2009 Reports
Last updated: Thursday, 14 May, 2009Farmer & Penfold Take The Honours
Event: 27th White Horse Half Marathon
Time: 10:00am
Date: Sunday, 5 April, 2009
Venue: Old Mill Hall, Grove
After last year’s freak wintry conditions which came close to causing the event to be cancelled, this year the race organisers couldn’t have asked for better conditions – dry with clear skies, sunny and not too warm. The 27th running of the White Horse Half Marathon which is an Oxfordshire County Championship and Grand Prix Series event, again sponsored by Nicholas S. Ponting – Door, Window and Conservatory Specialist, drew a sizeable crowd to cheer the athletes home at the finish on the green adjacent to Denchworth Road in Grove.
Photos: Paul Jégou
In the bright morning sunshine Paul Farmer (Ampthill & Flitwick Flyers RC) broke away from his nearest rivals to gain a useful lead by the time he had reached Denchworth at about the two and a half mile point. By the end of the race Paul had built on his early lead to finish almost three full minutes clear to record a time of 1:12:06. Tony Lock (Witney RR) held off James Bolton (Woodstock Harriers AC) to claim the county half marathon title by seven seconds and in so doing crossed the line in second and third place respectively.
Charlotte Penfold (Bournemouth AC) had a similarly convincing victory in the ladies’ race crossing the line in a time of 1:21:57 taking 22nd place overall in the race. Charlotte’s nearest challengers – over three minutes adrift – were Samantha Amend (Handy Cross Runners) second over the line in 37th place overall and Liz Grolimund (Alchester RC) securing third place in 64th place overall a further three and a half minutes back.
The first of the home club’s runners to cross the finish line this year was Dan Peace who finished in 44th place overall recording a time of 1:25:44. Lucia Singer, the only lady running for the home club, claimed bronze in the L35 Oxfordshire County Championships with her 142nd place overall recording a time of 1:37:50.
By finishing in second place overall Tony Lock (Witney RR) recorded a time of 1:15:02 to also claim a comfortable victory in both the men’s Open and Oxfordshire County V40 category. were taken by Bryan Vaughan (Woodstock Harriers AC) who recorded a time of 1:19:16 saw off his closest rivals to secure the men’s V50 class Open and Oxfordshire County titles finishing in 8th place overall. Roy Treadwell (Oxford City AC) improved on his second place of last year to record a victory in the men’ V60 class recording a time of 1:25:28 finishing in 41st place overall and earn the Open and Oxfordshire County titles. Des King (Abingdon Amblers AC) secured gold in the V70 Oxforshire County Championships category with a time of 2:21:15.
In the ladies’ veteran categories Yvonne Scarrott (Nene Valley Harriers) recorded at time of 1:29:13 to cross the line in 70th position overall to win the L35 class Open title just ahead of the unattached runner Kay Walsha who by finishing in 72nd place claimed the L35 class Oxfordshire County title. In the L45 class Angela Banks (Alchester RC) was a comfortable winner of both the Open and Oxfordshire County titles finishing in 89th position overall in a time of 1:31:48. Margaret Ehrenberg (Sparkhill Harriers) was the victor in the L55 Open class crossing the line over 14 minutes clear of her nearest challenger recording a time of 1:49:34 to finish in 246th position overall. Sarah Grylls (Headington RR) crossing the line in a time of 2:06:01 to record 403rd position overall took the L55 class Oxfordshire County Championships title. There was no winner of the L65 Oxfordshire County title.
The men’s team events were dominated by Oxfordshire clubs with the Woodstock Harriers AC team of James Bolton (3rd), Brian O’Connor (7th), Bryan Vaughan (8th) and Hans Price (17th) retaining the titles they won a year ago. In fact the first three members of the Woodstock Harriers AC team either improved on or repeated their positions of last year. Headington RR secured second place with Alchester RC again having to settle for third place.
In the ladies’ Open and Oxfordshire Championships team events the Alchester RC team of Liz Grolimund (64th), Sarah Rendell (85th) and Angela Banks (89th) were crowned with the Open and Oxfordshire County titles comfortably ahead of their nearest challengers Headington RR – last year’s winners – and Avon Valley Runners, who finished in second and third place respectively. Kidlington R & AC Ladies took team bronze in the Oxfordshire County Championships.
The prizes this year were presented to the winners by Frank Parnell, Chairman of Grove Parish Council at the awards ceremony held after the race in Old Mill Hall, Grove.
Once again, I would like to thank all of the volunteers for their efforts this year in helping to make this event another great success, in particular, the officials, the recorders, St. John Ambulance, and all of the marshals and helpers without whom the race could not take place.
For the full results you can click on the link below:
Finally, for pictures of the race taken on the day go to the official race photo site www.philoconnor.com using the following link:
Photos will be available shortly, so watch this space!
Dene Stringfellow