Kentish Express Ashford & District
County top-20 spot for Hodges
Ashford & District Road Running Club took on the county’s finest in the Kent Cross-Country Championships at Brands Hatch on Saturday.
Jack Hodges, representing the club in the under-20 men’s field, finished the 6,100m course in 25min-10sec for 19th place.
The senior men raced over 12,000m, with Trevor Kay first home, and 75th overall, in 51.18.
He was followed by Julius Samson (54.08, 109th), Paul Crisp (54.37, 114th), Scott Lynch (54.44, 116th), James Booth (54.59, 119th) and Paul Moses (56.54, 135th) to clinch a top-10 spot in the six-to-score event. Other senior men’s times: Alex Francis (57.12, 140th), Mark Harrison (57.25, 141st), Steve Hodges (57.45, 144th), Cris Francis (58.34, 151st), Adrian Beresford (59.37, 157th), Daniel Head (59.43, 158th), Richard Boakes (1hr00min14sec, 161st), Michael Stanley (1:00.14, 162nd), Daniel Green (1:00.43, 166th), Peter Buckley (1:15.49, 198th).
The senior women had the worst of the weather over 8,350m but Gemma CarterCollins was 25th in 39.42. Alice Cook was 56th in 42.53 and six seconds and a place behind was Alison Waters, securing a top-10 finish in the three-to-score.
With Tracey Calnan (44.13, 62nd), Ailis Goddard (44.21, 63rd) and Sally Smith (44.59, 67th) also running well, Ashford took fifth in the six-to-score. Other times: Lesley Taylor (47.02, 84th), Sophie Edmonds (47.22, 88th), Jill Crofton-Martin (47.29, 91st), Emma Hanna (48.16, 92nd), Massah Cooper (50.50, 102nd), Jaclyn Kay (54.12, 108th), Lucy Johnston (57.24, 110th).
Rik Holden added to his marathon tally over Christmas and New Year, completing the Saxon Shore in 3hr49min33sec.
All three Ashford & District runners at the End of the Year 10-miler in Staplehurst recorded personal bests.
Cris Francis was 29th, 10th in the men’s 40-49 category, in 1:10.53. Darren Fagg was 51st in 1:16.23 and Waters finished fourth woman and first in the 45-54 age group in 1:14.28.