The Suffolk Cross Country Championships took place on Sunday at Culford School near Bury St Edmunds. There were nine races covering 11 age groups, from Under-11 boys and girls through to Senior Men and Women. There were awards for the first three in each age group and for the veterans 5-year age bands. Waveney Valley A.C. entered five runners, though Matt Jeffries withdrew from the event due to a foot injury.
There were 139 athletes in the Senior Mens 12k race and Bill Kingaby’s first race of the year brought him success as he finished first in the Men’s 65-69 age category. He was 92nd overall in a time of 57:28. Chris Pimlott finished 30th in 48:28 and Carl Prewer of Lowestoft Road Runners was 10th in 44:23 and 2nd in the Men’s 45-49 category.
In the Women’s Under-17 event over a distance of 5k, Harriet Lyman was the 3rd place trophy winner, in a time of 21:36 and Sam Stevens competed in the Men’s Under-17 race (6k) and was very pleased with his fifth place as he recently entered the age group and was one of the youngest in the race. His time was 23:08.
Several club members took part in a variety of events over the Christmas and New Year period. At the East Coast Santa Dash 5k at Gorleston, Mark Thompson recorded a personal best 17:59 in finishing 4th from an entry of 211. Other Waveney results: 56 Louise Harrod 26:25, 57 Grainne Purvis 26:25, 66 Lee Roth 26:33, 101 Beth Stephens 29:16, 154 Simon Cross 33:16 (pb), 186 Denise Bjorck 37:07 (pb), 187 Jane Jackson 37:07, 204 Paul Hierons 41:42, 205 Jan Piggott 49:15.
The popular Groggy Doggy races, organised by Bungay Black Dog R.C. on Boxing Day, always attracts a keen entry as man’s four-legged friends lead their masters to Outney Common in Bungay. In the one lap plus dog 2.1mile race, Susannah Close finished 9th in 19:40 with Jay Butcher 20th in 24:31 and Beth Bell 37th in 30:20. In the two lap plus dog 4.2mile race, Chris Bradford was 16th in 47:49. In the events with no dog, Oliver Owen in the 1.5mile 9-12 age group was 6th in 9:55 and in the 2.1mile senior race, Rebecca Harris was 12th in 21:46 and Janet Markwell 44th in 33:44. Waveney results in the 4.2mile event: 16 Steve Barber 34:23, 18 Richard Aukland 34:33, 23 Chris Meadows 35:27, 26 Peter Rogers 35:40, 37 Tim Earl 37:16, 43 Darrel Roberts 37:36, 83 Matt Plummer 42:14, 111 Nicole Goffin 45:47, 112 Phillip Goffin 45:49, 159 Jane Hunt 53:40.
Wymondham New Year’s Day 10k results: 284 Alan Richardson 52:30, 407 Louise Adamson 57:13, 428 Alan Varle 58:21, 432 Jane Hunt 58:32 and 484 Jayne Richardson 1.01:23. There were a total of 635 runners.