Chichester star Baker closes in on 500th race victory

In the Denmead 10k, James Baker notched up another career victory with a time of 32min 17sec, more than half a minute clear of the rest of the field, who were led home by Julian Manning from the home club.

It’s reckoned to be the 484th win by Baker (pictured below), a true mark of consistency in the 17 years he has been involved with the club.

Having an equally-impressive record over the years has been Jane Harrop, whose exploits include having won a coveted English cross-country team medal.

A finishing position of 22nd at Denmead in a time of 39.49 resulted in second place in the women’s race and made her a comfortable winner of the veteran category.

The two other members of the club in action also finished in the top 100 with Andy Harrop 84th in 46.09 and John Betts 94th in 47.17. Elsewhere there was another great run in the Tadley ten-mile event with Angela Carpenter winning the women’s race in a new personal-best time of 65min 56sec.

With Harrop’s run at Denmead and the fun fun win of Sarah Fenmor Collins at Lancing, this represents Chichester Runners’ best senior women’s results in their history.

Over the longer distances Mark Jennings was 712nd in 95min 41sec in the well-supported Cardiff half marathon with Nick Mahoney 2,189th and Terry Mahoney 3,039th in the same race. Gary Tompsett was in the field of one of the most popular autumn marathons in the south in Abingdon and finished in 4hr 17min 52sec.

The best middle-distance runners in Sussex will be at Goodwood on Saturday, intent on putting down markers for the Sussex Cross Country League.