Teenager Michael Bartram tasted victory at the third Suffolk Winter League meeting, hosted recently by Stowmarket Striders at Haughley Park.
An in-form Bartram led home a trio of young runners at the top of the field, so bucking the trend of past seasons when more senior and veteran runners have tended to dominate up front.
A member of West Suffolk AC, Bartram showed good stamina and a strong finish to cover the parkland course, of just over five miles, in 31mins 58secs.
Bartram, aged 18, won by just four seconds from Ted Oldman, of Bungay Black Dog.
Dominic Oliver, another teenager from Lowestoft Road Runners, was third in 32.36.
Tom Hale led the Saint Edmund Pacers surge in fourth slot, with triathlete Gordon Irvine completing the top five on a morning when a bumper 312 runners completed the main senior race.
Veteran Lynn Emmett, of Beccles & Bungay Harriers, won the ladies’ race in 38.38, finishing just 16 seconds clear of runner-up Rosie Nicholson, of Waveney Valley AC, with West Suffolk AC over-50 veteran Maureen McCarthy in third.
In the team stakes, hosts Stowmarket Striders were first in the men’s section.
Their leading performers were Chris Morton (11th) and Danny Preece (16th).
The combined Newmarket Joggers and Sudbury Joggers were the top ladies’ team on the day.
But Stowmarket won the combined team award, to stretch their lead at the top of the Winter League to a substantial 112 points, with two races still to come.
Defending champions Saint Edmund Pacers are second, with Lowestoft in third.
Meanwhile, Ipswich Harriers filled the top five places in the supporting junior race at Haughley Park.
Tom Adams led the way, finishing ahead of fellow under-15 club-mate Joshua Hulse in second.
Harry Milldown, also of the Harriers, was third overall and the first under-17, followed by teammates Alex Tripp and Matthew Snowdon.
Joseph Smythe, of Thetford AC, was first under-13 boy and eighth overall, with Harriers’ Jack Weaver second in this age category and George Fricker third.
Under-15 athlete Lottie Summers, of the Harriers, was first girl, finishing ahead of club-mate April Hill, who was second overall and first under-13.
Abigail Rose, also from the Harriers, was third and the first under-17.
Anna Firth was fourth and Tilly Aldis, another under-13, was a fine fifth.
Holly Fisher was sixth girl and third under-13, just ahead of under-15 Claudia Spencer-Hall.
The fourth event in the Suffolk Winter League will be hosted by Bungay at Heveningham Hall on Sunday, February 15, with Saint Edmund Pacers staging the fifth and final race at Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds, on Sunday, March 1.
Results from Haughley Park
Top 30 men:1 M Bartram (WS) 31.58; 2 T Oldman (BBD) 32.02; 3 D Oliver (LRR) 32.36; 4 T Hale (SEP) 32.58; 5 G Irvine (INT) 33.22; 6 R Chenery (BBD) 33.27; 7 C Prewer (LRR) 33.31; 8 T Passmore (IH) 33.37; 9 A Bell (HRC) 33.39; 10 J Last (FSS) 33.44.
11 C Morton (SS) 34.16; 12 R Stone (FRR) 34.21; 13 T Kingsnorth (SEP) 34.40; 14 B Wharnsby (IH) 34.41; 15 P Holley (NSJ) 34.55; 16 D Preece (SS) 35.01; 17 D Sheppard (FSS) 35.08; 18 C Cooke (SEP) 35.08; 19 B Caisey (INT) 35.10; 20 K Peirce (IH) 35.19.
21 D Mandell (SS) 35.33; 22 M Sladden (BBD) 35.42; 23 R Cheverton (LRR) 35.48; 24 T Challenor (NSJ) 35.54; 25 J Thompson (IH) 35.55; 26 D Solomon (FRR) 35.57; 27 M Wilson (SS) 36.01; 28 M Lawrence (HRC) 36.05; 29 M Hayward (SS) 36.07; 30 M Gear (SEP) 36.20.
Top 10 ladies:1 L Emmett (BBH) 38.38; 2 R Nicholson (WV) 38.54; 3 M McCarthy (WS) 39.07; 4 L Howe (BBH) 39.40; 5 C Anthony (WS) 41.27; 6 E Gooderham (SEP) 41.34; 7 S-M Lucas (HRC) 41.38; 8 K Ferrin (NSJ) 41.49; 9 K Archbold (LRR) 41.59; 10 L White (TAC) 42.04.
Men’s teams:1 SS 1,581pts; 2 SEP 1,566; 3 NSJ 1,520; 4 IH 1,519.
Ladies’ teams: 1 NSJ 421pts; 2 SEP 411; 3 SS 200; 4 BBH 379.
Combined teams:1 SS 1,981pts; 2 SEP 1,967; 3 NSJ 1,941; 4 LRR 1,819.
League standings (after three of five races):
Men’s teams:1 IH 4,728pts; 2 SS 4,688; 3 LRR 4,684; 4 SEP 4,577.
Ladies’ teams:1 NSJ 1,209pts; 2 SS 1,206; 3 SEP 1,205; 4 BBH 1,179.
Combined teams:1 SS 5,894pts; 2 SEP 5,782; 3 LRR 5,709; 4 IH 5,517; 5 FSS 5,506.
KEY:IH – Ipswich Harriers; SEP – Saint Edmund Pacers; SS – Stowmarket Striders; LRR – Lowestoft Road Runners; FSS – Flying Shufflers (Framlingham Flyers, Woodbridge Shufflers and Saxons); WV – Waveney Valley AC; FRR – Felixstowe Road Runners; NSJ – Newmarket Joggers & Sudbury Joggers; INT – Ipswich Tri & Newmarket Tri; BBD – Bungay Black Dog; TAC – Thetford AC; BBH – Beccles & Bungay Harriers; HRC – Haverhill RC; WS – West Suffolk AC.
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