Brett lands Bridge Inn title

Short athletics stories

BRETT Halliwell defied high winds and rain to win the latest Bridge Inn 5k road race.

The Yate & District AC teenager clocked a respectable 16mins 12secs in the conditions to beat Tom Fewster, of Great Western Runners, by four seconds. Team Bath's Allister Sheffield was third.

Westbury girls Emma D'Alton and Debbie Marsden enjoyed a one-two in the women's race.

Event organiser Chris Elson compared the top 20 times with those of the previous race and reckons runners were around 30 seconds slower due to the conditions.

Bridge Inn 5k – men: 1 Brett Halliwell (Yate, U17) 16:12; 2 Thomas Fewster (GWR) 16:16; 3 Allister Sheffield (TBAC) 16:25; 4 David Green (B&W) 16:27; 5 Gary Hope (Sev, M40) 16:52; 6 Stephen Francis (Bris Uni) 16:58; 7 Phil Lucker (B&W) 17:13; 8 Ben Morley (GWR) 17:16; 9 Dave beddows (B&W) 17:37; 10 Ewen Malloch (TBAC) 17:41; 11 Jon Barlow (Yate, U17) 17:45; 12 Andrew Woods (Bris Uni) 17:50; 13 John terry (WH) 17:57; 14 Stu Penny (Chepstow, M45) 18:14; 15 Scott Watkins (BAD Tri) 18:21.

M50: Jonathan Goodland (B&W) 19:03. M55: Dave Wintle (GWR) 18;25.M60: Tony Jefferies (WH) 20:12.

Women: 1 Emma D'Alton (WH) 18:33; 2 Debbie Marsden (WH) 18:40; 3 Erica Golland (Bris Uni) 19:10; 4 Michelle Kerfoot (BRR, W35) 19;11. W45: Veronica Ford (GWR) 21:02. U17: Olivia Sadler (B&W) 19:37. 1129 finishers.

ENTRIES are now being taken for the South West Cross-Country Championships at Bicton College, near Exmouth, on Sunday, January 10.

The event incorporates an Inter Counties event comprising the seven West counties – Avon, Cornwall, Devon , Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire – as well as a club team championships.

Entry forms can be downloaded from either: www.englandathletics.org or www.midlandathletics.org.uk. Runners can also enter online at: www.race-results.co.uk/results/2010.

CHRIS Lewis, of Hogweed Trotters, completed the three-day Druid Ultra Challenge, comprising 82 miles from Ivinghoe Beacon, Buckinghamshire, to Barbury Castle, Wiltshire, in 16hrs 34mins. He finished 43rd.

A group from the club also tackled the Saab Salomon 10-mile race at Bordon, Hampshire. Of the 856 finishers, Chris Martin came 101st in 1:27.00, ahead of brother-in-law Neil Paice (1:41.12).

Others: Ange Martin 1:50.20; Nicola Paice 2:00.35; Paul Clarke 2:05.11.

THE next Avon Athletics Network master-class will be held on Sunday December 13 at Brislington Enterprise College (10am-1pm) and will focus on strength and conditioning.

Numbers wil be limited, so anyone interested should contact Tim Snowdon at: Timothy.Snowdon@uwe.ac.uk.

CONGRATULATIONS to Bristol & West pole vaulters Martin and Ruby Davies, who became the proud parents of a baby boy, Ethan, last week.

RON White, of Hogweed Trotters, clocked 5hrs 14mins 45secs at the Ironman World Championships in Tampa Bay, Florida.

GEORGE Brown, of Bitton Road Runners, won the minor boys' title at the Bath & North East Somerset Schools' Championships.