by Alan Newman

Thanet Road Runners hosted the Kent Marathon Championships at Margate with 243 athletes completing the 26.2-mile course.

Riel Carol (Clapham Chasers) won the race in 2hr58min55sec, with Ray Pearce (M50 Istead and Ifield Harriers, 2:59.13) the only other athlete to breach three hours, winning the Kent title in second place overall.

Stuart Shields (Tunbridge Wells, 3:05.22) took the Kent silver medal and in a fine demonstration of durability, the bronze went to M60 master Ken Fancett (Beckenham, 3:11.35).

The M40 winner was Matt Clements (Tunbridge Wells, 3:27.10).

The women’s open race was won by Helen Taranowski (West Four Harriers, 3:10.50), while W35 Caroline Terburgh of Larkfield, pictured, did well to hold her international opponent to seven minutes to take the Kent title and the W35 gold in 3:17.49.

Kim Howes (Larkfield, 3:42.11) and Julie Stoppani (Maidstone Harriers, 4:01.34) were the leading W45 masters and the W55 winners were Gina Little (100 Marathon Club, 4:22.50) and Julie Wing (Maidstone Harriers, 5:33.37).

The Thanet Marathon was the penultimate race in the 2012 Kent Grand Prix and in the team race Tunbridge Wells Harriers look unbeatable in the men’s table with 3,959 points. The women’s team race is closer, with Larkfield AC (1,326) leading from Maidstone Harriers (1,239) and Paddock Wood (960).