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Last updated 24 November 2008

Welcome to the Masters Section for 2008

	A message from your leaders... amended 5-05-08
	SCVAC Full details of matches and Time Tables for Kent in 2008 27-02-08
	24 November 2008 - The Colyton Fiver  24-11-08
	20/21 September 2008 - Kent Combined Events - Masters & U13 - Erith  22-09-08
	6 September 2008 - SCVAC Area Final at Ashford 7-09-08
	5 September 2008 - European Masters Games 2008, Malmo, Sweden  7-09-08
	25 August 2008  - SW Vets 5k Road Champs 27-08-08
	10 August 2008 - Masters Inter-Area match at Hemel Hempstead 25-08-08
	24 July 2008 - European Masters Championships 2008  5-08-08
	20 July 2008 - Wellington 10 mile Road Race & SW Vets 10 mile Championships 22-07-08
	11 July 2008 - Kent Veteran's League - Erith 14-07-08
	5/6 July 2008 - British Masters Championships, Birmingham 30-06-08
	27 June 2008 - Kent Veteran's League - Erith 30-06-08
	26 June 2008 - Exeter Festival 5 30-06-08
	16 June 2008 - BMAF Weight Pentathlon at Milton Keynes 17-06-08
	15 June 2008 - SW Vets T&F Champs, Exeter 15-06-08
	9 June 2008 - Kent Veteran's League - Ashford 15-06-08
	1 June 2008 - SCVAC Championships - Ashford 25-06-08
	19 May 2008 - Kent Veteran's League - Norman Park 23-05-08
	2 May 2008 - Kent Veteran's League - Deangate  3-05-08
	21 April 2008 - Kent Veteran's League - Sutcliffe Park 28-04-08
	17-22 March 2008 -  World Masters Indoors, France 1-05-08
	A brief round up of Masters Track and Field action this winter so far  29-02-08
	23/24 February 2008 - National Vets Indoor Track Championships 26-02-08
	9 February 2008 - SCVAC Indoor Track Championships 26-02-08
	27 January 2008 - SW Vets X/C  14-02-08
	5 January 2008 - SW Vets X/C  7-01-08

24 November 2008 - The Colyton Fiver

Bob Minting running well...

Bob was 2nd V45 and outkicked our Jess - much to her 'chagrin'. I personally would have let her 'lead' me in - reminds me of the time when M Peel followed Lesley Watson for most of the London to Brighton for similar reasons - Happy Days.

1 27:32 Wayne Stephens Bideford AAC M35

20 32:49 Bob Minting Blackheath & Bromley HAC M55
21 32:55 Jessica Watkins Sidmouth RC

Chris Woodcock

6 September 2008 - SCVAC Area Final at Ashford

We are the Champions, again!

5 September 2008 - European Masters Games 2008, Malmo, Sweden

The first ever European Masters Games took place in Malmo, Sweden, at the beginning of September. The Games are rather like the Olympics, with about a dozen sports involved, including track and field. Coming only a month after the European Masters Athletics Championships in Slovenia, the British presence in the track and field events was small, but sprinter and Club M50 100m and 200m record holder Tom Phillips was there as part of the squad. The track events events were dogged by strong headwinds in the stadium, but some fine performances were achieved throughout the week-long track and field competition. Tom made his mark with an early win in the 100m (12.49), and followed this later with a win at 200m (25.67). He then had to rush back to the UK overnight to take part in the Southern Counties League Final at Ashford on the following morning, and raced 100m, 200m and legs in both relays, helping the Club to retain its Masters League title.

Barton St. David, Somerset, Mon  August 25 - hilly/testing/overcast

1st M60 Pete Hamilton 19m 10s

1st M65 Chris Woodcock 21m 47s

So PH & CW do the SW double once again & hold the B&B flag high..

10 August - Masters Inter-Area match at Hemel Hempstead 25-08-08

Just two Blackheath & Bromley athletes were selected for the Masters Inter-Area match at Hemel Hempstead on 10 August. Helen Godsell and Tom Phillips both sprinted for the victorious Southern Counties side in a hotly contested match, held on an afternoon of heavy showers and strong cross winds.

