JAMES Calvert became the fourth different winner at the fourth Fenn Wright Suffolk Winter League meeting of the season, staged over a muddy course at Hatchley Barn, Woodbridge, on Sunday.

By Carl Marston

JAMES Calvert became the fourth different winner at the fourth Fenn Wright Suffolk Winter League meeting of the season, staged over a muddy course at Hatchley Barn, Woodbridge, on Sunday.

Calvert followed in the footsteps of Ipswich Harriers brothers Andrew and Chris Rooke, and Waveney Valley AC's Luke Allen, to record a commanding individual victory over a five-mile course.

In the process, Calvert led the Harriers to a fourth team win on the trot. They are virtually assured of retaining their title, with two races still to come at Haughley Park and Nowton Park in the new year.

The individual accolades have been shared around this season. Andrew Rooke won at Framlingham, with his brother Chris following suit at Fritton. Allen won on his home course at Broome, and last weekend was the turn of Calvert.

Gordon Irvine and David Miller, both representing the composite Flying Shufflers & Saxons team, were second and third respectively. Irvine finished 23 seconds behind Calvert, with Miller a further 32 seconds adrift.

Peter Barker flew the flag for Saint Edmund Pacers in fourth spot, even though the Bury St Edmunds athlete was still suffering the effects of an illness.

The top five was completed by leading veteran Richard Moore, from Waveney Valley AC.

Stowmarket Striders strengthened their grip on second spot in the overall team standings, thanks to another consistent performance from both their men and ladies. Roger Aldis was their first finisher in sixth position.

Natasha Belsom had won the previous three ladies' events, in the colours of Stowmarket, but her absence allowed talented triathlete Abbie Thorrington to register a convincing win.

Thorrington, who was competing for the combined Ipswich and Newmarket Triathlon Clubs, has been impressing on the international stage in her chosen sport of triathlon in recent seasons. The University of Essex student put in some useful training for her third discipline - running - to win in 31mins 47secs.

Lynn Emmett, of Bungay Black Dog, pipped Sandra Bower (Thetford & Brandon) to second spot by just six seconds. Stowmarket's Mary Narey was fourth, ahead of Amanda Henry, who was representing the improving Newmarket Joggers and Sudbury Joggers composite team.

The Harriers won on the day by a slender margin of 27 points from Stowmarket Striders, so increasing their lead in the overall team standings to a daunting 251 points.

The Pacers remain in third position, although they are now only 38 points clear of fourth-placed Newmarket and Sudbury. Waveney Valley are fifth.

Woodbridge Shufflers again hosted a fine event, with a varied course featuring some twists and turns through woodland, a couple of short but steep climbs, and some faster, flatter sections.

The next meeting is at Haughley Park on Sunday, January 20.

Results from Woodbridge

Senior race results

Top 40 men: 1 J Calvert (IH) 25.49; 2 G Irvine (FSS) 26.12; 3 D Miller (FSS) 26.45; 4 P Barker (SEP) 27.02; 5 R Moore (WV) 27.16; 6 R Aldis (SS) 27.16; 7 G Thomas (IH) 27.54; 8 W Benton (NSJ) 28.03; 9 R Cheverton (WV) 28.13; 10 N Palmer (SS) 28.21.

11 J Entwistle (IH) 28.30; 12 S Gardiner (IH) 28.38; 13 J White (BBD) 29.08; 14 C Osmonovich (TBH) 29.11; 15 N Stephens (SS) 29.27; 16 C Marston (SEP) 29.32; 17 J Ling (IH) 29.36; 18 J Wankowski (INT) 29.37; 19 R Peacher (FSS) 29.38; 20 D Thorrington (INT) 29.39.

21 M Ball (NSJ) 29.42; 22 M Potter (WV) 29.46; 23 J Long (SEP) 29.49; 24 D Judd (NSJ) 29.52; 25 D Copland (INT) 30.00; 26 A Dawson (SEP) 30.04; 27 K Peirce (IH) 30.08; 28 C Starmer (SS) 30.21; 29 C Pimlott (WV) 30.40; 30 A Buck (NSJ) 31.13.

