Road relays are event for the athletic ages
Chichester Runners were well represented when the Sussex Road Relays were held at Preston Park, Brighton, having moved from Christ’s Hospital School, Horsham.
For the first time, the under-11 age group was added to the programme.
For Chichester, this was an ideal event to give younger members their first taste of competition and five of the six girls were running in club colours for the first time.
Experienced Daisy Hillyer led the A team off with a time of 6.23 for the mile circuit, one of the top 10 fastest times of the day in her age group.
Anna Wyatt and Ella Franklin supported well as did Maya Stair, Mia Hollands and Bella Hollands for the B team.
Max Gayle led the boys to hand over to Ivo Edgar who kept the club well placed. Chichester’s third runner had to withdraw through illness so Gayle stepped in and pulled through to second place with the 4th fastest lap of the day, a 6.02 clocking.
There were several good team performances from the Chi under-13s and under-15s with top five finishes, just outside the medals.
Carrie Anelay got the under-15 girls off to a good start with Millie Isitt keeping up the pace before handing over to Anya Barrett who produced the fastest time of the trio at 5.46, just off fourth place.
Josh Dunne led the under-15 boys off in fine style
with a 4.55 clocking, fourth fastest of the day.
Noah Collins and Sam Cato kept up the pace to give Chichester a top 10 placing in the most competitive age group of the day.
The under-13 boys had Ben Stewart and Grant Elmes having their first ever race for the club.
The pair were under six minutes for their legs with Harry Dunne bringing the team home in fifth with just six seconds separating the times of the trio.
Among the seniors and veterans, there were more absentees than runners in the Chi senior men’s team and veteran Jo Corbett led the team off and was rewarded with a superb time of 10.05 for the two-mile circuit, fastest over 40 time of the day.
Two of Chichester’s seniors were also in action with fast improving Michael Kwoka a good 11.35 and Chris West crossing in 10.58.
There was a steady performance from the over-50 pair Seve Davy and Matt
de Lacy with over-60 Peter Dunne making up the scoring.
In the women’s veteran race, the club had teams in the over 40, over 50 and over 60 age groups.
An outstanding team performance from the 60s made them the club’s first team to finish and they gained the Sussex title and gold medals.
Jane Harrop was back in action with a storming opening leg in 13.09, bettered by only a handful of 40 and 50 year olds.
Harrop handed to Helen
Dean whose 13.29 clocking was the second fastest of the day.
Mention must be made of the fighting qualities of the club’s third runner, Amanda Godfrey, who battled through leg pain to maintain a gap over Arena 80 and bring the team home to win by nearly two minutes.
Nadia Anderson, Kim Nelson and Dee Bedford led the over-50s into 4th, while the over-40 trio of Paivi Leivo, Elaine Cruttenden and Sasha Vargin were fifth.