James Turner made an impressive debut in the “Jog Shop” Boxing Day Preston Park Road Race romping clear of the field on the first of the four lap event and never looking back.
The course had been slightly changed so the whole race could be run entirely in the Park and the Brighton & Hove runner stuck his nose in front from the start and never looked like being caught.
His winning time of 23:55 suggest that it that it was about 4 ¾ miles.
Tom Thayre from Crawley was timed at 25:43 in second place and Ash Donnington (Brighton Phoenix) in third place in 26:18.
Katy Hedgethorne (Portslade) was fourth across the line to win the women’s event in 26:30 some fifty seconds ahead of Emily Proto (Arena 80) in 27:22 with Brighton & Hove’s Paula Blackledge clocking 29:53 in third spot.
In the 5 ½ mile Race walk, the walkers stuck to the usual course involving a long drag up Preston Park Avenue, and Steyning’s Ian Richards, a several times winner of the race who has been battling with form in recent events, set the pace from the start.
He appeared to be getting the better race walking newcomer Malcom Martin from Surrey but the Surrey walker closed on him on the final lap when Richards took a tumble and damaged his knee.
Martin helped him to his feet but it was he that was then able to cruise to a comfortable victory in 47:11 but Richard struggled on to take second place in 49:24 with Dan Maskell (Surrey Walking) third in 59:52.
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