Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Euro Weekly News article


STRIDING OUT TO VICTORY

The ninth and final race in the 13th Circuit a Peu Marina Alta 2009 series, the XII Cursa Popular Benissa took place last Saturday (June 20) and two members of the Costa Blanca Striders went home with awards. Amanda Fletcher was placed second in the ladies Vets B category in a time of 42:45 and, in the men’s Vets C category, Jeff Whittington came home third in 40:01. Two more Striders just missed out on the medals, Louise Ambler (45:53) and Bianca van Londen (46:50) were in fourth and fifth positions respectively. In the Vets B class, Tony Sharpe (42:39) and Steve Waller (49:19) also completed the draining, hilly 9.1 kilometre course.

The icing on the cake came when the prizes for the overall winners in the series were announced and the Striders took home another three cups; Amanda was first and Louise was third in the ladies’ Vets B group and Jeff Whittington was runner-up in the Vets C class. In the team event, despite only being a relatively small club, the Striders were placed 32nd out of the 95 clubs who had taken part in the races. In the 2009 series, the Moraira-based running club, which was started about five years ago by Phil and Laura Welch, amassed an amazing 23 trophies, which is pretty remarkable by anybody’s standards. If are interested in joining the C B Striders, whatever your ability or fitness, then visit their blog spot at http://costablancastriders.blogspot.com for all the details.

There was a new name on the winner’s trophy in the men’s race this week; Vicente José Mas Leyda of C A Cametes Spat winning in a time of 31:26, second and third were Juan José Martinez Diaz (C A San Vicente) and Alejandro García Agulló (C A Decatlon Kondy), who both clocked 31:52. However, in the ladies section, the first home was a very familiar name; C A Dianium’s Maxine McKinnon, who took 35:34 to complete the course. Patricia Lopez Vicedo of C A Xeresa was second in 37:36, and third to cross the line was Olivia Peiró Sabater (38:37) of C A Safor.

C A Cametes Spat won the series team prize, followed by C A Safor in second and C A Llebeig Xàbia. Well done to all the teams, competitors, around 1,200 in total, and all their supporters and friends, and especially all the organisers of the 13th Circuit a Peu Marina Alta 2009 series, without whom there would be no event, here’s to the 14th Circuit a Peu Marina Alta 2010 series.

You can view all the results and details of all nine races at the Som Esport website (www.somesport.com) and there are thousands of excellent pictures of all the races at http://calygat.blogspot.com/.

Picture, by Eileen Whittington

Jeff, Amanda and Louise

No comments:

Post a Comment