Hastings athletes celebrate track and trail successes – Hailsham Harriers happy at Hellingly

HASTINGS AC

The track season came to a close with a stunning set of results for Hastings AC members.

Last year was a very impressive summer season for Hastings AC, considered the most successful year the club had ever known.

But this year has surpassed it for club records and wins.

The final Southern League fixture was held in Ashford and even in 31C heat the team managed against all odds to pull back from last place in the match and come in second out of five.

The competition is significantly harder than in the lower division and despite the numbers and the heat, the quality of the performances shone through and put the club at the level it deserves to be at.

For the men there were two first places for Evelyn Moynihan and two for Jordan Pola, and ten second places and seven thirds.

For the women there were four first places, seven second spots and 11 thirds.

Alongside the club also had fifth-place man and woman of the match awards for Jordan Pola and Delicia Pascall.

This late-season flourish sits well alongside the fact that HAC were the overall winners of the Sussex Masters League for the second time.

Elsewhere, Jeremy Henwood had the fastest run overall in the Brighton and Hove triathlon.

He said ‘the HAC coaching effect’ had boosted his strength in this segment.

Michaal Maxwell took on his first ever triathlon – The 1066 Triathlon – after only two weeks’ preparation.

He managed to make up the time in the running section and came in 32nd.

The club’s endurance coach, Rhys Boorman, took the second Hastings Parkrun record for the team inside two weeks, with a finish of 15min 22sec, a good 48 second faster than the person in second.

Boorman was also first in the 5000m at the popular Friday Nights Under the Stars event in Battersea Park, London, in 5.16.

Cross country season is looming now with preliminary dates being released.

Specialist training has kicked off for the youth and endurance teams as well as the usual sprint and beginners’ sessions.

Please contact the club for more information on any of the activities they offer.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

CHLOE LE FAY

HASTINGS RUNNERS

The Rye Ancient Trails is a justly famous event that, as its name suggests, mostly eschews modern roads and pavements to take the paths less travelled.

Runners follow lanes and cross open fields. They run through woods, farmyards and an orchard. They pass three ancient churches, cross more than a dozen stiles and negotiate countless kissing gates.

The Rye Ancient Trails has a 15k and a 30k (which actually stretches to just over 31k).

The longer route heads north from Rye through Playden to Iden, then westward to Northiam via Peasmarsh, Flackley Ash and Four Oaks.

The eastward home leg takes in Beckley, the huge area of woodlands to the south of it, before picking up the High Weald Landscape Trail and following it down into the Tillingham valley back to Rye.

In ideal conditions, either distance demands serious stamina. But this year, with temperatures rising from 24C at the 9.30am start to the high 20s by midday, it became a test of character, too.

Hastings Runners comprised a fifth of the joint fields of 240 and, in the 15k, the first man home in black and green was Nathan Gooden, in a time of 1hr 27min 20sec, followed by Rob Thomas (1:38:58) and Darren Kilby (1:52:42).

Splitting the latter two was Tamsin West in a superb 1:40:11 with Heidi Rossetter and Jo French continuing their recent fine form just 13 minutes behind.

In the 30k, Trevor Briggs was the only Hastings Runner to break the three-hour barrier, finishing 18th in a time of 2.53.07. Jake Stewart and Stuart Johnstone crossed the line together, both clocking 3:02:54.

First woman home was Sally Grainger (3:29:43), followed by Kate Lewis and Alison Anderson, who ran together to finish in identical times, just 18 seconds over five hours.

Hastings Runners’ older runners were well represented. Neil Jeffries and Conal Tracey were the first two MV60s home and there were age category wins for Sally Grainger (FV60) and Irene Kitson (FV70).

In the searing heat, times were irrelevant. Early finishers knew that those who took longer suffered more and applauded them home with respect.

Special mention goes to MV50 Matthew Miller who fell 2km from home, partially dislocating his shoulder, but figured it was easier to get up and run on to the medics at the finish than wait for one to come to him.

The day before, in even hotter temperatures, HR’s serial fund-raiser Joe Cruttenden completed his third and final epic challenge of the summer.

That was the 50k (31 mile) Thames Path, in which he raised funds for the Children With Cancer UK charity.

His efforts have so far raised over £1,500 and Hastings Runners salutes him.

Hastings Runners welcome new members of all abilities aged 12 and over for fun, training and competitive running. Visit hastingsrunners.co.uk to find out more.

NEIL JEFFRIES

HAILSHAM HARRIERS

After a four-year absence, Hailsham Harriers hosted their flagship club race, The John Faulds Hellingly 10k, now in its 36th year.

Over 200 runners gathered on the start line at Station Road on a dry morning with temperatures a warm 22C. Runners faced an undulating course around Hellingly country lanes, with a new finish line at Hellingly Cricket Pavilion, Roebuck Park.

Along with organising the race, part of the Sussex Grand Prix, a series of 12 races held throughout the year, Hailsham Harriers also produced the biggest club turnout with 37 members running, followed by Wadhurst Runners second and Heathfield Road Runners third.

Hailsham Harriers Tina Macenhill, Audrey Haddon and Helen O’Sullivan picked up top awards for winning their age categories while Katy Reed, Robin Warwick, Louisa Geer and Claire Hope ran 10K personal best times. For two Harriers, Louisa Geer and Dave Garratt, the Hellingly 10K represented their debut in Harriers colours.

Runners were presented with a bespoke sustainable medal by Hailsham Harriers senior and junior members, their families and club chairman Andy Ruffell.

Tea, coffee and cake was available at the pavilion with donations to the Hellingly Scouts, who helped out at the event to raise funds for their 2025 expedition to Cambodia.

Hailsham Harriers thanked their race sponsors Brewers Decorator Centres, Waitrose Heathfield and Jason Kearns Plumbing & Heating; Hellingly Scouts, Sports Systems Timing, race volunteers and marshals, and Hailsham Harriers club members along with their families, friends, especially race rirectors Samantha Neame and Graham Purdye.

Bryan Brett of Eastbourne Rovers was first male and overall winner in 34:30, Ollie Sprague of Seaford Striders was second in 35:55 and Dan Stent from Vegan Runners third in 36:12.

For the ladies, Sarah Morris from Heathfield Road Runners was first female in 43:26, with Hailsham ladies’ captain Helen O’Sullivan second in 44:48 and fellow Harrier Audrey Haddon third in 45:01

Full results can be found at www.sportsystems.co.uk.

For Hailsham, first Harrier across the line was Rob Chrystie 39:51 followed by Chris Doherty 40:06, Carl Barton 40:15, Dave Garratt 41:37, Los Burrett 41:53, Helen O’Sullivan 44:48, Audrey Haddon 45:01, Simon Haddon 45:57, Gary Crossan 46:05, Robin Warwick 46:19, Chris Shoult 46:32, Tom Price 46:47, Gary Smith 47:17, Tina Macenhill 48:04, Don Currie 48:36, Andrew Moore 49:05, Katy Reed 49:15, Tracy Erridge 50:05, Leeland Pavey 50:15, Abi Morris 50:58, Stephanie Bassett 53:27, Hannah Deubert-Chapman 57:42, Katie Manley 58:32, Louisa Geer 59:31, Cathy Gilling 59:55, Julie Deakin, 1:01:38, Kirsty Groves 1:02:29, Claire Hope 1:06:36, Darren Gillett 1:06:36 Sandra Fowlie 1:09:21, Maria Stanford 1:09:44, Lisa Phillips-Horner 1:09:45, Roberto Proietti 1:09:51, Els Ruffell 1:11:47, Anne Brandenburg 1:18:21 and Norman Harris 1:24:45.