Bunker Hill – Pembroke 2 laps (4 miles)
5 December 1999

GIAAC: Thompson and Doyle set the pace in four mile race

First Place for Carl

Carl Thompson and Mike Doyle were evenly matched as they contested the GIAAC four mile cross-country race over two laps of the Bunker Hill circuit at L’Ancresse.

As the leading group – including Geoff King, Pete Wickins and Tom Oliver – approached the top of Doyle Hill for the first time, Doyle took his chance to take control, closely followed by Thompson. With both runners unfamiliar with the route’s twists and turns, neither felt confident enough to force the pace and so ended up playing cat-and-mouse for the remainder of the race. Both were guilty of leading the other slightly off course in the final 200m run-in though Thompson had the edge. He finished three seconds ahead in 23 minutes and 39 seconds.

Wickins, in third place, was never able to get on terms with the leading pair and at one stage it looked as though he might have been overtaken by King, who seems to be making a steady return to fitness. With several short, sharp rises throughout the race, it was a good test of stamina and Tracey Queripel appeared to cope comfortably as she led the women home in 27.33. Second place Caroline Creed and third place Debbie Doherty will also have been pleased with their form ahead of tomorrow’s cross-country championship races.

Mark Mercier was not far behind the leading men as he completed one lap in under 13 minutes to win the junior two mile race. Daniel Ingrouille won the under 9 colts handicap race, the fourth in the series. Starting from one minute handicap, he finished 10 seconds ahead of Steven Reed with a very good actual time of six minutes and five seconds for the tough 1,200m course. Aaron Lamb and Daniel Carre were joint third with the fastest times of the morning. Gemma Mauger again ran well to lead the under 11’s two lap event, with Tony Brehaut the runner-up half a minute behind.

Guernsey Press – Saturday 11 December 1999

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