A record entry of runners took part in the 22nd staging of the Lowestoft Scores Race on Sunday, a challenging annual hilly event which also attracts a large number of spectators, particularly along the High Street.
The race, organised by Waveney Valley Athletic Club, started in the High Street and followed a route along the sea wall, Gunton Cliff and all of the town’s historic Scores before finishing at the Triangle Market, covering a distance of approximately 4.75 miles.
255 competitors completed the tough course, beating last years previous highest total of 233. The race winner, for the second year in a row, was Michael Eccles of Norfolk Gazelles AC, in a time of 26:23, just two seconds slower than his winning time last year. Second was Robert Chenery of Ipswich Jaffa RC in 27:01 and third Lee Cook of Rock Estate in 27:18. There was a new winner for the ladies with Great Yarmouth & District AC’s Colleen Mukuya crossing the finish line in 29:50, the second fastest ever female time. Second was last years female winner Jo Andrews of Bungay Black Dog RC, in 30:32 and third Louise White of Thetford AC in 32:58.
Winners of the team prizes were Mens Affiliated – Lowestoft Road Runners, Ladies Affiliated – Bungay Black Dog RC, Mens Unaffiliated – Rock Estate, Ladies Unaffiliated – Ormiston Denes Academy, Mixed Affiliated – Waveney Valley AC, Mixed Unaffiliated – Ormiston Denes Academy.
In the Junior race, which also had a record number of finishers (68), over a distance of 1.4 miles, the boys’ winner of the 9-12 age group was Joel Burgess of Waveney Valley AC in 8:30, with Finn Howes second in 8:49 and Jack Gooch third in 9:02, making it a clean sweep of the prizes for Waveney Valley. The girls winner was Tess Andrews in 9:27, with Alice Craddock second in 9:43 and Agatha Gouldby third in 10:28.
In the 13-15 age category, first boy was Samuel Stevens (GYDAC) in 7:55. Second was Billy Heseltine (GYDAC) in 8:02 and third George Browne (WVAC) in 8:21. Girls winner was Holly Bunn (CONAC) in 9:06, second was Brooke Oram (GYDAC) in 9:32 and third Ellen Lockhart (BBDRC) in 10:38.
With commitments to organising, marshaling and helping, host’s Waveney Valley had a reduced entry of 23 members in the senior race. Highest placings went to 26 Lloyd Scriven in 31:47, 27 Richard Aukland 31:55, 32 Karim Ouaddane in 32:25, 43 Andy Ayers in 33:06, 54 Matt Baldry in 33:49 and 55 Harriet Lyman in 33:52. There were top 30 placings, in addition to the club’s prize winners, in the Juniors by Thomas Spurgeon, Thomas Supple, William Browne, James Burgess, Benjamin Cone and Nathan Littlejohns,
At the prize presentation, race organiser Tim Earl thanked the sponsors, which included Birds Eye and Lowestoft Vision, Christchurch for facilities for registration and all of the marshals, traffic management officers and helpers who ensured the event was a success.