There were home wins in both the men’s and ladies’ categories at Sunday’s Deal Half-Marathon.
KM Group photographer Barry Goodwin didn’t miss the action as race organisers Deal Tri set the pace with Toby Smith, who crossed the line first overall in 1hr12min41sec, and Abbie Kirkham, who was the leading lady also running in the open category. Kirkham completed the course in 1:27.44.
Deal’s Toby Smith making strides on his way to victory in Sunday’s Deal Half-Marathon. Picture: Barry GoodwinDeal Tri Club's Abbie Kirkham was the first female home, finishing 29th overall. Picture: Barry GoodwinAlex Dugard of Thanet Roadrunners was best of the rest on Sunday. Picture: Barry GoodwinThanet Roadrunners took two of the top-three places with Lee Hardie (No.139) third, while clubmate Matthew Collyer (No.67) was fifth and first senior male. Picture: Barry GoodwinGeorge Major of Coastal Striders was fourth on Sunday, first in the 40-49 standings. Picture: Barry GoodwinThanet Roadrunners' Brittany Crombie (No.80) was first senior woman and 53rd overall while Claire Pluckrose of Canterbury Harriers (No.249) was 64th and third in the 50-59 event. Picture: Barry GoodwinHome runners No.174 Steven Jordan (48th), Anita Pollard (No.250, second in the 40-49 race) and Ashley Roberts-Moyle (No.280, 47th) racing for Deal Tri. Picture: Barry GoodwinFolkestone Running & Athletic Club’s Linnaea Stockall (No.324) was 73rd overall, fourth in the 40-49 category, and Jack Batchelor (No.19) was 45th. Picture: Barry GoodwinNo.49 Edward Cannons of Deal Tri was 69th overall while Kerrie Donohue of Petts Wood Runners (No.97) was home in 72nd place, second in the senior women's race. Picture: Barry GoodwinDeal Tri’s Mark Baldock (No.11) was 83rd, clubmate Richard Price (No.263) was 76th, Thanet Roadrunners’ Mark Skelton (No.302) was 86th and Deal Tri’s Stuart Phillips (No.247) was 66th. Picture: Barry GoodwinDeal Tri’s Andy Stuart (No.322) was 109th, clubmate Rich Heath (No.143) was 106th, Kevin Wibrew (No.9054) was 128th for Harvel Hash House Harriers, Matthew Honour (No.159) was 101st for Coastal Striders and Rob Brunger of Maidstone Harriers (No.40) was 124th. Picture: Barry GoodwinMartin Salmon (No.290) of Folkestone Running & Athletics Club was 89th. Picture: Barry GoodwinManon Drapier (No.101) of Dover RoadRunners was 116th this year. Picture: Barry GoodwinLisa Chambers of Maidstone Harriers (No.56) was 173rd overall and clubmate Stefhan Lewis (No.201) was 161st. Picture: Barry GoodwinMel Holland (No.157) of Accrington Road Runners was 92nd this year. Picture: Barry GoodwinFrom left, Alex Holmes (No.158, Tunbridge Wells Harriers, 13th), Keith Mitchell (No.230, Tunbridge Wells Harriers, seventh overall and third 40-49), Adam Judd (No.176, Dover RoadRunners, 18th) and Raphael Cadenhead (No.44, 30th). Picture: Barry GoodwinMark Baker of Deal Tri Club finished in 44th place for the hosts. Picture: Barry GoodwinSixth-place overall and second 40-49 James Brooke (No.38) of Canterbury Harriers runs alongside Petts Wood Runners’ Simon Thornhill (No.9030) on his way to 11th position and first of the 50-59 entrants. Picture: Barry GoodwinFrom left, Faye Roberts (No.279) of Canterbury Harriers finished 40th and was second female in the open race, Richard Ellison (No.111) was 37th for Maidstone Harriers, Holly Pan (No.243) was third female in the open category and 43rd overall for Maidstone Harriers and Jamie Yeo (No.9067) was 34th for Dover RoadRunners. Picture: Barry Goodwin
In all, 312 runners completed an undulating course through the villages of Northbourne, Ripple, Sutton, East Langdon and Martin, with 12 categories contested.
Thanet Roadrunners’ Matthew Collyer won the senior men’s class in 1:22.23, with clubmate Brittany Crombie the leading senior lady in 1:37.23, and of the two junior men’s runners Perry Edwards for the hosts (1:30.26) beat Alfie Randall (2:00.59).
The 40-49 classes were won by George Major of Coastal Striders (1:21.50) and Elly Maggs (Vegan Runners, 1:37.06) and the 50-59 awards went to Petts Wood Runners’ Simon Thornhill (1:23.46) and Tunbridge Wells Harriers’ Ali Farrall (1:36.08).
Sevenoaks AC’s Keith Andrew Dowson and South Kent Harriers’ Margaret Connolly topped the 60-69 times with 1:31.12 and 1:58.35 respectively, with Neville Critoph (Veterans AC, 1:43.31) and Claire London (Orpington Road Runners, 2:05.19) this year’s 70-plus winners.
