Press Report 19th November 2007

Ilford AC enjoyed some considerable success in the Essex 10k road championships held on a bitterly cold and windy Sunday afternoon at Melbourne Chelmsford. No less than 18 athletes from the Cricklefields based club contested the race with the men's scoring team of Malcolm Muir (32.51), Iain Campbell 34.15 and Carlos Pinilla 34.50 coming away with a superb bronze in the open race. Muir's excellent 4th place overall was backed up by Campbell's county silver in the veterans race with Pinilla, although not eligible to complete a team Essex bronze, nevertheless delighted with a personal best over the distance.

Pinilla, just 19 and a recent import from Columbia, has been going from strength to strength this winter and heads a group of talented young middle distance athletes who have been training together specifically for this race. Another under 20 is Iain Macdonald who kept his form together admirably to secure yet another PB with 36.57. Club captain Darren Bottrill, after promising much in training, at last delivered the goods finishing strongly to record 36.21 and slicing 4 minutes from his previous best.

Neil Crisp recorded his best time since his return to the sport last year and was more than happy not just to record 37.48 but to get the better of Andy Catton back in 38.20. Terry Knightlley confessed to being a bit ring rusty but was glad to be back in the fold with 39.11. Abdi Berleen continues to run strong with yet another sub 40 clocking of 39.40. Steve Parker gave his weary legs a good work out following his recent outing in the Athens marathon with 42.52 and Henry Ricketts was another to record a personal best with 44.40. In the over 60s Robin Davis ran well finishing in 56.23 just getting the better of Gerry Pells 57.24.

 

More success came in the womens race as Bree Nordin did battle against her old Essex adversaries to win the W45 bronze in both the Essex AAAs and open races. Sally Gillam was next home for the club looking strong up the last climb to come home in 47.36 ahead of Nicola Hopkinson 47.50 who did not have one of her better days. Dianne Crisp was not far adrift in 48.20. Victoria Morgan enjoyed her first outing over the distance. Targeting a time just under 50 mins and after only just making the start she composed herself to run a sensibly paced race to finish very comfortably in 49.58.  

 

The previous day Ilford's superveterans Pam Jones and John Batchelor had been on international duty running for England in the British and Irish Masters International held on the Stormont Castle Estate in Belfast. Pam had a great weekend finishing 4th in W65's behind Christine Lee (England) and two Welsh ladies, Pauline Thomas and Brenda Jones, who won the age group last year. Pam was 2nd scorer for England who also finished 2nd in the team race behind Wales but described her run as "just ok" believing that had she showed a little bit more the Welsh girls were there for the taking. The course was 3 laps of 2k with 2 small hills but mostly grassland not real cross country but quite testing as the soft grass took its toll on the 3rd lap. Batchelor also finished 4th in the 65's but was 3rd scorer in a victorious English team which also included Les Haynes, Gordon Orme and Steve James. Colchester and Tendring's Margaret Deasy had a great run finishing 7th overall in the womens race and 2nd in the W40's contributing to a team win for England.

 

The club now look forward to the third fixture in the Essex Cross Country League next Saturday at Gloucester Park, Basildon.