The 2017-2018 Suffolk Winter Cross Country League awards night was held at the weekend with Waveney Valley AC hosting the event this year at the Lowestoft & Yarmouth Rugby Club.

18 team’s competed in the league with Waveney Valley taking top honours in the men’s A, B and C team’s. However, they just failed to retain the combined men and women’s title by one point, losing out to Bury Pacers. Waveney’s B and C team’s finished top of their combined leagues.

Seven members received trophies in their age categorie’s. Dominic Oliver was the senior men’s winner, Bill Kingaby was 1st M65+, Lisa Knights 2nd F45+, David Mower 2nd M60+, Ann Millett 3rd F60+, Jim Burgess 3rd senior man and Alan Varle 3rd M70+. Team captain Chris Pimlott received the men’s team trophies.

A record turn-out of 48 members took part in race two of the Great Yarmouth 5-mile promenade series. A strong south-easterly breeze affected fast times but the in form Jim Burgess still equalled his best time of 29:22, finishing a strong 9th from a field of 531. Members achieving personal bests were: Chris Strange 37:02, Daniel Critoph 38:01, Dave Catchpole 42:49, Lauren Finch 45:56, Demelza Hammond 46:29, Rachael Finch 46:46, Gavin Hamilton 46:57, Debbie Foster 48:17, Sarah James 48:52, Caroline Clamp 49:11, Tara Carroll 50:04, Kim Stone 51:01, Lorraine Barker 53:01 and Paul Hierons 1.02:05.

Mark Thompson was first WVAC to finish in the Dereham 10m event. He was placed 30th out of 384 athletes in 1.03:51. Leon Neeve was 78th in a PB 1.08:56 and Mike Quantrill 89th in 1.10:07, also a PB. David Mower was 192nd in 1.18:06, Demelza Hammond 377th in 1.34:29 (PB), Grainne Purvis 378th in 1.34:32, Vicky Wood 383rd in 1.35:14 and Camilla Darling 408th in 1.39:07.

At the Bury to Clare Challenge, runners competed over an 18 and a half mile cross country course in aid of St. Nicholas Hospice Care. Malcolm Huggins finished 41st in 2.53:06, Stephanie Pimlott was 79th in 3.10:07 and Stephanie’s dad Stuart Smith was 99th in 3.22:20 and 3rd in his age category.

Club coaches Michaela and James Gooch competed in their debut triathlon’s on Saturday. The event was the Stradbroke Triathlon and included a 160 metre swim, 17k bike ride and 3k run. Michaela finished 84th in a time of 1.06:57 and James 86th in 1.07:32. In other events, Samantha Lines finished 45th out of 554 runners in the Wroxham 5k series (race one) in a time of 18:11 and Phil Hazell, a veteran of many decades of road racing, clocked 1.02:28 in very hot conditions at the Breckland 10k.