Helen won the W50 100m and 200m (14.4 and 28.5), while Tom ran a season's best 12.4 to win the 100m, and 25.5 to claim second place over 200m.

This was the first time for several years that the Inter-Area Match had been held. It is the Masters equivalent of the Inter-Counties competition, and attracted top Masters athletes from all over Britain, including many who, like tom and Helen, had only returned a few days previously from the European Masters Championships in Slovenia.

24 July 2008 - European Masters Championships 2008

Just two B&B athletes went to the European Masters in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The rest missed a very friendly championships, run in (mostly) delightful warm weather, and hosted by one of Europe's most delightful cities.

Helen Godsell had a very successful time, gaining silver in the W50 100m (13.57, her best of the year), a sixth place in the 200m (timed at 28.11 in the semi-final), and gold medals with the 4x100m and 4x400m squads, these in what may both prove to be W50 World Record times.

Tom Phillips came home happy, but with no medals on this occasion. He achieved his 2008 goals of making both the M50 100m and 200m finals, ran a season's best of 12.48 in his 100 heat, plus a personal best and new Club M50 record of 24.99 in the 200m semi-final. So strong were the British M50 sprinters in Slovenia (six of them in the 200m final, for example!), that Tom was only reserve for the eventual gold medal winning 4x100m squad.

20 July 2008 - Wellington 10 mile Road Race & SW Vets 10 mile Championships

Wellington, Somerset - warm & windy
VERY HILLY - probably the toughest 10 mile course I have ever run - hence the personal worst time!
102nd C.P.Woodcock 1hr 17m 7s ( 4th M60 & 1st M65 )

Over 250 finished in BOTH the 10 mile and accompanying 10k race, a well supported and well organised event but extremely hard work.

11 July 2008 - Kent Veteran's League - Erith

On a horribly damp and soggy night at Erith, the Ladies won their match by just 1 point (results yet to be checked) and so qualify for the final on better accumulated match scores. Great team performance and great leadership by Anne. Some really gutsy efforts not least by Barbara Terry joining Anne and doing the final event the 2000m walk in the pouring rain.

The men had already qualified and didn't even need to turn up but a fairly lacklustre effort saw them finish 2nd to Dartford. Best performance was an excellent 9.16 3000m by Jon Thorpe.

Mike

Ammendments to team declarations - Jackie ran a string 400m 71.3, Bridget ran b string 73.1 Barbara Terry did the w50s walk not heather
Anne x

5/6 July 2008 - British Masters Championships, Birmingham

British Masters Championships, Birmingham 5 and 6 July 2008

The British summer robbed the Championships of some of their sparkle. With winds gusting up to more than 5 metres a second throughout the weekend, jumpers got lots of wind assistance, and sprinters got plenty of “personal worst” times. Good to see seventeen of our Masters in Birmingham, and see them claiming a bag-full of medals.

There was gold for Bill Foster in the M45 5,000m (15.59.13), back to great form after a bit of a lay-off, and racing through a downpour on the Sunday afternoon. Gold also for Richard Holt in the M35 400 hurdles (59.28), gold for Barbara Terry in the W60 discus (21.75) and double gold for Colin Brand in M70 discus (33.25) and javelin (38.69). Allan Williams, newly promoted to the M55 age group, and getting back to form, vaulted 3.81m for gold and a championship best performance. And Club President Tim Soutar survived a bit of a baptism (well, several actually) in his first 3,000m steeplechase for some time, to win gold in 11.20.08.

Peter Hamilton’s silver in the M60 1,500m was another in his spate of Club M60 records (5.01.77). Unclear whether his 5,000m time came near a record, as he seems to have disappeared from the results. There was a superb performance for silver for Steve Langdon in the M50 javelin, his 50.15m obliterating Colin Brand’s former record, set back in 1988.

Supporting performances included three silvers and a bronze for Barbara Terry to add to her gold, a silver for Gordon Hickey in the M70 shot, two silvers for Helen Godsell (W50 200m and 400m), and a 100m bronze. Silver medal also for Nigel Keogh in a close M40 400m (54.03), and for Jennie Butler in the W35 1,500m. 

