ATHLETICS: Double delight for Hunts AC as they launch the new Frostbite Friendly League campaign with senior and junior success
The successful Hunts AC junior team. - Credit: Archant
Hunts AC enjoyed a terrific start to the new Frostbite Friendly League season – thanks to an honours double.
Jamie Hall (right) was the leading Hunts AC senior runner in the opening race of the Frostbite Friendly League. - Credit: Archant
The local club claimed senior and junior success in the opening race at Priory Park in St Neots last Sunday.
Newcomer Jamie Hall was the star performer in the adult ranks over five miles with a 26.57 performance to finish as runner-up while fellow Hunts AC man Mark Barry took third position in 28.06.
Casper Hiscock, an emerging 16 year-old talent running at senior level for the first time, was fourth in 28.07 with Nick Osborn (12th, 29.14), Rod McKee (14th, 29.41), Simon Margot (20th, 30.11) and Darren Matthews (21st, 30.14) the other scoring male runners.
The first three female finishers also count towards the overall team tally and they were Ieva Klavina (137th, 35.57), Katie Lawrence (188th, 37.37) and Eleanor Smith (205th, 38.13) as Hunts AC began their quest to go one better than last winter, when runners-up overall, in smart style.
The club’s defence of the junior title got off to a super start as they were led home by fourth-placed Howard Croft.
He clocked 7.25 for the one-and-a-half mile event in which Oliver Mills was fifth in 7.27.
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Markus Downhill (11th, 7.36), Spencer Taylor (12th, 7.36) and Issy Wilkins (17th, 7.52) also contributed to the team tally. Wilkins was the first girl to finish.
Defending senior champions Riverside Runners finished third in the opening round despite fielding a depleted team.
Rodrigo Santos (28.45) was their leading finisher in seventh position with Joss Williams once place and 12 seconds back.
Kyle Chesterman (19th, 30.07), Edmund Bashinga (28th, 30.51), Michael Ball (41st, 31.48), Andy Weaver (44th, 31.51), Clare Jenkins (129th, 35.40), Emma Evans (158th, 36.36) and Pags Claudianos (165th, 36.51) were the other scoring members.
Huntingdon BRJ Run & Tri finished seventh at senior level and fourth in the junior race.
James Orrell was their leading finisher in the senior race in 18th, while Liam Conway and Keelan Duffy crossed the line eighth and ninth respectively in the junior event.
BRJ were also represented by the most successful runner in the history of the Frostbite Friendly League, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last Sunday.
Peter Galpin, the winner of 36 races, finished 37th on this occasion but was among a number of runners recognised for their exploits in the league.
Ross Gibbons of Riverside and Shannon Flockhart (Hunts AC) were others to receive awards for their fine successes at junior level with 16 and 12 wins respectively.
Riverside are the most successful club in league history with 12 senior titles and 16 junior crowns.
The Frostbite series continues at Nene Park, in Peterborough, on November 4.
