QM Magazine Spring 2012 - Police Sport UK

QM Police Sport UK
Cross country
PSUK athletes took the plaudits with some fine
performances in the annual cross country
representative fixture at RAF Halton in
Buckinghamshire. This year's race included the
Southern Services Cross Country League
fixture and took place on a course that took in
playing fields and woods, but only included
one steady climb each lap instead of the usual
three!.
The course was the same as in previous years, taking in playing
fields and trails through the woods, but only included one
steady climb each lap instead of the usual three!! Conditions,
although cool, were ideal for running. The going under foot
was reasonably firm for the time of year. The women’s race
was run over one and a half laps of about 6kms and the men’s
race over two and a half laps at 10kms.
PSUK v RAF v Fire Service
RAF Halton
Wednesday 18thJanuary 2012
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In the women’s race, PSUK’s Sarah Hill (Hampshire), Natalie
Farrow (Lincolnshire), Christine Howard (Derbyshire) and Kate
Towerton (Hampshire) led the field on the half lap closely
followed by the RAF’s Tamsyn Rutter and Civil Service’s K
Beecher. By the end of the half lap and commencing the full
lap Hill and Farrow had taken control of the race and had
established a good 15 – 20 metres lead on the chasing group.
Hill and Farrow were never challenged from this point
onwards. With approximately 600m to go, Hill appeared to
have control of the race having gained a 10 metre lead on
Farrow. However, Farrow didn’t give in, and on the home
straight to the finish, pulled Hill to win the race in 21:49 with
Hill in Second place just one second behind. Rutter led the
RAF home in 3rd place just 10 seconds behind Hill.
Farrow and Hill were well supported by Howard in 5th (23:05),
Towerton in 6th (23:16), Kelly Morgan (South Wales) in 8th
(23:45), Alex Smith (Norfolk) making her debut for PSUK in
11th (24:03), Sarah Green (Metropolitan) in 12th (24:12), Jo
Ravenhill (Metropolitan) in 17th (24:49), Sharon McHugh
(Metropolitan) returning from injury in 18th (25:11) and
Sharon Hurren (Norfolk) also making her debut for PSUK in
21st (25:27) completing the team and retaining the team
victory by 18 points (14 points) from the host team RAF with
32 points.
In the men’s race, PSUK’s Gary Blackman (West Midlands), Ben
Gamble (Staffordshire) and Steve Cairns (Lothian & Borders)
led the field at the end of the half lap and commencing the
first of two full laps chased by members of the RAF team, Civil
Service team and PSUK’s Paul Cardy (Hampshire) and Rob
Grantham (Cheshire). Similar to the women’s race, Blackman
and Gamble took control of the race and were never
challenged from this point onwards. Blackman got the better
of Gamble, winning the race in 32:10 with Gamble in second
place, just 12 seconds behind. Mike Cummings (Civil Service)
took third place in a time of 32:43.
Blackman and Gamble were well supported by Cairns (V) in
5th (33:05), Cardy in 9th (33:27), Grantham in 12th (33:48),
Malcolm Fowler (V) (Cheshire) in 15th (34:35), Ian Phillips
(Derbyshire) in 16th (34:40), Justin Maxwell (PSNI) in 22nd
(35:20), Mark Penny (Kent) in 23rd (35:23), Rhys Peters
(Metropolitan) in 26th (35:38), Ryan Maxwell (PSNI) in 28th
(35:44). Darren Riley (V) (West Midlands) in 32nd (36:00), Rick
Lloyd (V) (GMP) in 35th (36:24), Steve Jones (V) (Norfolk) in
45th (37:43), Dave Rayfield (V) (Northants) in 46th (37:49),
Myles Robertson (V) (Cheshire) in 48th (38:08) and Karl
Webster (V) (Derbyshire) completing the Police team in 61st
(41:29).
PSUK regained the team title by four points from the host
team with 44 points to the RAF’s 48 points, with the Civil
Service third with 97 points and the Fire Service fourth with
214 points.
RESULTS
Women
1st Natalie Farrow 21:49 Lincolnshire
2nd Sarah Hill 21:50 Hampshire
5th Christine Howard 23:05 Derbyshire
6th Kate Towerton 23:16 Hampshire
8th Kelly Morgan 23:45 South Wales
11th Alex Smith 24:03 Norfolk
12th Sarah Green 24:12 Metropolitan
17th Jo Ravenhill 24:49 Metropolitan
18th Sharon McHugh 25:11 Metropolitan
21st Sharon Hurren 25:27 Norfolk
Team – Women
1st PSUK 14 points
2nd RAF 32 points
3rd Civil Service 42 points
Senior Men
1st Gary Blackman 32:10 West Midlands
2nd Ben Gamble 32:22 Staffordshire
5th Steve Cairns(v) 33:05 Lothian & Borders
9th Paul Cardy 33:27 Hampshire
12th Rob Grantham 33:48 Cheshire
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15th Malcolm Fowler(v) 34:35 Cheshire
16th Ian Phillips 34:40 Derbyshire
22nd Justin Maxwell 35:20 PSNI
23rd Mark Penny 35:23 Kent
26th Rhys Peters 35:38 Metropolitan
28th Ryan Maxwell 35:44 PSNI
32nd Darren Riley(v) 36:00 West Midlands
35th Rick Lloyd(v) 36:24 GMP
45th Steve Jones(v) 37:43 Norfolk
46th Dave Rayfield(v) 37:49 Northants
48th Myles Robertson(v) 38:08 Cheshire
61st Karl Webster(v) 41:29 Derbyshire
Team – Men
1st PSUK 44 points
2nd RAF 68 points
3rd Civil Service 97 points
4th Fire Service 214 points
QM Police Sport UK
Police Sport UK v Fire Service
v Prison Service
Stretton-On-The-Fosse, Warwickshire
Friday 25th November 2011
This annual fixture was hosted by the Prison Service at the
Training College, Newbold Revell, Stretton-on-the-Fosse, near
Rugby on Friday 25th November 2011.
The course was within the college grounds taking in playing
fields, paths and the fields immediately adjoining. The weather
on the day was dry, however five minutes before the start of
the races, it clouded over and started to rain and didn’t stop
until the races had finished. The competitors also had to
contend with a bitingly cold wind which was blowing across
the course.
All three races – ladies, senior men & veterans, races started
at 2pm with the ladies running one lap of the 5.1km course
and the gents completing two laps of the same course.
In the women’s race Natalie Farrow (Lincolnshire) took control
from the start. She was chased by Helen Cross (Prison), Ruth
Watchorne-Rice (Fire), Kate Towerton (Hampshire), Wendy
King (Essex) and Kate Kelly (GMP) all three who were making
their first appearance for PSUK. Farrow led throughout the
race, winning comfortably in a time of 20mins 31secs. Cross
finished second, 46 seconds behind Farrow. Farrow was well
supported by Towerton in 3rd, King in 4th and Kelly
completing the team in 6th place. The Police Sport UK team
was unchallenged, winning convincingly to take the Paul
Murphy Trophy.
In the men’s race Martin Williams (West Midlands) took
control from the start, chased by Jim Cooper (Metropolitan),
Nigel Stirk (Fire), John Franklin (Metropolitan) and Gary
Blackman (West Midlands), both making their debut for PSUK.
By the end of the first lap Williams had pulled away from the