Sorry, I didn’t note all the wind readings in the sprints.

27 June 2008 - Kent Veteran's League - Erith

Results from Friday. Travel chaos for most and now the ladies have to win their final fixture to make the final. Even though the figures are wrong, the men have now already qualified for the final and actually don't even need to turn up at Erith!

Story of the night was the medley relay team where we put in an over 50s team as Bob Minting wanted to set a record. With 2 over the age of 58 and an average age of 56 we beat all the other teams who had 35 to 40 year olds competing for them. Bob Minting ran an excellent 2.10 800m final leg to win the event.

Regards
Mike

In the results below Anne Cilia in the 100m and discus should read Carolyna Jones-Baldock

26 June 2008 - Exeter Festival 5

Actually 4.33 miles Thursday 26th June - Exeter Quay - scenic towpath course - breezy

27th C P Woodcock 29m 16s - 1st M65 also 1 M60 (entered as B&B but down in results as Sidmouth RC - the organisers reckoned I could score for second claim club - exceeding generous - especially as I was the first 'Sidmouth' person home! )

Regards to all
Chris

16 June 2008 - BMAF Weight Pentathlon at Milton Keynes

Colin Brand won the M70 with 3900 points; Barbara Terry was 2nd in the W60 (don't have) her points score; Gordon Hickey was 5th in the M70 with 2828 points.

15 June 2008 - SW Vets T&F Champs, Exeter

Exeter Arena Sunday 15th June

Light breeze & drizzle during the 5000
5000m 1st overall & 1st M60 Peter Hamilton 18m 16.0s - championship record & B&B M60 record
PH led for most of race after early 'charger' faded V quickly!
5th overall & 1st M65 Chris Woodcock 20m 57.5s
(However John Perratt was 3rd overall & 1st M70 in 20m 14.9s - championship record)

Stopped raining for 800m
800m 3rd overall & 1st M55 Bob Minting - reckon just under 2m 10s

Regards to all
Chris

9 June 2008 - Kent Veteran's League - Ashford

Our Masters Teams go from strength to strength, and continue to set the competitive role model for the rest of the Club! The fourth round of the Kent Masters League, on a warm, and unusually windless evening at the Julie Rose Stadium at Ashford saw big wins by both our men’s and ladies Division 1 teams. These nevertheless came from teams which were not really at full strength, and despite some injury mishaps on the night.

Solid field events performances by Craig Michinson (high jump and javelin), Colin Brand (shot and javelin), and good high jumping from Clem Leon supported another huge M50 javelin win by Steve Langdon. Steve threw 46.82, a mere 5cm below his best throw of the season. He is currently several metres ahead of the rest in the British M50 javelin rankings for 2008. Great high jumping too by John Robinson, whose M60 win in 1.28m left the opposition really trailing.

On the track, Club President Tim Soutar won the M50 1500m in a dominating 4.39.5, but ran as a non-scorer! A few metres back, Ken Daniel took the winners points, in a useful 4.43.0. Keith Ewing was unlucky in the M35-49 race to suffer a leg injury, and pulled out with a lap to go.

Our men’s 200m sprinters claimed a good clutch of points. Masters skipper Tom Phillips, although nearing the top of his M50 age group, ran in the M35-49 event, and was only just pipped on the line for victory. If only he hadn’t drawn lane 1. Back to form, Ricky Fox won the B race. Clem Leon took second in the M50s, with Mike Martineau fourth in the M60 race.

Yet another Club M60 record for Peter Hamilton, too. Although racing as a non-scorer, his 5.04.0 1500m demolished his own, fairly recent record over the distance.

It has been a nail-biter of a season for the Ladies Div 1 team, but two wins in a row have brought them back to the top of the Division, equal on league points with Cambridge, but just ahead on match points. Track stars were Jennie Butler (her Masters team track debut) and Carolyna Jones-Baldock, whose 1500m wins were completely dominant. Jennie’s time of 5.03.5, while slightly below her season’s best to date, still ranks amongst the dozen best times nationally this season.

