Sunday’s annual Turkey Trot 10-mile road race, organised by Waveney Valley Athletic Club, had a sell-out entry of over 400 competitors, with a total of 375 finishers. It was yet another Turkey Trot race record, beating last years previous highest total of 277 by almost 100.
The race, which started and finished near Sir John Leman High School in Beccles, took in the country lanes round Ilketshall St Andrew and Ringsfield and was staged in pleasantly mild conditions for the time of year.
Joe Skipper, one of the region’s best known athletes, won the race in 2014 and he triumphed for the second time on Sunday. The leading runners by the half way point, which included Skipper, Matthew Jeffries and Lee Cook of Waveney Valley A.C., Matt Pyatt of Ryston Runners and Rob Chenery of Ipswich Jaffa, were all in close contention until Skipper gradually stretched his lead to cross the line in first place in a time of 54:22. Jeffries was second in 54:50 and Pyatt third in 55:54.
Laura Shewbridge of Colchester Harriers A.C. was first lady to finish in a time of 1-04:51, her first victory in the
race. Second was Cat Cummings of Wymondham A.C. in 1-09:11 and third Emma Attwood of Stowmarket Striders in 1-12:05.
Ipswich Jaffa won the men’s team prize and Stowmarket Striders won the ladies.
The fancy dress entries was also a record. The trophies were sponsored once again by Wine Vaults of Beccles and the mens winner was Simon Sparkes, firmly attached to ‘ Clive the bear ‘ with Christine ‘ Christmas cracker ‘ Baker the ladies winner.

Age category winners were: M40 Richard Hayes ( U/A ) 58:46, M45 Adam Howlett ( Framlingham Flyers ) 57:45, M50 Andrew Buck ( Sudbury Joggers ) 1-04:25, M55 Alan Jackson ( Ipswich Jaffa ) 1-09:14, M60 Terry Garrity ( Bungay Black Dog R.C ) 1-17:01, M65 Jim Hayes ( North Norfolk Beach Runners ) 1-17:26, F40 Sarah Proffitt ( Felixstowe R.R.C ) 1-18:13, F45 Karen Archbold ( Lowestoft R.R.) 1-13:42, F50 Ruth Gaunt ( Norwich R.R.)
1-18:26, F55 Jenny Sheahan ( U/A ) 1-21:02, F60 Hazel Garrity ( BBDRC ) 1-21:25, F65 Carole Spong
(Great Yarmouth R.R.).

Waveney Valley A.C. results: 2 Matt Jeffries 54:50, 5 Lee Cook 56:26, 26 Sebastian Lakes 1-03.17, 27 Chris Pimlott
1-03.33, 34 Lloyd Scriven 1-04.18, 36 Dylan Neeve 1-04.25, 51 Daniel Harris 1-06.51, 58 Steve Carruthers 1-08.32, 63 Kyle Bowles 1-09.24, 67 Jon Comyn 1-10.13, 69 Leon Neeve 1-10.29, 76 Bob Milner 1-11.48, 78 Paul Wright 1-12.04, 84 Wayne Freeman 1-12.50, 98 Billy Underdown 1-14.22, 149 Lisa Knights 1-19.44, 186 Joe Mayne 1-23.53, 190 Alan Richardson 1-24.04, 204 Rebecca Harris 1-25.49, 206 David Goosey 1-26.33, 240 Stuart Smith 1-30.57, 249 Jay Butcher 1-31.48, 253 Sarah Norman 1-32.13, 254 Mark Smith 1-32.13, 260 Vicki
Archard 1-32.56, 304 Jane Hunt 1-39.00, 320 Gary Elvin 1-41.48, 325 Beth Bell 1-43.39, 352 Demelza Hammond 1-48.55, 375 Donna Milner 2-03.47.