31 J Maycock (WV) 31.14; 32 A Green (SS) 31.18; 33 V Coogan (NSJ) 31.20; 34 R Ackerley (FSS) 31.23; 35 R Berry (FSS) 31.33; 36 D Smith (INT) 31.38; 37 K McCrosson (SS) 31.41; 38 C Gillibrand (NSJ) 31.44; 39 D Palmer (IH) 31.45; 40 R Belsom (SS) 31.48.

Top 30 ladies: 1 A Thorrington (INT) 31.47; 2 L Emmett (BBD) 32.23; 3 S Bower (TBH) 32.29; 4 M Narey (SS) 32.52; 5 A Henry (NSJ) 33.11; 6 T Antonis (IH) 33.32; 7 U White (NSJ) 34.13; 8 P Rooney (FS) 34.14; 9 G Pryke (NSJ) 34.15; 10 S Wing (TBH) 34.40.

11 T Dennison (TBH) 34.47; 12 E Glover (NSJ) 34.48; 13 M McCarthy (SEP) 35.06; 14 P Partridge (SEP) 35.10; 15 J Jepson (SEP) 35.15; 16 E Thorpe (INT) 36.02; 17 S Garrod (SS) 36.46; 18 M Gordon (FRR) 37.03; 19 K Denwood (SS) 37.13; 20 B Jack (SS) 37.14.

21 A Paton (SS) 37.39; 22 S Symonds (TBH) 37.40; 23 S Gadd (INT) 37.49; 24 E Mann (WV) 38.16; 25 L Potter (WV) 38.22; 26 E Welbourn (IH) 38.28; 27 C Geraghty (SS) 38.30; 28 M Roberts (FRR) 38.31; 29 A Millett (WV) 38.36; 30 A Bennett (FRR) 39.08.

Men's teams: 1 IH 943pts; 2 SS 889; 3 NSJ 857; 4 SEP 851; 5 FSS 846; 6 WV 830; 7 INT 799; 8 SS “B” 524; 9 BBD 501; 10 LRR 442; 11 FRR 425; 12 TBH 358; 13 SEP “B” 290; 14 WV “B” 253; 15 SS “C” 243; 16 DIS 92.

Ladies' teams: 1 NSJ 216pts; 2 TBH 213; 3= SS 197 & NSJ 197; 5 SEP 195; 6 IH 170; 7 SS “B” 169; 8 FSS 168; 9 WV 159; 10 BBD 158; 11 DIS 120; 12 SS “C” 114; 13 FRR 110; 14 LRR 96; 15 SEP “B” 78.

Combined teams: 1 IH 1,113pts; 2 SS 1,086; 3 NSJ 1,073; 4 SEP 1,046; 5 FSS 1,0145; 6 INT 996; 7 WV 989; 8 SS “B” 693; 9 BBD 659; 10 TBH 571; 11 LRR 538; 12 FRR 535; 13 SEP “B” 368; 14 SS “C” 357; 15 WV “B” 253; 16 DIS 212.

Overall standings (after four of six races):

Men's teams (top three): 1 IH 3,951pts; 2 SS 2,635; 3 SEP 3,584.

Ladies' teams (top three): 1 NSJ 856pts; 2 SS 835; 3 IH 769.

Combined teams: 1 IH 4,720pts; 2 SS 4,469; 3 SEP 4,261; 4 NSJ 4,223; 5 WV 4,191; 6 FSS 3,934; 7 INT 3,321; 8 TBH 2,944; 9 LRR 2,878; 10 BBD 2,794; 11 SS “B” 2,771; 12 FRR 2,399; 13 SEP “B” 2,310; 14 WV “B”1,802; 15 SS “C” 993; 16 DIS 870.

Key: IH - Ipswich Harriers; SS - Stowmarket Striders; FSS - Flying Shufflers (composite Framlingham Flyers & Woodbridge Shufflers & Saxons); SEP - Saint Edmund Pacers; NSJ - Newmarket Joggers & Sudbury Joggers; FRR - Felixstowe Road Runners; LRR - Lowestoft Road Runners; WV - Waveney Valley AC; INT - Ipswich Triathlon Club & Newmarket Triathlon Club; BBD - Bungay Black Dog; DIS - Diss AC; TBH - Thetford AC & Brandon Fern Hoppers.