Helen Godsell’s W50 200m win was by a huge margin, befitting a good 28.8 time. Jackie Montgomery won the W34-49 B race, and Caroline Nyamusi took second in the A race. In the field events, Barbara Terry blew away the rest in both shot and javelin. Nanette Cross threw the javelin in W50, thus competing with athletes up to fifteen years her junior, yet won very convincingly.

The ladies 4x400m relay team dominated, winning by well over half a lap. Not so the men’s team, who, despite excellent efforts by Clem Leon and Ricky Fox, were unable to intrude on the hot contest between Dartford and Cambridge being fought a few metres ahead.

And not to be overlooked, the Ladies Division 2 team (aka Anne Cilia doing five events on her own!) held fourth place in the match, and are currently fourth in the Division.

Just two matches to go in the League, both at Erith Stadium (27 June and 11 July).

Tom

1 June 2008 - SCVAC Championships - Ashford

The Southern Counties Veterans Championships took place at a very drizzly Julie Rose Stadium at Ashford. On the plus side, the wind-gauges were scarcely ruffled all day. Turn out was unusually low across most events, and fewer than usual B&B Masters were there.

Tom Phillips came the closest he’s come to taking the M50 100m title, mis-timing his dip for the line, and placing second by just four hundredths, in 12.56. He made amends in the 200m, leading off the bend, and winning by a big margin, equalling this year’s season’s best of 25.4. Dennis Wallington took fourth place in the M55 100m in 13.91, and later bounced to good form with 4.48 to win the M55 long jump.

In the W50, Helen Godsell ran a good 13.68 100m, to win by more than a second, and was even more dominant over 200m, where an excellent 28.7 was more than two seconds clear of the next athlete.

Ken Daniel’s competitive debut saw him win the M55 1500m in 4.49.86. Peter Hamilton took the M60 race in a leisurely 5.13.90, coming on the heels of his win over 800m in 2.37.65

It was Barbara Terry who had the busy day, though. Winner of the W60 discus in 21.52m, second in the shot (8.76m), second in the hammer (25.27m), then third in the javelin (17.30m).

Where were the rest of you?

Tom

19 May 2008 - Kent Veteran's League - Norman Park

The Home Run?

At what could well turn out to be the decisive Kent Masters League match of the summer, both our men’s and women’s Division 1 teams recorded formidable victories. For the men, this (by a huge 16 points) was the third triumph in a row. For the ladies, it was a win that put them back within a point of leading the League. Much can still happen at the three remaining meetings, but team management looks a little bit less harassed right now.

Hard to single out any specific achievement in the men’s team, with so many winners and high placers strutting their stuff at our home fixture. Jon Thorpe’s 2.08.6 800m win was hard fought, but ultimately decisive. Welcome back, Jon. Winning returns also for Ricky Fox in the 100m B race, and Bob Minting in the M50 800m, where the win would have been even bigger had not his Team Captain ordered him to slow down and save it for the 4x200 relay immediately afterwards! The relay team won by a big margin.

Colin Brand convincingly won the M50 discus, despite (he won’t mind it being pointed out) him being twenty years older than most of the other competitors.

Club M60 record number five went Peter Hamilton’s way in the 800m, in 2.31.6, continuing a spell of spring cleaning out some very old marks from the lists.

A Club record too for Helen Godsell in the W50 long jump. Although not famed as a jumper, Helen added ten centimetres to her own record, jumping 3.82.

Great to see Maureen Miller out on the track again, clocking 2.30.0 for second in the 800m, and later aiding the 4x200 relay team to a win by more than ten seconds from the Cambridge team! The team also benefited from wins by Barbara Terry in the discus, Bridget Davey in the B 800m race, and a fast 100m from Helen Godsell despite the cold evening.

And let’s not forget the gallant Ladies B team in Division 2, who held third place.

Ashford next, on 9th June. A meeting that may play to some of our strengths, on the track, at least.

