More than 150 runners from local running clubs gathered on Beverley Westwood on Tuesday evening for the third race in the 2010 Champagne League.
Organised by City of Hull Athletic Club, the popular league consists of 10 races of various distances in rural East Yorkshire. At the end of the series prizes are awarded for speed, consistency and to handicap winners.
The 3.7-mile race round the Westwood was won by Jonathan Frost of East Hull Harriers in 17.55 and the first lady to finish was Charlotte Ward of City of Hull in 22.33.
Pete Fielding-Smith, current holder of the Green Jersey for consistency, was the first Beverley runner to finish. He completed the course in 20.27, in 7th position overall and more than 2 minutes faster than last year.
Competing in the Champagne League for the first time this year, Lucy Stamford was the sixth lady to finish and the first Beverley lady to cross the line.
With the first 2 races on Hessle Foreshore and at North Cave being used to calculate handicap times, the handicap competition begins in earnest with race 3 on the Westwood.
Beverley’s Kristian Davis claimed the first handicap prize of the series by beating his predicted time by more than 2½ minutes. He was awarded 100 points and is currently at the top of the league.
Nicola Glover was also awarded coveted bonus points. She was placed fifth in the handicap, beating her predicted time by 1½ minutes. Glover improved steadily in 2009 when she finished fourth in the ladies competition. She will be working hard to improve on that this year.
It was good to see Judith Battersby competing again. A back problem has prevented her from running for several months and she was sorely missed by club mates in the East Yorkshire Cross-Country League. She is returning to form and will enjoy the multi-terrrain Champagne League routes.
The next race in the series is at Lockington on Tuesday 27 April.
