Hastings athletes turn out in force for harbour 5k

There was a tremendous club turnout of Hastings Runners for the race, with 33 in a field of 172. Only HY Runners, with 29, came anywhere near matching the numbers.

It was another test event put on by Nice Work with Covid safety measures in place. A talented field included top runners from all over Kent and Sussex.

The men’s winning time was 14.58 (Oliver Prior, Ashford AC) and the ladies’ winner came home in 17.34 (Emily Proto, Arena 80).

First Hastings Runners club member home was Dan Snellgrove in an impressive time of 18.09 (PB by 8sec while there were age category wins for Darren Barzee (MV50), Neil Jeffries (MV60) and Irene Kitson (FV65).

Despite a slight headwind all the way to the turnaround at Winchelsea Beach, there were also PBs for three Simons (Newstead, Linklater and Weatherley), Danny Firth, Ruth Spiller and Krista Barzee and a very promising 5k debut for Elora Wadham.

Also showing a welcome return to form were Neil Jeffries, Marie Appleton, Sue Palmer and Marie Crawford.

The event was excellently organised by Nice Work, with Covid-19 protocols in place.

Familiar faces helped, including Lee and Steph Miller, Andy Bashford, Corrina Skinner and Gary Lancaster.

HR chip times: Dan Snellgrove 18.09 (pb); Darren Barzee 18.38; Simon Newstead 19.30 (pb); Andrew Watson 19.40; Danny Firth 19.46 (pb); Simon Linklater 19.49 (pb); Neil Jeffries 20.27; Kevin Blowers 21.28; Ben Sallows 21.55; Elora Wadham 23.09 (pb); Piers Brunning 23.11; Nicola Steed 23.35; Nick Brown 23.36; Simon Weatherley 24.11 (pb); Ruth Spiller 24.14 (pb); Marie Appleton 25.17; Paul Wadham 25.21; Sharon Wadham 26.24; Susan Wilkinson 26.56; Sue Palmer 26.58; Marie Crawford 27.10; Debra Van Aalst 27.33; Krista Barzee 27.43 (pb); Louise Cavill 28.28; Leigh Yates 28.57; Alison Campbell 30.31; Susan Mann 30.43; Hayley Ranson 31.04; Terry Kitson 31.11; Jo Edwards 31.32; Irene Kitson 31.47; Jenny Hudson 33.14; Alison Leonard 33.23.

Hastings-baed HY Runners were recognisable, with 31 out of the 171 entrants in the new club vest, displaying a sea of red.

Recent training was put to good use as they knocked out some cracking times, many of them setting PBs over the distance. Stacey Clusker was second female over the line (19th overall) in 17.59.

Junior athlete Shannon Hopkins-Parry was third female with 18.35 (PB).

David Ervine (junior) was first HY male over the line in 17.03, a PB, but it only gave him ninth place.

HY Runners times; David Ervine (JM) 17.03, Dylan Bolton (JM) 17.28, Carl Adams (MV45) 17.58, Stacey Clusker 17.59, Dan Isted (MV40) 18.27, Shannon Hopkins-Parry (JF) 18.35, Shane Ryan 18.39, John Ralph (MV40) 18.57, Benji Symes (MV45) 19.01, Dean Constable (MV45) 19.26, Joe Moore 19.43, Terry Puxty (MV45) 19.54, David Brogan (MV50), 20.51, Craig Willard (MV45) 21.23, Paul Gallop (MV45) 21.42, David Bushman Clarke (MV55) 21.46, Joseph O’Gorman 22.11, Carly Hopkins (FV35) 22.12, Alfie Johnstone (JM) 22.13, Glenn Cooper (MV40) 22.14, Kelly Crowe 22.24, Katie Parsons 22.35, Nicola Bull 22.46, Sarah Francis (FV45) 23.06, Ross Garnett (MV40) 23.16, Stewart Ide (MV40) 23.18, Paul Baxter (MV55) 23.48, Amy Moore 24.07, John Waterhouse (MV50) 24.25, Esther Grimes (FV40) 26.19, Jason Johnson (MV45) 26.22.

n Well done to the 29 young athletes who raced hard at HY Runners’ inaugural junior club championships

held at the Harrow playing fields.

There were three races taking place for the three separate age categories: under-nines running 500m, U11s 1000m and U15s one mile (all distances approx).

Results – U15s – Nancy Barlow 8.35, Max Phipps 9.37, Maddie Jenkinson 9.54, Bobby Dearsley 10.11, Dylan Matthews 10.15, Ruby Phipps 10.17, Isla Isted 10.45, Eve Bolton 10.58, Alex Hilliard 13.05, Ruby Adams 13.55. U11s – Isabella Buchanan 5.30, Megan Hopkins-Parry 5.33, Zion Okoje 5.37, Daisy 6.38, Olivia 6.44, Uma Newman 7.16, Archie 7.18, Florence Tewkesbury 7.20. U9s, Iden Newman 2.51, Alfredo Forte 2.57, Louie Taylor 3.07, Samuel Georgiou 3.09, Jude Campbell 3.10, Megan Wadbrook 3.10, Amelia Skelton 3.24, Ava O’Gorman 3.25,

Fraser McGoldrick 3.30, Jaxon

Isted 4.06.