ROBERT Chenery tasted victory for the second week in succession, thanks to a hard-fought win at the annual Martlesham Heath 10K race on Sunday.Chenery, of Ipswich Jaffa, followed up his victory at the Harwich Discovery 10K from the previous weekend with another first place around four laps of Martlesham.

By Carl Marston

ROBERT Chenery tasted victory for the second week in succession, thanks to a hard-fought win at the annual Martlesham Heath 10K race on Sunday.

Chenery, of Ipswich Jaffa, followed up his victory at the Harwich Discovery 10K from the previous weekend with another first place around four laps of Martlesham.

But it was a very close race, with just nine seconds separating the top three runners on a morning when records were broken. Originally organised by Woodbridge & District Lions Club as a fun run, Sunday's event attracted a record entry of 352.

Aged just 21, the fast-improving Chenery clocked 34mins 50secs, which was just four seconds clear from second-placed Kevin Sharman, of Lowestoft Road Runners.

Chenery has enjoyed a good year. In addition to his recent 10K wins at Harwich (35.20) and Martlesham, he also set a personal best for five miles at Great Bentley (57.29) in July, and registered top three places at both the Ipswich Jaffa and Bury Friday Five races.

Stowmarket Striders' Roger Aldis was third at Martlesham in 34.59, and the top five was completed by the Ipswich Harriers duo of Elliot Palmer and Glynn Thomas.

Promising teenager Palmer, aged 16, was an excellent fourth in 35.28, while the experienced Thomas was the leading veteran in 35.45.

Amanda Henry, of Sudbury Joggers, continued her fine season with first place in the ladies' race in 41.34. Her margin of victory was 21 seconds from Marion McCall, who used to be an outstanding athlete as a teenager 20 years ago under her maiden name of McWade.

Woodbridge Shufflers provided the marshals, and generally offered support to the race for the Lions Club. They could also boast third spot in the ladies' event, with Shufflers' Penny Rooney stopping the clock at 42.07. Jaffa veterans Julie Brown and Gail Pryke were also to the fore.

The supporting junior fun run was won by 15-year-old Ross Fawcett, who clocked 10.43. Ben Magnall, 13, was second, and Jake Highes third. Emma Burroughs was the first girl in 11.57.

Martlesham 10k results

Top 30 men: 1 R Chenery (Ipswich Jaffa) 34.50; 2 K Sharman (Lowestoft Road Runners) 34.54; 3 R Aldis (Stowmarket Striders) 34.59; 4 E Palmer (Ipswich Harriers) 35.28; 5 G Thomas (Ips/Harr) 35.45; 6 N Drane (Felixstowe Road Runners) 35.52; 7 W Benton (Sudbury Joggers) 36.32; 8 S Godiner (Ips/Harr) 36.55; 9 J White (Bungay Black Dog) 37.32; 10 P Preston (Sudbury) 37.47.

11 T Jarrett (Jaffa) 37.49; 12 P Quantrill (Gt Yarmouth RR) 37.54; 13 M Pinney (Felixstowe RR) 37.59; 14 S Harrison (Jaffa) 38.11; 15 S Green (Stowmarket) 38.13; 16 B Davies (Unattached) 38.26; 17 D Judd (Sudbury) 38.37; 18 J Weston (Jaffa) 38.44; 19 K Peirce (Ips/Harr) 38.50; 20 R Stone (Felixstowe RR) 39.02.

21 W Campbell (Jaffa) 39.25; 22 N Dable (Jaffa) 39.35; 23 J Thorpe (Jaffa) 39.43; 24 J Smith (Sudbury) 39.53; 25 J Hardwicke (Un) 39.55; 26 A Pyett (Un) 39.57; 27 A Rudd (Un) 39.57; 28 R Ackerley (Woodbridge Shufflers) 40.04; 29 M Hunt (Un) 40.13; 30 D Palmer (Ips/Harr) 41.20.

Top 20 ladies: 1 A Henry (Sudbury) 41.34; 2 M McCall (Un) 41.55; 3 P Rooney (Woodbridge) 42.07; 4 J Brown (Jaffa) 42.37; 5 G Pryke (Jaffa) 43.56; 6 P Partridge (Saint Edmund Pacers) 44.06; 7 J Jepson (Pacers) 44.09; 8 V Quantrill (Gt Yarmouth) 44.31; 9 S Squirrell (Un) 45.21; 10 C Shaw (Sudbury) 46.09.

11 E Mortimer (Jaffa) 47.36; 12 C Dinnell (Sudbury) 47.57; 13 S Jennings (Woodbridge) 48.02; 14 C Burrows (Un) 48.07; 15 H Nicole (Jaffa) 48.45; 16 C Marsh (Un) 49.47; 17 E Parker (Felixstowe RR) 49.55; 18 J Campbell-Barr (Un, Martlesham Leisure) 50.18; 19 M Wright (Jaffa) 50.43; 20 J Standley (Sudbury) 51.04.

Male veterans, over-40: 1 Thomas, 2 White, 3 Pinney. Over-50: 1 Weston, 2 Campbell, 3 Macrosson. Over-60: 1 P Oldman (Eastern Vets AC) 47.44; 2 M Staines (Pitsea) 49.38; 3 B Peck (Pacers) 52.07.

Female veterans, over-40: 1 Brown, 2 Pryke, 3 Dinnell. Over-50: 1 Partridge, 2 Shaw, 3 Marsh. Over-60: 1 Wright.

Fun Run:

Top 10 boys: 1 R Fawcett (aged 15) 10.43; 2 B Magnall (13) 10.52; 3 J Hughes (13) 11.13); 4 E Love (15) 11.14; 5 A Revell (12) 11.17; 6 A Greggor (13) 11.53; 7 S Allen (9) 12.22; 8 A Greenfield (10) 13.00; 9 B Parker (11) 13.12; 10 T Finbow (13) 13.15.

Top 10 girls: 1 E Burroughs (14) 11.57; 2 L Revell (14) 12.54; 3 J Ramsey (11) 12.57; 4 S Fagg (14) 13.17; 5 J Hardwicke (13) 13.29; 6 I Cuttina (12) 14.12; 7 K Peake (10) 14.20; 8 S Greenfield (10) 14.48; 9 L Coolridge (8) 14.51; 10 L-A Fagg (12) 15.03.