Toby’s aiming for Gosport hat-trick
Almost 2,000 set to pound streets in half marathon
Toby Lambert will this weekend attempt to win his second successive 2019/20 Hampshire Road Race League event.
The Winchester AC runner triumphed in the Hayling 10 mile event earlier this month, and on Sunday competes again in the 34th staging of the popular Gosport Half Marathon.
Lambert, one of almost 2,000 men and women to have entered, is also aiming for his third Gosport success having won in 2007 (1.05.36) and again in 2014 (1.08.00).
Last year Exmouth Harrier Tom Merson won in a new course record of 1.07.33 - the new course having first been used in 2014.
Winchester’s Lorna Russell won the women’s race in 1.18.52 - 29 seconds adrift of Southampton AC runner Bryher Bowness’ course record set in 2017.
Neither Merson or Russell are back to defend their titles this weekend.
Another absentee is Chichester AC’s James Baker, who over the years has been a regular face in the top 10.
Baker has won the event four times - in 2003 (1:08:11), 2006 (1:08:50), 2008 (1:08:47) and 2017 (1.09.50). He was fifth last year in 1.13.15.
City of Portsmouth’s Emma Jolley was second woman in 2017 (1.20.53) and fourth woman in 2016. Other recent wins:
2016 Jonathan Roberts (Southampton) 1.09.40, Ellie Monks (Southampton) 1.21.36
2015 Jo Corbett (Chichester) 1.11.09, Sarah Hill (Farnham) 1.20.29
2014 Toby Lambert
Winchester 1.08.00, Emma Macready (Haslemere), 1.18.54
2013 Alex Wall-Clarke (Southampton) 1.07.20, Lesley Locks (Hart Road Runners) 1.17.57
2012 Matt Ravier (Southampton), 1.08.23, Erica Fogg (New Forest Runners) 1.19.13
2011 Andy Greenleaf (Winchester) 1.07.51, Liz Hartney (Reading) 1.20.23 2010
Thomas Payn (Winchester) 1.05.43, Helen Taranowski (West 4 Harriers) 1.20.13 Payn also won the race in 2005, in 1.09.42, when he was a City of Portsmouth AC member.
The Gosport Half is the fourth event of the 12-series Hampshire Road Race.
The next event is the Victory 5 on December 1, followed by the Stubbington 10k on January 12.
Other events: Ryde 10 mile (February 2), Salisbury 10 mile (March 29), Alton 10 mile (May 3), Netley 10k (May 17), Alresford 10k (June 21), Lordshill 10k (June 28).
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