CHRIS Sellens completed back-to-back victories in the Friday Five Series, thanks to a comfortable win at the Stowmarket Striders Five last Friday evening.

Carl Marston

CHRIS Sellens completed back-to-back victories in the Friday Five Series, thanks to a comfortable win at the Stowmarket Striders Five last Friday evening.

Sellens, of Colchester Harriers, powered around the two-lap multi-terrain challenge within the confines of Haughley Park, just as he had eased to first place at Kirton seven days earlier.

The 24-year-old crossed the finish-line in 27mins 06secs, enjoying a 17-second gap ahead of runner-up Tom Kingsnorth, of Saint Edmund Pacers. The consistent Kingsnorth had registered a sixth and third at the previous two events in the series.

Promising 15-year-old Danny Jackman was an excellent third in 27.39, and the top five was completed by Ipswich JAFFA's Robert Chenery and Stowmarket Striders' Roger Aldis. The latter was also the leading veteran. There were 358 finishers.

Colchester Harriers tasted a hat-trick of wins on the night. In addition to Sellens, there were category successes for Peter West (over-45) and John Driscoll (over-60).

Elsewhere, Pacers' Peter Golding again led home the over-50s, as did JAFFA's Ray Hill in the over-55s.

There was considerable success for Colchester & Tendring AC in the ladies' race - the Essex club lifted a total of six trophies.

Danielle Tatum moved through the field to post an impressive individual victory, her first in this event. The in-form 23-year-old clocked 31mins 04secs, following up from her third spot at the first race in the series at Ipswich last month.

Club-mate Becky Adams was third in 33.37, and 17-year-old Laura Hillyard was first under-18 junior and 10th overall to secure another team prize for the CATs.

Valerie Gladwell, of Hadleigh Hares, was Tatum's nearest challenger in the race. The 34-year-old was just over a minute-and-a-half behind in 32.43.

Julie Heath, of the Pacers, continued her fine progress with fourth position in 33.54. This earned her another over-40 trophy, while club-mate Maureen McCarthy topped her over-45 section.

The other female age groups were won by Stowmarket Striders' Charmaine Geraghty (over-35), Hadleigh's Barbara Sanders (over-50) and Woodbridge Shufflers' Jean Cox (over-60).

Saint Edmund Pacers will be hosting the fourth race on Friday, June 26, from Nowton Park. There will also be a supporting junior race.

Stowmarket Striders Five results

Top 40 men: 1 C Sellens (Colchester Harriers) 27.06; 2 T Kingsnorth (Saint Edmund Pacers) 27.23; 3 D Jackman (Ipswich Harriers) 27.39; 4 R Chenery (Ipswich JAFFA) 27.47; 5 R Aldis (Stowmarket Striders) 27.48; 6 D Moss (Unattached) 27.51; 7 G Davies (JAFFA) 28.03; 8 J Meachen (Harwich Runners) 28.15; 9 V Coogan (Newmarket Joggers) 28.24; 10 A Taylor (Pacers) 28.29.

11 P Golding (Pacers) 29.25; 12 N Palmer (Stowmarket) 29.27; 13 G Sharman (Stowmarket) 29.35; 14 B Caisey (Un) 29.41; 15 J Porter (Un) 29.43; 16 R Reason (Un) 29.45; 17 P West (Col/Harr) 29.48 18 W Jackson (Stowmarket) 30.14; 19 S Faust (Thetford AC) 30.17; 20 N Wooby (JAFFA) 30.18.

21 G Thompson (JAFFA) 30.20; 22 T Jarrett (JAFFA) 30.28; 23 M Pinney (Felixstowe RR) 30.30; 24 J Long (Pacers) 30.38; 25 S Dale (Gt Bentley RC) 30.42; 26 S Harrison (JAFFA) 30.45; 27 D Dreege (JAFFA) 30.58; 28 M Stafford (Un) 31.01; 29 R Stone (Felixstowe RR) 31.07; 30 A Dick (JAFFA) 31.16.

