Battle for Honours in Round Rotherham 50 Mile Race

SCOTSMAN Marcus Scotney won the big Round Rotherham race-despite having to map read as well as run!

In ideal autumn weather, over 250 runners set off to negotiate the 50-mile route and Scotney was the clear winner in 6 hours, 42 minutes.

What made the Dumfries RC ace's victory more remarkable was the fact that he had no previous knowledge of the course and, armed with his course map, set about the race while having to negotiate the 50-mile course at the same time.

Jack Brown, from Cambuslang Harriers, was the runner-up in 7:10 while the bronze medal was shared by no fewer than four runners. Ian Bishop (East Cheshire. Harriers), Sean Ketteridge (Colchester Harriers), Pete McKnight (unattached) and Julian Brown (Macclesfield Harriers) crossed the line together after completing the epic event in 7:38.

In the women's race, Tewkesbury AC athlete Angie Sadler was the first back in 8:23 while Kirnberworth Strid¬ers gained local bragging rights in winning the team event with Ian Brookes the first local runner in 16th place with 8:16. Team-mate Martin Gaynor 8:40 and Claire Spencer clinched the team victory with 8:43 as well as taking second place in the women's race. Leading the Harriers was Round Rotherham veteran Kerry Booth, who crossed the line in 41st place and clocked 9:20. The contrast in weather to last year resulted in 208 finishers, leaving the organisers almost certain to switch the event to October from now onwards. The relay race, which consists of eight legs of varying distances around the course, proved to be a clean sweep for Rotherham with the Men in Black (5:56) regaining the title they lost last year to local rivals Kimberworth. In the mixed event, team captain Pete Humphries put together a team which included new up-and-coming star Jayne Allen and, aptly named, the Rotherham Techno Snails stormed to victory in 6:41 while the Women in Black made it a winning treble with a time of 6:56.

• GIRLS ON TOP. The first three women finishers. From left: second-placed Claire Spencer (Kimberworth), winner Angie Sadler (Tewkesbury) and bronze medallist Anne Wade.

A CHANGE of date for the 50-mile Round Rotherham race proved to be a huge success with many of the competitors giving positive feedback regarding the event.

Over the last three years the event has endured horrendous weather conditions and, after last year's record number of drop outs, it was decided that it was time to move from the traditional mid-December date.

Putting on such an event requires an enormous effort and race organiser Sharon Burton has worked tirelessly to make the event the success that it is - a point that was made by former club President David Haywood at last week's AGM.

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Athletics Weekly

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