GIAAC Winter Championship Race 5 
GRANDES ROCQUES-PEMBROKE
(5Miles)
SUNDAY 4th FEBRUARY 2001


With one race still remaining in the six race series Marcel Le Clerc is the GIAACıs 2001 Winter Champion. Le Clerc comfortably beat his nearest challenger, Paul Ingrouille, by 26 seconds to clock a time of 28 minutes 50 seconds for the 5 Mile coastal path run between Grande Rocques and Pembroke. Nick Despres was a distant third.

A new championship format, which allows competitors to discard their two poorest performances in the series, initially left Club Officials scratching
their heads as to whether Ingrouille still had a chance of squaring the points. Closer inspection showed that Ingrouilleıs slim hopes of retaining
his title were over and the championship is back in the hands of the man who last won it in 1994. After sharing the lead in the opening third of the race, Le Clerc ran an assured race to draw clear in the middle section and cruise to a comfortable victory. 

Despite missing the start, and giving the rest of the field an unplanned advantage, Nick Despres caught and passed all but the leading duo while a
gutsy run by tri-athlete Mark Naftel saw him claim fourth. Martin Spratt, who gained 5th place overall, was first veteran across the
line. Spratt has seldom missed out on the regular Tuesday and Thursday night training slots held at Footes lane, and was rewarded with what may be his best race result to date.

Penny Buckingham strengthened her chances of reclaiming the womenıs title with another strong run that saw her finish 8th of the 40 starters and
nearly two minutes clear of Debbie Doherty.  Buckingham, still to confirm her choice of event in the Island Games, ran
strongly and spent much of the race battling with male competitors Pat Down and Robbie Froome. In the final stages Froome faded slightly while Down edged clear of the top woman in the finishing straight.

Shanine Wray still leads the womenıs series but the discards rule allows Buckingham an opportunity the gain the title with victory in the final race. 
Another category victory confirmed Tom Oliver as the seasons top super-veteran and, despite missing the fifth race in the series, Pete
Wickins retains his veteran title.

Pos Athlete Cat Time
1 Marcel Le Clerc 28.50
2 Paul Ingrouille 29.16
3 Nick Despres 31.59
4 Mark Naftel 32.19
5 Martin Spratt VM 33.07
6 Thomas Oliver SVM 33.54
7 Patrick Down 34.05
8 Penny Buckingham W 34.08
9 Robin Froome SVM 34.31
10 Paul Davies 35.10
11 Ian Ozanne 35.23
12 David Mahy VM 35.25
13 Paul Gallienne 35.49
14 Nick Loveridge 35.52
15 Deborah Doherty W 35.58
16 Pete Le Feuvre VM 36.15
17 Gary Allen 37.14
18 Rob Ferguson VM 37.48
19 John Dedman 37.49
20 Chris Tostevin-Hall 37.50
21 Richard Stapely 38.09
22 Chris De La Mare SVW 38.21
23 Dave Bird SVM 38.33
24 Brian Johnson 38.36
25 Jonty Bamford SVM 39.04
26 Kevin Le Noury VM 39.31
27 Sally Dowinton VW 39.38
28 Ian Bloese SVM 40.00
29 Seamus Russell 40.08
30 Nicole Inder VW 40.28
31 Terry Greening SVM 40.59
32 Alison Jefferies W 41.17
33 Millie White VW 41.22
34 Graham Le Poidevin SVM 42.56
35 Anne Setters VW 47.29
36 Terry Harnden VM 48.02
36 Ron Harnden SVM 48.02

Index | Fixture List