Wallace hits form at right time

Kent Fitness CrossCountry League

Medway and Maidstone’s Phil Wallace was among the leading masters at last weekend’s Kent Fitness CrossCountry League meeting at Fowlmead Country Park, writes Alan Newman.

Wallace was 121st with 38min25sec but first M65 at Fowlmead.

Another veteran, M40 Craig Sharp, increased his lead in the overall standings after a second win of the season for the Dartford Harrier.

Sharp finished four seconds ahead of James Gibson, of Istead and Ifield Harriers, in 29.27 for the five-and-ahalf miles. Noel Sutton (M40, Thanet Roadrunners) was a further 11 seconds in arrears in third.

The top-six places were completed by Thomas Purnell (Canterbury Harriers), Terry Reeves (Dartford Road Runners) and Colin Tricker (Paddock Wood).

With the Kent Masters’ Championships this weekend, there was added interest in the agegroup leaders and Wallace by M45 Theo Bately (Deal Tri, 15th), M50 Keith Dowson (Sevenoaks, 20th), M55 Trevor Wignall (Larkfield, 46th) and M60 James Graham (Sevenoaks, 55th).

Paddock Wood’s Claire Day was best of the rest in the women’s race after a demonstration run by local favourite Jill Cliff (W40 Deal Tri, 33.39).

Both have won two races but Cliff is two-to-one in head-to-head competition and leads the league by a tiny margin.

Lynne Champion (W45, Istead and Ifield Harriers) enjoyed her best-ever result to finish third overall. Stephanie Hearn (Medway and Maidstone), Faye Roberts (Canterbury Harriers) and Jo Malpass (W40, Deal Tri) completed the top six.

Higher age-group leaders were W50 Julie Stoppani (Maidstone Harriers, eighth), W55 Barbara Wenman (Canterbury Harriers, 13th) and W60 Sue James (Paddock Wood, 36th). Combined Team Results: 1 Dartford Road Runners 172pts; 2 Dartford Harriers 232; 3 Canterbury Harriers 282; 4 Sevenoaks 371; 5 Deal Tri Club 395; 6 Sittingbourne Striders 421; 7 Paddock Wood 501; 8 Petts Wood Runners 538; 9 Maidstone Harriers 597; 10 Larkfield 628. League Standings: 1 Dartford Harriers 53; 2 Dartford Road Runners 53; 3 Canterbury Harriers 49; 4 Sevenoaks 44; 5 Larkfield 41; 6 Paddock Wood 40.