The women’s race in the Chichester 10k was of a high standard, but to some extent rather a one-woman race - with GB international Steph Twell of Aldershot, Farnham & District AC leading from start to finish with a comfortable victory in a winning time of 33.44.
Twell said she was very pleased with her run as she wass just returning to form after injury. She said she had thoroughly enjoyed the course and the race.
She finished nearly a minute clear of her nearest rival, Emma Taylor-Goodby of Worthing, who was second. Emily Pidgeon, also from Aldershot, was another 30 seconds adrift in third place.
Ruth Clifton of Thames Hare and Hounds was fourth, while fifth, and first women’s veteran overall, was Caroline Hoyte of Arena 80 AC in 36.08.
In the women’s team event Aldershot, in addition to Twell and Pidgeon, had Bryony Proctor in ninth place, making an unassailable score of 13. Worthing & District had Taylor–Goodby, Rebecca Moore and Sarah Kingston to put them second and Dulwich were both third and fifth.
After seeing them take the women’s title for so many years, it was a little surprising to see Arena 80 in fourth place. However such was the strength of this year’s women’s team event Chichester Runners (Jane Harrop, Angela Carpenter and Georgina Warner), who were second last year, finished seventh in 2013.
Warner had the consolation of being the first local under-23 female home - her time was 43.19.
Chichester Runners’ Harry Leleu continued his blistering form of late across many athletics disciplines being the first local under-23 man to finish - his clocking an impressive 33.57.
The race was once again organised splendidly by the Rotary Club of Chichester Priory and was again sponsored by Peter Cooper, the local Volkswagen Group, and Brooks Sports, the international sports clothing suppliers.
The starting party included the president of Chichester Priory Rotary Club, Chris Doman, and the chairman of Chichester District Council, Peter Clementson.
Awards were given out at the traditional prizegiving event after the race at Chichester Hockey Club.
The presentation party included representatives of the sponsors Brooks and Peter Cooper and the president of the Rotary Club.
There were many accolades about the organisation of the race and as all the Rotarians, athletes, spectators and officials went home to warm up, they did so in the knowledge they had been part of yet another successful Chichester Priory 10k.
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