injury, Dan Maskell just about managed to hold off Paul Gaston to take 6th, Anne Jones was 2nd Lady to finish, getting the better of Chris Flint on the return.
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