Athletics: South West Road Runners thrive at Fulfords five-mile race

SOUTH WEST ROAD RUNNERS South West Road Runners dominated the team prizes in the Fulfords five-mile race at Exmouth on Sunday – and there were many individual medallists too. The senior ladies team of Ellie Sutcliffe, Emma Sharples and Laura Swanton won their category. Sutcliffe's time of 30mins 35secs was a personal best and good enough for second place in the women's race. Sharples (31.37) was second senior woman and Swanton achieved a PB of 33.50. The senior men matched the ladies' first placing in their team race. First home and sixth overall was James Reeves in a time of 28.19, just ahead of Jody Bee (28.27). The other members of the team were Graham Reeves, who ran a PB of 30.08, and James Benham (31.47). The veteran men's team also went home with first prize. Leading them home in 15th place was Tim Vialls, who was also second male over-50 in 29.57, closely followed in 16th by Julian Cabrera, who was third male over-45 in 30.01. Also on the victorious team were Mike Feighan (31.08) and Barry Frost, who was also third male over-55 in 32.47. The veteran women's team of Karen Cook, Caroline Gentry and Amanda Perry came second in their event. Cook's time of 36.16 also put her third in the female over-55 category, while Gentry (37.42) was second female over-45 and Perry (38.25) third female over-50. Lewis Jones was an individual category winner, finishing first male over-65 in 34.52. Other SWRR finishers were: Steve Rosser 55th in 33.14, Rob Graham 71st in 34.22, Jim Durston 75th in 34.45, Marc Ryan 94th in 35.16, Chloe Fox 112th in 36.17, Clare Suss 139th in 38.44, Tracy Bennett 153rd in a PB of 39.40, Paul Madge 166th in 41.10, Rebecca Brace 193rd in 43.12, Anne Price 201st in 43.56, Michelle Pang 209th in 44.26, Liana Shelford 213th in a PB of 44.48, Jenny Beesley 248th in 49.10 and Lawrence Atherton 258th in 50.44EXMOUTH HARRIERS Exmouth Harriers welcomed nearly 300 athletes to their annual town centre road race over five miles on Sunday, the Fulfords Five. This year the start and finish were in the new Strand pedestrian area, but it did not change the result as Tom Merson won his hometown race for the third year in a row. The Bristol & West runner, competing in the colours of his second-claim club Harriers, crossed the line in 24.58. Second place went to Sidmouth Running Club teanager Jason Drew in 26.57. The first woman was Tiverton's Serane Stone, who prevailed in an exciting sprit finish with former Exmouth Harrier Ellie Sutcliffe. Both were given a time of 30.35 and 24th and 25th places overall. Seven other Harriers took part, with new member Thomas Jones 40th in 31.45. Hannah Bown finished 48th overall and third female over-35 in 32.46, with Richard Pyle 82nd in 35.01 and Jenny Balsom 102nd in 35.49. Dave Eveleigh was 135th in 38.34, Ray Elston finished as first male over-75 and 155th overall in 39.57, and Mike Keep was 216th and second male over-70 in 45.33.AXE VALLEY RUNNERS James Green followed up his win at Axmouth two weeks ago by taking first place at the Wild Night Run on Saturday evening. The event took competitors on a 10-mile route on Dartmoor from South Brent, with Green crossing the line first in 1:10.09. Carol Austin and Lesley Adams went to the Midlands for the Stourbridge Stagger – a muddy, hilly, off-road 10-mile race. Austin was 123rd out of 425 and second female over-50 in 1:28, with Adams 62nd out of 119 in the 7k version.HALDON TRAIL RUNNERS Haldon Trail a Runner Lizzy Dyson made it three race wins this year as she was the first woman to finish the Wild Night Run on Saturday evening. Fresh from winning the women's sections of the Oh My Obelisk and Axmouth Challenge races, she completed the 10-mile route from South Brent in 1:21.02.