2012 Reports
Last updated: Monday, 2 April, 2012Fernandez & Hartney Lead Them Home
Event: 30th White Horse Half Marathon
Time: 10:00am
Date: Sunday, 1 April, 2012
Venue: Old Mill Hall, Grove
After an early morning frost the weather conditions improved greatly to allow the runners to enjoy another fine day at the 30th White Horse Half Marathon, incorporating the Oxfordshire County Half Marathon Championships which also constitutes the second of the Oxfordshire Grand Prix events in the 2012 series. The conditions although very sunny remained generally cool which was a blessing for both the runners as well as the organisers.
Photos: Richard Jégou
The race started promptly at 10:00am with a sizeable crowd of supporters and bystanders to cheer the runners off. The main protagonists quickly settled into the race and by the 2–mile mark just beyond the bridge on the outward stretch a leading group of three contenders had started to ease away. The three included Paul Fernandez (Abingdon Amblers AC), Christopher Dettmar (Headington Road Runners) and James Bolton (Woodstock Harriers AC). Clearly Paul Fernandez had set his sights on repeating his 2010 victory.
However, things did not appear to going exactly according to plan for Paul as Christopher Dettmar began to build a significant lead over the middle section of the course, after the pair had drawn away from James Bolton. This appeared to be the decisive move of the race as the Headington Road Runner gradually extended his lead. The second place man kept to his consistent pace and started to reel the leader back in and by the 9–mile mark. It was clear by this stage that the Abingdon Ambler was the stronger of the two and psychologically the battle was won.
By the time the leaders had reached the bridge on the return to the finish Paul Fernandez had already built a winning margin which would be enough to see off his rival. The winning margin at the finish was 16 seconds with the victor crossing the line in a time of 1:11:01. In securing the victory Paul Fernandez also claimed the overall men’s County Championship title. James Bolton maintained his position and had to settle for third place again to finish just over two minutes adrift of the leader.
The ladies were led home by the veteran L45 athlete Liz Hartney (Reading Road Runners), who finished in 39th place overall recording a time of 1:23:02 and in doing so set a new course record in the L45 Open event category. In second place the veteran L35 athlete Angela Carpenter (Chichester Runners & AC) crossed the line in 51st place overall well over two minutes adrift. Liz Grolimund (Alchester RC), the leading senior lady, claimed the final podium place finishing a further four places adrift.
The leading home club athlete was Paul Jégou who finished in 11th place overall completing the course in a time of 1:16:53, just 30 seconds adrift of the time he produced in the 2011 race to secure the Kit Trophy (Leading Male White Horse Harrier). Lucia Singer retained the Coachman Trophy (Leading Female White Horse Harrier) for the fourth successive year crossing the finish line in a time of 1:38:07 to secure 133rd position overall, an improvement on the previous year’s time of almost 5 minutes!
Following Paul Fernandez (Abingdon Amblers AC) and James Bolton (Woodstock Harriers AC) home in 4th place overall was Aaron Burgess (Oxford City AC), who picked up bronze medals in both the Open and Oxfordshire County Championships senior men’s categories in doing so. Christopher Dettmar (Headington Road Runners) sealed victory in the Open M40 men’s category recording a time of 1:11:17 by finishing in second place overall, with Julian Richardson (Oxford City AC) and Andrew Cooney (Datchet Dashers) picking up the silver and bronze medals respectively. In the Oxfordshire County Championships Julian Richardson (Oxford City AC), Brian O’Connor (Woodstock Harriers AC) and David Cantwell (Woodstock Harriers AC) claimed the gold silver and bronze medals. The V50 men’s title in both the Open and Oxfordshire County Championships events was taken by Andy Phelps (Headington Road Runners) crossing the line in a time of 1:20:48 to finish in 28th position overall. In the M60 category Roy Treadwell produced a new course record for the class to earn both the Open and Oxfordshire County Championships titles by recording a time of 1:23:29. There was no winner of the Oxfordshire County M70 category title this year.
As well as taking the overall ladies title, Liz Hartney (Reading Road Runners) also secured the L45 Open category title by a massive 12–minute margin. Liz Grolimund (Alchester RC) secured both the Open and County Championship senior ladies category titles by finishing as third lady overall. As the second lady home in a time of 1:25:21 Angela Carpenter (Chichester Runners & AC) saw off her rivals for the Open L35 title. The L35 County Championship title was won by Sarah Rendell (Alchester RC) in a time of 1:28:17 finishing in 64th position overall. Lucy Gettins (Compton Harriers RC) recorded a time of 1:39:59 to finish in 154th place overall and secure the County Championship L45 category title. The L55 category Open title was won by Kate Williamson (Eynsham Road Runners) recording a time of 1:41:03 to finish in 165th position overall and in doing so Kate also collected the L65 County Championship title. Susan Haines (Woodstock Harriers AC) secured the Oxfordshire County L55 category title recording a time of 1:56:04.
The men’s team events were again dominated by the Oxfordshire clubs with the Woodstock Harriers AC team of James Bolton (3rd), Brian O’Connor (12th), Kevin Game (16th) and David Cantwell (17th) retaining both the Open and County team titles for the fifth successive year! The margin of victory in the Open team event was uncomfortably tight though, with just 2 points separating them from their closest rivals Headington Road Runners ‘A’. The team of Headington Road Runners took the silver medals with a points tally of 74 points just 12 points adrift of the winners. Abingdon Amblers AC ‘A’ completed the podium in both the Open and Oxfordshire County events to claim the bronze medals.
This year, the Alchester RC ladies’ turned the tables on their Headington Road Runners rivals to take the team titles in both the Open and Oxfordshire Championship events, which were likewise dominated by the Oxfordshire clubs. The Alcester RC team of Liz Grolimund (55th), Sarah Rendell (64th) and Reena Lawlor (131st) held off their nearest challengers Headington Road Runners ‘A’ to win both titles by exactly the same margin of 25 points. As last year the Headington Road Runners Ladies ‘B’ team had to settle for third place secure the bronze medals in both the Open and Oxfordshire County Championship events.
Following the race the awards presentations took place in Old Mill Hall, Grove with the Open category prizes being presented to the winners this year by Karina Adie on behalf of this year’s supported charity The English Federation of Disability Sport, the supported charity for this year’s event. In his capacity as chairman of the Oxfordshire AA, John Sear, presented the individual and team awards to the successful athletes in the County Half Marathon Championships.
As always the organisers of the White Horse Half Marathon would like to thank all of our contributors and volunteers this year for their support and efforts 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. Thanks also go to the sponsors of this year’s race, Fit2Run, to whom we are indebted for their invaluable support.
For the full results you can click on the link below:
Finally, don’t forget to check the website of the official race photographer at www.philoconnor.com for the official race day photographs. They will be available to view online very shortly, so watch this space!
Dene Stringfellow