Ivanhoe Runners fielded one of their biggest and strongest ever teams on Sunday for the final race of the 2015 Burton and District Summer League, the Tamworth 5 mile and were rewarded with great success. Captain Nick Rowles lead the men’s team to victory on the day meaning that they were crowned league champions after a fantastic season. Ladies captain Laura Graves rallied her troops to great effect and the women’s team was unlucky to finish second to a very strong South Derbyshire side. This result sees the Ivanhoe ladies take second place in the league, narrowly missing out on the championship win by one point. On the day some 48 runners donned the sky blue Ivanhoe vest making up well over a third of the whole field. At the sharp end there was a fantastic tussle throughout the race between Ramzi Sidani and Ian Bolton, with Ramzi just edging it after a sprint finish to the line to finish an excellent 7th in 30:31 a second ahead of Ian in 8th. New member Craig Hinds looks to be a great addition to the team finishing next for Ivanhoe in 9th place (30:43), then immediately joining his team mates in cheering on the rest of the Ivanhoe finishers. Dave Hobbs continued his excellent season setting a new personal best of 31:05 (11th) just ahead of Alistair Chambers (12th, 31:15) and Gerard Eivors (16th in 31:50). Martin Yeomans ran well for 24th place (32:44) just ahead of his captain Nick Rowles (26th, 33:28). Next and once again first in his age group was Andrew Jeyes (30th, 34:23), just ahead of a flurry of Ivanhoe finishers packing the field with Simon Terry 32nd (34:39) just ahead of Ivanhoe’s fastest lady Becca Hobbs who came an excellent 5th (34th overall, 34:56). Next came Pav Mazur and James Cox who had a closely fought battle throughout to finish neck and neck on the line in 35:18 (35th and 36th) place, a new personal fastest time for Pav. Damon Bland was next returning well from injury (38th, 35:27) just in front of James Cubitt (39th, 35:25) and Kev Wright (41st, 35:49). Next came Matthew Joyce also setting a new personal fastest time of 36:48 (51st) closely pursued by Karen Bell who had a brilliant run to beat her previous best time finishing 54th in 36:59 with Alan Edwards seconds behind (55th, 37:03). Club stalwart Bob White ran well to cross the line next (59th, 37:33) just ahead of Rosie Dear who was a second faster on chip timing with a great run (60th, 37:32). Jason Green ran well next (65th, 37:50) with Karen Hartland just behind setting a new personal best of 38:00 (66th). Tracey Powell had a great run, 69th (38:29) ahead of Andy Lindley (71st, 38:47) who supported Emily Wideman to an excellent debut five miler for the club (72nd, 38:47). Laura Graves, running despite a niggly injury was next for Ivanhoe (78th, 39:35) seconds ahead of the ladies engine room with  Lynda Revill (80th, 39:38), Victoria Smith (84th, 39:50), Carolyn Osborne (86th, 40:04) Ruth Green (87th, 40:12) and Amanda Bradbury (89th, 40:21). Club chairman Kevin Sanders was next (93rd, 40:38) just ahead of Anne Newbery (94th, 40:44). The next four Ivanhoe Runners were all completing their first 5 mile race for the club and had brilliant debuts with Lindsay Tilbury 96th (40:59), Judy Edlin 97th (41:02), Peter Mouncer 98th (41:02) and Michael Swan 103rd (41:56). Sarah Malone finished strongly next (106th, 42:36) as did Sally Jeyes (111st, 43:56). Helen Smith ran well in her first race for the club (44:37, 118th) and Karen Edwards beat her fastest 5 mile time finishing 119th (44:40).  Cass Bray, yet another Ivanhoe debutant ran very well (126th, 46:12) followed by Christine Ridley and Alison Morrison who both set new personal fastest times (128th, 47:04 and 130th, 47:25).  Maureen Danvers enjoyed her run finishing strongly on the track 131st, 47:39) just in front of a good run from Grania Towle (133rd, 48:38). Julie Henfrey completed the team with a great sprint finish to much applause from her team-mates (141st, 58:05). All members of the club should be proud of their excellent performances across the season and look forward to even better success next year. Elsewhere two members ran the Calke Abbey 10k with Jason Marlow making his return for Ivanhoe and finishing well in 79th place (50:51) with Shane Stanton not far behind in 101st (52:44).

Written by Ruth Green - last updated on 22/09/2015