ATHLETICS: Club wins all four age categories again

BANBURY 5 MILES, JUNE 6, 2017

Rugby & Northampton AC swept the board in the Banbury 5 miles by winning all four age categories for the second successive race, in the fifth round of the East Midlands Grand Prix Series.

In doing so, the Senior Ladies ended their 13-year wait to win the overall series and there was another world best from Angela Copson BEM.

The R&N Ladies squad made it five wins in a row to secure the title with three races still remaining and it was Tori Green who led them home in 6th place with a time of 32:19, which puts her in 3rd spot in the current standings for the Series.

There was victory for Sarah Davis-Foxon in the F45 section to finish 7th overall when she recorded 32:32 and completing the team was Angela Copson who broke her own W70 world best by 26 secs when she was timed at 35:35 in 16th position.

It had been 11 years since the Veteran Ladies from the club had taken the overall Series, but they emulated the Seniors with their fifth win in a row when Zoe Shepherd closed out the team with third place in the F35 section just one second behind Copson in 18th spot.

Helen Jones took the overall lead in the F50 competition with 36:39, for 23rd in the race and third in her age category.

After victory at Corby, Dominic Jones finished 2nd in the Men’s race with 26:44 and was followed by his close rival William Gardner just four seconds adrift in 4th position.

Veteran Stephen Marks crossed the line in 5th spot on 27:03, which gave him second in the M40 event and Daniel Mould clinched another top ten place in 27:54 for 9th.

The Senior Men are still in second place for the Series and need to be at full strength for the remaining races if they are to have any chance of retaining their title.

Alistair McDonnell recorded 28:34 in 13th place and then came Matthew Chronicle with his third win in the M20 category on 28:50 (14th overall), but he still needs to complete one more race to be assured of the overall Series victory.

Veterans Dean Oldfield and Iain Botheroyd finished 18th and 20th respectively with 29:05 and 29:23 with the former as the 5th M40 and the latter 2nd M45.

Jonathan Burke followed in 47th on 31:08 before Paul Furness closed out the winning veteran squad on 32:28 ( 79th and M45 14th ).

The R&N Veteran team are just one point behind Wootton Road Runners in the current standings and are looking for their first title in eight years.