31 I Coxall (JAFFA) 31.29; 32 J Wankowski (Ipswich Tri Club) 31.37; 33 D Goldsmith (Un) 31.42; 34 S Phillips (Pacers) 31.44; 35 T Hanman (Un) 31.55; 36 D Abbott (Cambridge & Coleridge) 32.00; 37 E Greenland (Wymondham AC) 32.05; 38 R Hill (JAFFA) 32.14; 39 N Clarke (Newmarket) 32.23; 40 C Thompson (Un) 32.25.

Top 30 ladies: 1 D Tatum (Colchester & Tendring AC) 31.04; 2 V Gladwell (Hadleigh Hares) 32.43; 3 R Adams (CATs) 33.37; 4 J Heath (Pacers) 33.54; 5 N Ramsey (JAFFA) 33.57; 6 M McCarthy (Pacers) 34.00; 7 P Rooney (Woodbridge Shufflers) 34.14; 8 S Colson (West Suffolk AC) 34.28; 9 V Jennings (JAFFA) 34.39; 10 L Hillyard (CATs) 34.41.

11 J Smith (Grange Farm & Dunmow) 34.52; 12 W Jones (Pacers) 35.01; 13 M Narey (Stowmarket) 35.34; 14 R Ward (JAFFA) 35.52; 15 E Wenman (West Suffolk) 35.56; 16 C Geraghty (Stowmarket) 36.17; 17 K Smith (Woodbridge) 36.22; 18 C Dann (Un) 36.23; 19 N Knott (Stowmarket) 37.19; 20 S Hinchliffe (Pacers) 37.36.

21 J Brown (JAFFA) 37.58; 22 D Braverman (Cam/Col) 38.06; 23 E Baker (West Suffolk) 38.09; 24 J Stephenson (Stowmarket) 38.24; 25 E Mortimer (JAFFA) 38.36; 26 E Calver (Pacers) 38.46; 27 A Roper (Stowmarket) 38.57; 28 C Parker (Un) 38.59; 29 B Sanders (Hadleigh) 39.02; 30 H Hornsey (Bungay Black Dog) 39.07.

Male veterans, over-40: 1 Aldis, 2 Stone, 3 Greenland. Over-45: 1 West, 2 Pinney, 3 Dick. Over-50: 1 Golding, 2 Sharman, 3 J Weston (JAFFA) 32.53. Over-55: 1 Hill, 2 Clarke, 3 D Vaughan (Pacers) 33.38. Over-60: 1 J Driscoll (Col/Harr) 34.59; 2 R Ames (Stowmarket) 37.04; 3 R Trinder (Harwich) 37.18. Over-65: 1 R Rowland (Un) 40.59; 2 R Duffield (Tiptree RR) 41.12; 3 B Hatcher (JAFFA) 41.39.

Female veterans, over-35: 1 Geraghty, 2 C Parker, 3 E Parker (Un) 40.02. Over-40: 1 Heath, 2 Smith 3 Jones. Over-45: 1 McCarthy, 2 Jennings, 3 Brown. Over-50: 1 Sanders, 2 H Spalding (JAFFA) 41.24; 3 K Hatton (Pacers) 41.28. Over-55: 1 Braverman, 2 P Partridge (Pacers) 41.10; 3 J Anderson (Framlingham) 42.57.

Juniors, male under-16: 1 D Jackman, 2 J Higgins (Thetford) 32.46; 3 G Solomon (Un) 35.43. Under-17: 1 C Welsh (Un) 33.52. Under-18: 1 A Dewison (Un) 34.16. Female, under-16: 1 J Anthony (West Suffolk) 37.24; 2 Gooderham (Pacers) 43.15; 3 E Hatten (Pacers) 45.07. Under-17: 1 Baker. Under-18: 1 Hillyard, 2 Mortimer, 3 I Sharp (CATs) 45.02. Over-60: 1 J Cox (Woodbridge) 34.53.

Winning teams, men: Saint Edmund Pacers. Ladies: Colchester & Tendring AC.