Cheshire Grand Prix
Summer Series , race 14
Wednesday August 2nd.
For once we had not got our act together for the Grand Prix and there were a lack of League 1 runners, but hopefully, with 5 out of 7 to count, we can ‘lose’ this one and still be competitive. So it was down to individual points. Despite being a good course and a popular race, Pie & Peas is not ideal for the Series. Perhaps not ‘despite’ , perhaps ‘because’, the race fills-up too early and ideally the Series should be a competition as to who can get over the line first and not who can get their entry in before the race is full (However, Angela, 54th. on the waiting list got an entry so you should not despair if your initial application is not successful). In the past we’ve had close to 50 runners, but this year had to settle for 25.
It would be a surprise if Jeremy had not been the first Wilmslow runner home in the past, but I have no memory of it, and beating Barry, fairly convincingly, is no mean achievement. They were 16th. and 24th. respectively and came-in ahead of, top of the league, Matt, who was 58th.
To make it a family double, Diane was first Wilmslow lady, she for the second time this week. She was 7th. lady overall, another achievement given the array of young talent Vale Royal bring to this race, they filled the first five ladies’ places. Janine was our second lady and Sallies Gilliver and Price third and fourth.
Paul was first League 2 runner, and celebrated his new status as a 60 year-old retiree by winning his age category. Paul Garnett took the 59 points, then Diane, Janine, who has yet to recover from London, or more probably training for London, and Christian.
Patrick beat, league leader, Mark, to the 60 points in League 3 as well as being 1st.V65. The Sallies took third and fourth, followed by Gail and Chris. Then came Angela and Catriona, neither of whom are fully fit.
Colin made it 7 wins out of 7 in League 4. Then came Jan, who has struggled a bit of late but now found her best form. We see little of Sarah at training but she’s in good shape having run well at the Wizard and again here. Simon beat Julie and Ian. This was only Carolyn’s second race in the 2017 Series but her second in a week and for Stephen only his third, but likewise, his second in a week.
| 16 | Jeremy | Bygrave | 30:11 | 3 | Vet 40 | |
| 24 | Barry | Archbold | 31:34 | 4 | Vet 40 | |
| 58 | Matthew | Taylor | 33:49 | 9 | Vet 40 | |
| 71 | Paul | Norris | 35:07 | 1 | Vet 60 | |
| 76 | Paul | Garnett | 35:24 | 15 | Vet 50 | |
| 82 | Diane | Bygrave | 35:42 | 2 | Vet 40 | |
| 103 | Janine | Ellis | 36:28 | 3 | Vet 45 | |
| 112 | Christian | Hook | 37:02 | 15 | Vet 40 | |
| 126 | Patrick | Grannan | 38:06 | 1 | Vet 65 | |
| 134 | Mark | Crossland | 38:37 | 26 | Vet 45 | |
| 141 | Sally | Gilliver | 38:55 | 2 | Vet 55 | |
| 146 | Sally | Price | 39:07 | 8 | Vet 40 | |
| 158 | Gail | Hill | 39:48 | 5 | Vet 45 | |
| 165 | Chris | Cannon | 40:21 | 6 | Vet 60 | |
| 174 | Colin | Walton | 41:01 | 11 | Vet 55 | |
| 186 | Janet | Wyles | 41:29 | 3 | Vet 50 | |
| 192 | Angela | McCarthy | 41:51 | 5 | Vet 55 | |
| 210 | Catriona | Marshall | 42:48 | 4 | Vet 50 | |
| 213 | Sarah | Miles | 42:52 | 9 | Vet 35 | |
| 219 | Simon | Fenton | 43:07 | 2 | Vet 70 | |
| 231 | Julie | Lucas | 44:02 | 7 | Vet 50 | |
| 246 | Ian | Ashcroft | 45:26 | 3 | Vet 70 | |
| 247 | Carolyn | Hirons | 45:34 | 12 | Vet 50 | |
| 262 | Stephen | Feber | 47:41 | 7 | Vet 6 |
Great report Ian, many thanks.
Don’t know why, because it cannot be just the pies, but I do enjoy this race, could be because there is a bit of a social team element.