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2,000 set to line up for Bognor's biggest day of sport
SOME 2,000 runners will descend on Bognor seafront on Sunday on a record-breaking day for sport in the town.
The turnout confirms the Bognor Prom 10k road race, backed by the Observer, and its associated fun runs as the town's biggest sporting
occasion.
Organisers are hoping the rain will stay away. An early downpour on last year's race day caused several hundred entrants to remain at home.
One of those who will be at the starting line at 10.30am in West Park is Bognor call centre service delivery and contact manager Gavin Dutton.
Chichester resident Gavin, 33, will be joined by more than 60 family and friends keen to support him to raise funds for Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity.
Gavin said: "We're really looking forward to Bognor. All our friends have got behind why we need to raise awareness of stillbirth and raise funds for Sands."
His run in the Bognor Prom 10k follows three marathons, including the London Marathon, in three days.
Since his son, Luke, was stillborn last June, Gavin has been
determined to raise awareness of the devastating impact of stillbirth and raise funds for Sands, which has helped him and wife, Kerry, 31, so much.
They are already halfway to achieving their 10,000 target. The group entry is the largest seen since the race was begun by the Bognor Hotham Rotary Club in 1995.
Neither has the race boasted 1,688 entries before the deadline. The total was boosted by a last-minute rush to beat last year's record by 40 to make the run more popular than ever.
Peter Elliott, race co-ordinator, said: "The race continues to get more
popular because everyone tells us it's well-organised and it's a nice flat course.
"The day's not just about the top-quality athletics. It's also about the many people who take part for a charity. We're lucky there's a lot of people locally who like to do that."
The Rotarians use the race to make money for a chosen charity. This year's selected good cause is the Aldingbourne Trust, which works with adults with learning disabilities.
Michelle McKinley Bell, the trust's enterprise and development manager, said: "We were absolutely elated to be chosen as the Rotary club's charity partner for the race. The Rotarians are a very high-profile charity and working with them can only raise our profile."
Sunday's action starts with two junior fun runs. About 100 entries had been received with a week to go.
Organiser Nigel Hasted: "Entries can be accepted on the day, with a 2 fee to cover costs, so there are likely to be many more taking part."
First to start at 9.15am will be the 12 to 14-year-olds over a 1.5km course from the bandstand to The Waverley pub. They will be followed at 9.25am by eight to 11-year-olds for 800m from the Rock Gardens to the Waverley.
The fun runs are not races. Parents can accompany their children.
KEVIN SMITH
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Weather for Chichester
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 5 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
Temperature: -4 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South east