Tom

Ref womens results in div 1 800m Bridget should be Jane and in div 2 Jane should be Bridget
div 2 relay Heather Symmons ran instead of Tracy and Tracy's surname is Ashenden not Ashburton
Anne

2 May 2008 - Kent Veteran's League - Deangate

A nail-biter. A League match on the Friday evening of a bank holiday weekend was never going to be easy, even if Deangate provided an unexpectedly calm, and initially quite warm, venue. Traffic delayed some athletes, but it has to be said that neither our men’s nor women’s teams were at full strength for this one. The men pulled off a slender win, but the ladies slipped back, and lost their overall league lead to Cambridge.

Rob Hall ended this match unchallenged as our man of the moment. He ran 400m and 3,000m, threw the hammer, and did high and triple jump to earn us the points that kept the men’s team afloat. Clem Leon was on good form, to win the M50 high jump and 400m, and it helped that we had our best pair of walkers available, too. Shaun Lightman and Peter Hannell showed a very clean pair of heels to often much younger opposition. Good racing also by Keith Ewing in the 3,000m (9.34.6).

Peter Hamilton obliterated the previous Club M60 400m record, with his 67.3. He says it was also a personal best 100m, 200m and 300m time, in all probability. His later 10.54.3 running as an M60 in the M50 3,000m race was also a new Club M60 record. And the season’s only just begun!

But let’s not get carried away. Many of the rest of the team took on events that were not their own, and pulled points out of the bag when they might otherwise have gone begging.

Helen Godsell (400m and triple jump, would you believe?) and Barbara Terry (hammer) were the only Ladies A team winners (we were unable to field any B team athletes), but Jane Bradshaw had a good race to take second in the W35 3,000m, only losing ground in the final lap. Sadly, the absence of a W50 high jumper and a W60 400m runner lost us valuable points.

As with the men’s squad, athletes covered unfamiliar events. Barbara Terry excelled to take third in the W60 triple jump, and Annie McDonough stood in at the last moment as W35 400m B string.

The next Kent Masters League fixture on 19 May is our home match at Norman Park. We need our best sides out and to recover the dominance we know we can have in this competition.

Tom

21 April 2008 - Kent Veteran's League - Sutcliffe Park

NOTE: read Rob Hall for Ian Holder in 1500m

In 2007, both our Division 1 teams carried through to the last League match the burden of not having done well in the opening fixture. At least that ghost has been laid to rest this year, with wins for both men’s and women’s teams on a bitter cold evening at Eltham.

This is always a fascinating match, seeing who is going well after their chosen winter activity (indoor, cross country, marathons, sun-bathing, etc). New Club President Tim Soutar and new vice-President Tom Phillips were in form. Tim’s M50 1500m of 4.44.5 showing a very clean pair of heels to the opposition. Tom’s 200m in 25.4 put him at the top of the early season national rankings for M50 sprinters.

Welcome to new javelin thrower Steve Langdon, whose 46.87m pulverised the M50 opposition (it was almost twice as far as the second placer), and was further than the M35-49 winner by over two metres. Good running from Keith Ewing, in his first 1500m for the team, taking second place in a hot race, after a battle with our B string runner Rob Hall. Welcome too, new boy Richard Horne, with thirds in both shot and javelin.

Great to see Mel Healy on the track again in a competitive 200m A race, ably backed up by Caroline Nyamusi as winner of the 200m B race. Jane Bradshaw and Bridget Davey had a superb 1500m race (mainly against each other) for second place in both A and B strings, in a brisk race won by World Masters Indoors bronze medallist Clare Elms of Cambridge Harriers.

The sprint relays provided an exciting end to the evening, with Helen Godsell just (just!) holding off Cambridge to bring the ladies home first. The men’s team, comprising two M50s, an M55 and an M45 scampered home for a good win against generally younger opposition! Nice to see really strong running again from Denis Wallington.

At the time of writing this report, there’s been no sign of the Division 2 results, which will include the women’s B team.

World Masters Indoors, France, 17-22 March

The World Masters Indoors, Clermont Ferrand, March 2008

In and around the magnificent Jean Pellez stadium, five B&B athletes made their mark.

Despite a less than inspiring course, the cross country races held in conjunction with the Indoor Worlds were hotly contested. Peter Hamilton won silver in the M60 race, and was first scorer home for the gold medal-winning M60 team.

