IPSWICH Harriers made light of the thick mud to enjoy a clean-sweep of victories at the first Fenn Wright Suffolk Winter League meeting of the season, staged in sticky conditions at Framlingham on Sunday.

By Carl Marston

IPSWICH Harriers made light of the thick mud to enjoy a clean-sweep of victories at the first Fenn Wright Suffolk Winter League meeting of the season, staged in sticky conditions at Framlingham on Sunday.

The reigning league champions have built up a useful early lead in the team category, as well as providing the individual winners on a day when a record 240 runners toed the line in front of Framlingham Castle.

Andrew Rooke, a leading light amongst the Harriers' strong junior section, was first home in 26mins 34secs, finishing just two seconds ahead of fellow teenager Luke Allen, from Waveney Valley AC.

In fact half of the top ten comprised under-20 athletes, which is a big boost for the future of the sport and this League in particular.

Elliot Palmer, a regular winner of the supporting junior runs in previous years, was an excellent fourth, sandwiched by the more experienced duo of Carl Prewer (third) and David Miller (fifth).

The latter is on the comeback trail from a hip injury.

The triumphant Harriers crammed their seven scoring men into the top 18.

West Suffolk AC also featured highly, with the father-and-son team of Colin (first veteran) and Andrew Ridley in sixth and seventh respectively, and Michael Cripps in ninth.

Alice Simpson ensured a Harriers' clean-sweep by winning the ladies' race in 33.04 - the course of just under five miles featured three laps, each incorporating a trudge through the “dry” castle moat.

Many runners lost their footing during this section.

Veteran Mary Narey had a strong run in the colours of Stowmarket Striders.

Narey was only 22 seconds behind Simpson in second spot, with Bungay Black Dog's Lynn Emmett in third.

In fact the first six in the ladies' event were all representing different teams.

Thetford's Sandra Bower was fourth, just seven seconds ahead of West Suffolk AC's Sarah Holson and Ursula White, from the composite Newmarket Joggers and Sudbury Joggers.

The team standings have yet to be finalised, but the Harriers are clearly in the ascendancy after the first of six meetings.

The second event is at Fritton Lake (near Beccles) this Sunday, and is a new course devised by Waveney Valley AC.

Results round-up

Top 40 men: 1 A Rooke (IH) 26.34; 2 L Allen (WV) 26.36; 3 C Prewer (LRR) 26.57; 4 E Palmer (IH) 27.09; 5 D Miller (FS) 27.24; 6 C Ridley (WS) 28.27; 7 A Ridley (WS) 28.27; 8 N Palmer (SS) 28.28; 9 M Cripps (WS) 28.33; 10 G Thomas (IH) 28.34.

11 D Palmer (IH) 29.09; 12 C Marston (SEP) 29.10; 13 S Brummitt (SS) 29.15; 14 N Drane (FRR) 29.21; 15 S Gardiner (IH) 29.39; 16 J Ling (IH) 29.45; 17 L Heath (SEP) 30.00; 18 K Peirce (IH) 30.02; 19 C Osmonovich (TBH) 30.07; 20 V Coogan (NSJ) 30.12.

21 N Stephens (SS) 30.19; 22 J Palmer (IH) 30.33; 23 R Peacher (FS) 30.37; 24 P Preston (NSJ) 30.39; 25 C Pimlott (WV) 30.41; 26 D Thorrington (INT) 30.54; 27 N Minns (IH) 30.55; 28 C Starmer (SS) 31.01; 29 D Judd (NSJ) 31.01; 30 C Bailey (TBH) 31.07.

312 J Entwistle (IH) 31.12; 32 M Potter (WV) 31.13; 33 R Ackerley (FS) 31.22; 34 S Phillips (SEP) 31.24; 35 D Gowen (WV) 31.28; 36 J Maycock (WV) 31.34; 37 G Roper (WV) 31.50; 38 J Hook (WV) 31.52; 39 S Edwards (NSJ) 31.56; 40 T Byford (IH) 31.58.

Top 30 ladies: 1 A Simpson (IH) 33.04; 2 M Narey (SS) 33.26; 3 L Emmett (BBD) 33.45; 4 S Bower (TBH) 33.55; 5 S Holson (WS) 34.02; 6 U White (NSJ) 34.05; 7 S Wing (TBH) 34.06; 8 E Barker (WS) 34.10; 9 A Henry (NSJ) 34.14; 10 T Antonis (IH) 35.00.

11 F Waterhouse (WS) 35.49; 12 M McCarthy (SEP) 36.07; 13 P Partridge (SEP) 36.13; 14 J Jepson (SEP) 36.34; 15 P Rooney (FS) 36.58; 16 G Pryke (NSJ) 37.10; 17 K Kemp (SS) 37.14; 18 Z McLoone (WS) 37.32; 19 E Thorpre (INT) 37.41; 20 S Golding (SEP) 38.09.

21 T Dennison (TBH) 38.23; 22 M Burgess (NSJ) 38.43; 23 C Taverner (TBH) 38.52; 24 E Welbourn (IH) 38.59; 25 S-A Pearce (FRR) 38.59; 26 M Roberts (FS) 39.00; 27 B Jack (SS) 39.04; 28 A Bennett (FRR) 39.16; 29 C Howland (FRR) 39.20; 30 J Yelloly (INT) 39.24.

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