Minnis Bay was rather different this year. The tide was high - so no beach start. The weather had been decidedly cold - so the dykes were deemed too dangerous. So, it was just a case of managing the frozen ground. As expected, we managed only a skeleton squad.
Race report - Rob Bright
We were all a bit worried about the weather, but following a week of arctic conditions it turned out a pleasant sunny and mild January day down on the North Kent coast – and 300 KFL ers made their annual pilgrimage to Minnis Bay. Having established that the high tide would prevent us from starting on the beach, the only remaining question was whether the dykes could be incorporated into the circuit. An early morning inspection revealed there was ice in the base of each one, some of it unbreakable. So the decision to exclude all 5 dykes on safety grounds was taken and met with universal cheers !
Swanley’s Stuart Nicholson belied the fact that he had raced less than 24 hours previously in the County Championship as he led the field out from the gun and crossed the line first covering the 6 mile circuit in a little over 34 minutes. It was a repeat of his success on the same course this time last year.
Larkfield’s Simon Hesketh continued his ascendency through the ranks and notched up his best placing of the year to finish second ahead of James Ridger (Paddock Wood). Ridger is now the strong favourite to take the individual championship, but he could still be beaten by Nicholson in the final event. Hesketh is certain of taking the over 40 award.
Following a brief hiccup at Avery Hill last time out, Larkfield drew on most of their top talent to take the team race by a comfortable margin. With a 6 point lead over Paddock Wood, only a major disaster can now stop Larkfield AC finishing as team champions for the current season (the champagne’s already being chilled).
The ladies’ race was won by Annabelle Stearns of Gravesend Road Runners, also a survivor from the previous day’s County Championships, ahead of Cara Oliver (Dartford H) and Amy Hicks (Canterbury H). In doing so, Stearns took the ladies’ championship for the second time – she last won it in 2007.
We also had a record turnout for the junior race – 31 finishers for which the results are attached separately.
So many thanks to the organisers – Thanet Roadrunners, their marshals, the Raynet team and the medics – all of whom helped to stage the race successfully. Credit must go to the runners as well – the two damsels in distress at the far end of the route were helped out by others in the race and brought safely home.