Matt Richards made a brief appearance in Clermont Ferrand to contest the M35 60m. He reached the semi-finals, where 7.36 wasn’t enough for a place in the final. Another performance like his 7.19 in the British National finals would have got him sixth in the final. Much more to come from Matt in future.

Clem Leon should have made it to the additional semi-final which was run for the M50 60m in France. This race resulted from a protest by other athletes about qualification criteria. Although he was in the stadium all the time, Clem never got any information about this extra race, and watched in amazement as it ran without him. Clem nevertheless made the 200m quarter finals, though 27.44 wasn’t enough to proceed further. Clem was 8th in the M50 long jump and 14th in the high jump, carrying a slight leg injury, and on both occasions jumping somewhat below his best.

Allan Williams continued his return to form, coming 5th in the M50 pole vault with 3.80 metres. Allan’s winning heights of the previous World Indoors in Austria in 2006 would have been more than enough to have taken this championship too, and we wish Allan well for a return to full competition fitness.

Tom Phillips was our athlete on form in Clermont Ferrand. His win in the M50 60m B final in 7.89 was a season’s best, coming after solid performances in the qualifying rounds. The M50 200m comprised four full rounds, the quarter finals being held after 10pm one evening, with the semi-finals less than 12 hours later, but Tom made it to the final, finishing 6th from a very tight inside lane. His time of 25.55 in the qualifying rounds was very close to his indoor best. Tom was later a key part of the gold medal victory by the Great Britain M50 4x200m relay team. The team ran the second fastest ever performance by a GB 4x200 relay squad.

M35 60m heats Matt Richards 7.40; semifinal: 5th 7.36

M50 60m heats Tom Phillips 7.95; semifinal: 6th 7.96, “B” Final, 1st, 7.89
heats Clem Leon 8.20

M50 200m heats Tom Phillips 25.55; Clem Leon 26.62
quarterfinals Tom Phillips 25.88; Clem Leon 27.44
semifinals Tom Phillips 25.66;
Final Tom Phillips 6th 26.22

M50 400m heats Clem Leon 60.02; semifinal 59.54

M50 HJ 14. Clem Leon 1.51m

M50 LJ 8. Clem Leon 4.96

M50 PV 5. Allan Williams 3.80

M60 3,000m 6. Peter Hamilton 10.54.37

5k Cross country 2. Peter Hamilton 30.48

GB M60 team won gold medal. P. Hamilton first scorer.

M50 4x200m relay GB won gold (1.38.77), Tom Phillips on leg 3.

A message from your leaders...

Message to all Masters

Kent Masters League

The new track and field season will be upon us SOON. I hope you are all fit and ready.

We begin at Sutcliffe Park, Eltham on Monday 21 April, with the first track events at 6.45pm. Please assume that you ARE needed for this meeting. Mike Martineau, Anne Cillia and I will confirm A and B strings as soon as we can. Anyone not competing will need a signed note from Matron.

Dates for the rest of the Kent Masters League fixtures, and some other events you ought to have in your diary are below.

We had a very tough battle in the Kent League last year, and we can’t expect it to be any easier this time around. Dartford and Cambridge in particular will be gunning for us. We may have won the League Final at Ashford last August in convincing fashion, but that was because we managed to turn out our best teams – unlike many of the League fixtures. It’s cruel to make sprinters run 800m because the middle distance runners didn’t turn out. Please don’t let it happen again.

Please put these dates in your diary now:

Monday 21 April – Sutcliffe Park

Friday 2 May – Deangate

Monday 19 May – Norman Park (Our home fixture. We need you as an official even if you can’t run)

Monday 9 June – Ashford (Please leave home in good time to arrive before the meeting starts!

Friday 27 June – Erith

Friday 11 July – Erith (Yes, two meetings in a row at Erith. Almost home fixtures!)

Every league meeting starts at 6.45pm. That is the time of the first event, not the time you need to wander in and start warming up!

Other dates:

SCVAC Track and Field Championships – Ashford, Sunday 1 June

BMAF National Championships – Birmingham, weekend of 5 and 6 July

(and yes, you are good enough to do well at both of these events, so do enter)

We have a truly great Masters team. It includes two newly crowned World Champions, and a host of national and region champions too, but we won’t reach the League final without your input.

