You are currently viewing Simon Jones, Peter Hogben & Emily Collins all Achieve Top 3 Finishes at Betteshanger Park

The weather for the fifth Kent Fitness League race at Betteshanger Country Park on 14th January was at least kinder than that for the race at Minnis Bay on the previous Sunday, albeit rather cold. This led to a record number of finishers at Betteshanger Country Park, breaking the 400 barrier for the first time. At the top end of the field, Simon Jones secured a season-best second place, just two seconds behind winner Alexander Donnelly of Medway & Maidstone. Eleven seconds behind Simon was Peter Hogben in third. Peter remains in the lead in the men’s individual championship.

Simon Jones at Betteshanger Park where he finished second

For the Harrier women, Emily Collins achieved an even more impressive result than the previous week’s second place at Minnis. She was again second to Charlotte Johnston of Maidstone Harriers, who is now already assured of retaining her title, but this time she also beat Sarah Shepheard of Paddock Wood AC and Andrea Berquez of Sevenoaks AC who had skipped the race at Minnis Bay. This also means that Emily is second in the women’s individual championship.

Emily Collins at Betteshanger Park where she was second female finisher

Emily beating Sarah Shepheard was an important factor in the Harriers again winning the women’s team race, this time by only three placing points ahead of Paddock Wood AC. Emily was supported by Lucie Parker (V35 scorer and another top ten finish in seventh place), Claire Pluckrose (V55), Nicky Leatherbarrow (V45) and Barbara Wenman as scorers. That leaves the top three in the women’s team championship looking as follows:

RankClubMatchBest 4TotalTBPlaces
12345
1Canterbury H18171718187188460
2Sevenoaks AC16181617166783555
3Paddock Wood AC14161811176576686

For the men, the other scorers were Yiannis Christodoulou (second V40 scorer), Ben Parmar, Peter Whall, Greg Norman (V60), Colin Kent (first V50) and Adam Cowper-Smith (second V50). Peter Ash made a fine debut for the club in the league. The men’s team finished sixth and the club was fifth in the combined team result. That leaves the club sixth in the combined team standings, the top seven of which are:

RankClubMatchBest 4TotalTBPlaces
12345
1Petts Wood Runners171718181570852698
2Medway & Mstn AC181615161767822794
3Sevenoaks AC141817141363762995
4Dartford H151514151661752979
5Paddock Wood AC131416131861743090
6Canterbury H161313171460733275
7Maidstone H121012121248584731

The club is also sixth in the men’s team standings, the top eight of which are:

RankClubMatchBest 4TotalTBPlaces
12345
1Medway & Mstn AC181818181872901270
2Petts Wood Runners171517171566812009
3Dartford H161615161765802087
4Sevenoaks AC141716131461742440
5Paddock Wood AC131414141658712404
6Canterbury H151211151355662815
7Istead & Ifield H121312111148593360
8Maidstone H111013121248583495

There are photos from the race in the gallery.

47 Canterbury Harriers finished

Ov Pos Lg Pos Runner Age Time Score Rtg #
2 2 Simon Jones 48 29:36 V40:1 99.65 44
3 3 Peter Hogben 31 29:47 M1 99.31 27
15 15 Yiannis Christodoulou 40 31:16 V40:2 95.14 42
45 45 Ben Parmar 29 33:46 M2 84.72 11
57 2 Emily Collins 29 34:34 F1 99.38 16
63 59 Peter Whall 31 35:07 M3 79.86 5
66 61 Roddy McLachlan 45 35:10 NSBLS 79.17 15
75 69 Greg Norman 63 35:37 V60 76.39 15
77 7 Lucie Parker 37 35:44 V35 96.27 4
83 74 Matt Slark 35 35:59 NSBLS 74.65 22
94 81 Henry Cox 26 36:34 NSBLS 72.22 21
121 105 Matt Newman 37 38:10 NSBLS 63.89 10
135 22 Claire Pluckrose 55 38:51 V55 86.96 27
149 125 Aron Hancock 44 39:41 NSBLS 56.94 5
167 29 Nicky Leatherbarrow 57 40:17 V45 82.61 10
169 30 Barbara Wenman 65 40:20 F2 81.99 107
206 165 Colin Kent 58 42:02 V50:1 43.06 72
208 167 Adam Cowper-Smith 64 42:12 V50:2 42.36 43
221 176 Mark Wenman 69 42:49 NS 39.24 103
224 179 John Cooper 64 42:56 NS 38.19 39
226 180 Paul Pollard 47 43:02 NS 37.85 3
239 188 Peter Ash 54 43:24 NS 35.07 Debut
255 197 Gary Robertson 61 44:09 NS 31.94 11
256 198 Nathaniel Wells 30 44:20 NS 31.60 12
270 64 Emily Nurden 26 44:48 NS 60.87 4
274 210 Steve Clark 70 45:08 NS 27.43 137
295 74 Sara Sinnerton 30 46:02 NS 54.66 4
304 79 Sammy Black 43 46:36 NS 51.55 13
315 231 Paul Moore 59 47:22 NS 20.14 10
320 233 Joe Hicks 70 47:48 NS 19.44 77
328 91 Jean Roffe 56 48:30 NS 44.10 16
351 105 Hannah Wilding 30 50:01 NS 35.40 18
353 248 Tony Savage 69 50:13 NS 14.24 58
376 260 Steve Reynolds 65 51:58 NS 10.07 108
380 262 Jon Vann 67 52:32 NS 9.38 41
382 119 Emily Parris 31 52:36 NS 26.71 6
383 120 Deb Parris 55 52:36 NS 26.09 34
385 264 Phil Wyard 61 53:14 NS 8.68 34
395 270 Marco Keir 62 53:53 NS 6.60 71
398 127 Shirley Pullen 59 54:42 NS 21.74 41
406 274 Geoff Burston 74 56:02 NS 5.21 28
417 138 Jane Hadler 58 58:21 NS 14.91 18
420 140 Julie Cox 62 59:04 NS 13.66 7
430 284 Andy Farrant 67 1:01:08 NS 1.74 82
432 148 Tina Jones 77 1:02:19 NS 8.70 57
439 287 Roy Gooderson 66 1:06:22 NS 0.69 85
443 156 Aleisha Robinson 25 1:14:22 NS 3.73 4

Full results are on the KFL site.

Robin Bell of Plumstead has produced a video of the race:

The next race in the league is at Allhallows on 4th February at 11am.