Ilford AC's
marauding
Scotsman Iain
Campbell took on
the might of the
South of
England veterans when
he recorded a
magnificent 3rd
place in
Saturdays SEAA
Masters
Cross Country
Championships.
Campbell,
recently
rated third male
45 in the
country in this
years' 5000
metre track
rankings,
entered these
championships
with high
expectations.
On a very well
constructed 10k
woodland
course hosted by
Hillingdon
AC and set in
the picturesque
""Mad Bess
Woods" of
Ruislip it was
Colchester's
Paul Spowage who
set the early
pace. After the
first of the 3
laps it was
apparent that
the long climb
to the back of
the coarse was
beginning to
take its toll on
the leader as
the strong
running
Richard McCormack
of Barnet and
District came
through, closely
followed by the
hard working
Campbell and
Watford's much
fancied Julian
Critchlow just
sitting off the
pace.
By lap 2
McCormack was
away with a 30
second lead with
Campbell pulling
out all the
stops to hold
off Critchlow
who had pulled
himself to
within 10
metres. The
Watford Harrier
finally passed
the Ilford
man just before
the final
descent and
despite a
valiant attempt
to close the gap
on the final
sprint Campbell
finally had to
settle for the
overall bronze
medal and silver
medal in the
over 45
category.
Ilford were also
well represented
in the women's
race, held over
6k, which
witnessed a
memorable
victory for
Colchester and
Tendering's
Maragaret Deasy.
Both Nicola
Hopkinson 36th
in 26.53, and
Sally Gillam
68th in 29.48
ran
exceptionally
strong races