The League Final is on:

Saturday 6 September, at the Julie Rose Stadium, Ashford (as last year)

The Final is probably the premier inter-Club Masters event in the country, and we want to win it again (and again, and again…) Help make it happen in 2008.

Tom, Mike and Anne

A brief round up of Masters Track and Field action this winter so far

The number of Masters athletes in the Club who factor in an indoor season to their year is always small, and seems to have been smaller still this year. Nevertheless, there have been some notable successes.

Peter Hamilton – a new M60 this year, though hardly fitting Athletic Weekly’s description of him as a “newcomer”, looks set for a great 2008. Convincing wins over 1500m and 3,000m at the Southern Counties Vets indoor championships in early February, where he lapped most of the rest of the field, were a suitable warm up for the British Masters Indoors at Pickett’s Lock at the end of the month. With 5.02.99 and 10.47.57, Peter was runaway winner of both national titles too, his feathers hardly ruffled after his wins (see picture) and his famed modesty still intact.

Helen Godsell is taking it easy this winter as she waits to become a grandmother (can you believe it?). Still, no one could deny her wins over 60m, 200m and 400m at the Southern Counties, or the National M50 title at 60m and silver at 200m. So, if this is what she can do while taking it easy…..

Clem Leon has been plugging away at developing the skills of the all-rounder we’ve seen him become in the last few years. With a bronze over 200m in the Southerns, a silver in the long jump, and, on count-back, a silver in the high jump, he’s had a good indoor season. That high jump equalled his personal best, and best jump of the whole of the 2007 season. He topped all of this with a win at the Southern M50 400m.

Masters Captain Tom Phillips had raced indoors frequently, and by his own admission, a bit indifferently indoors up to the Southern Counties. His silver medal there at 60m was a fair bit slower than his 7.91 indoor season’s best to date, but Tom was well pleased to win the Southern 200m. Unfortunate to be the fastest of the non-qualifiers at the National Masters indoors a couple of weeks later, with 7.93, he posted fourth fastest overall in the 200m heats, and fourth in a very sharp final, running a fair bit faster than at this time last year.

A big welcome to the Masters ranks to Matt Richards, who made an immediate impact by winning the National M35 60m title in a stunning 7.19. A slight hamstring problem led to him not contesting the 200m, where his chances would have been really good.

Barbara Terry came away from the Nationals with two silvers and a gold in the W60 heavy throws, and took silver in the SCVAC W60 shot. It was good to see Richard Holt chasing early season speed with a 55.30 for fourth place in the National M35 400m. Last, but by no means least, Gordon Hickey claimed silver in the M70 shot at the British Masters.

Peter, Tom and Clem are off to do battle at the WMA World Indoor Championships in Clermont Ferrand in a few week’s time.

Tom

23/24 February 2008 - National Vets Indoor Track Championships

Some of us competed in the Nat vets at Picketts Lock 23/24 Feb

All on their website, to save you looking for me I got 1st 1500/3000 5.02.99/10.47.57.

Peter Hamilton

SCVAC indoor vets track champs 9th Feb, Picketts Lock

Women W50 Helen Godsell 1st 60/200/400 8.60/28.94/70.04
Men M50 Tom Phillips 2nd 60 8.00 (7.99 ht) 1st 200 25.97 (26.48 ht)
Men M50 Clem Leon 4th 60 8.41 (8.27 ht) 3rd 200 27.79 (27.73 ht)
Men M60 Peter Hamilton 1st 1500/3000 5.10.42/10.55.56

5 January 2008 - SW Vets X/C

Now Avon, Somerset, Dorset, Wilts, Devon & Cornwall

Bicton College - hilly, multi-molehills, demanding 7.6k

1st Robbie Budgen Bristol / Cornwall Seniors 21m 44s

99th Chris Woodcock B&B / Devon Masters 32m 49s 4th M60 / 1st M65
(and I 'got' John Perratt again - so a good day)

Happy New Year to all
Chris