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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
On one of the hottest days of the year so far, 900 resilient runners managed to conquer the taxing 9.3 kilometre course in the penultimate race of 13th Circuit a Peu Marina Alta 2009 series, the XII Cursa Popular Jesús Pobre last Saturday (13).
The men’s race was won by Emilio Vizcaya Gregorio of C A Dianium in an exceptional time of 31:59; second home was C T Prodesport’s Juan Ramon Pous Perez (32:36), who was just in front of Vicente José Mas Leyda (32:54). Sandra Diaz Hernandez C A Runnersworld Alzira was victorious in the ladies event, finishing in 38:35; Olivia Peiró Sabater, of C A Safor took the runner-up spot in 40:28 and Ana Alberola Puigcerver (40:46) was third.
In last week’s contest in Ondara, Sasha Lines, who is more at home on the sea, completed her first ever 10K road race in an excellent time of 1:04:28, and that was after just five weeks training at Paul and Amanda Fletcher’s Run in the Sun. During the week, Sasha, who now appears to have succumbed to the ‘running bug’, was casually talking to local ultra-runner Rafa and he mentioned that he was taking part in a 30 hour mountain run in August.
An intrigued Sasha asked what his full name was so she could look out for him. “Rafael Abbot”, he told her. “That surname sounds awfully English”, Sasha responded. “Well, that’s because I was born in
Sasha, who took 1:03:00 to run the Jesus Pobre course, also managed to get her hands on a trophy from the race, albeit on somebody else’s behalf. She accepted the Vets B third place award for Costa Blanca Strider Bianca von Londen (48:26). Two other Striders also won prizes. In the women’s Vets B category Amanda Fletcher (44:31) took her place on her eighth consecutive winners’ podium. Amanda has now accumulated five first places, two seconds and a third. Jeff Whittington (41:19), who is not far behind Amanda in the ‘trophy stakes’, once more managed the runner-up spot in the Vets C class. The other members of the C B Striders who toughed out the demanding conditions were: Paul Fletcher (36:47), Tony Sharpe (42:49), Paul Elliott (47:37), Steve Waller (53:22), Ron Hoare (53:49) and Carol Hoare (58:06).
The final race in the 2009 series takes place this Saturday (20) at Benissa. As with all the previous weeks, the youngsters begin their races at 17.00 and the grown-ups two hours later, at 19.00.SAILING THE
The seventh race in the 13th Circuit a Peu Marina Alta series, the 11th Cursa Popular Ondara, took place last Saturday (6) and one of the runners, Sasha Lines, reckoned that it was ‘harder than sailing across the Atlantic’. Sasha, from near
After eight races in the 2008 series and six in this year’s event Costa Blanca Strider Jeff Whittington finally managed to beat his great rival Norbert de Wulf in a 10K event. Paul, who had managed the runner-up spot in the previous two Vets B class, had had a rigorous track training session the previous evening, so decided to ‘take it easy’ and ran alongside Jeff, encouraging and cajoling him all the way. A very pleased Jeff said after the race that Paul, a UK Athletics qualified coach, had ‘made all the difference’. Jeff ran the arduous 9.8 kilometres in a time of 40:11, beating his Belgian Vets C opponent by just over 40 seconds. The only other C B Strider to be placed was Paul’s other half, Amanda, who came home first in the Vets B category in 44:42. Only two trophies this week for the Striders but two winners, though.
The other members of the club who finished the demanding run in baking hot conditions, were Paul Fletcher (40:05), Brian Boobier (48:25), Steve Waller (49:35), Jeff’s son Harvey (51:07), Bianca von Londen (52:50) and Louise Amber, who, supportively, ran around with Sasha (1:04:28).
It was roles reversed this week in the men’s race, with Said Day Day (31:43) of C A Lamuratti beating last week’s winner Mounir Horma (32:01) of C A Franc Beneyto into second place, with Juan Ramon Pous Perez (32:25) of C T Prodesport in third. The women’s race was a pretty close affair with Olivia Peiró Sabate (40:24) of C A Safor coming out on top, followed by Cristina Oselló Prats (40:58) of C A La Ribera second and third was Ana Alberola Puigcerver (41:24). For all the results and other information visit the Som Esport website at www.somesport.com
The penultimate race in the series is this Saturday (13) at Jesus Pobre. As always, the youngsters begin at 17.00 and the adults at 19.00.