Lee Cooper of host club Larkfield AC defeated a field of 320 runners to take the top prize in the Larkfield 10k at East Malling on Sunday, writes Alan Newman.

Cooper completed the two lap course in 35min39sec with 30 seconds in hand over Niall Stewart (Loughborough University). Chris Biddle (Dartford Harriers, 36.17) was a close third.

Local men in the top twenty were Dartford Harriers’ Nick Varley (M40, 36.58) and David Obee (U20, 37.18); Sevenoaks’ Andrew Nicoll (37.54) and Lee Lintern (38.50); Rueben Burford (M40 Dartford Harriers, 38.53); Paul Balmer (M40 Paddock Wood, 39.40) and Connor Burford (U20 Dartford Harriers, 39.44).

There was a strong international element to proceedings this year with nineteen members of Guines Running Club in France competing and the leading M50 master was Jean Pierre Dupont (38.29). David Thornby (Maidstone Harriers, 43.10) topped the M60 category.

Maria Heslop (W45 Paddock Wood, 37.51) was more than three minutes clear in the women’s race. Maud Routier (W35 Guines RC, 41.03) and Sarah Anne Mooney (W35 Larkfield, 42.46) were the runners-up.

Top ten finishers included Pauline Dalton (W45 Sevenoaks, 42.56) and Paddock Wood’s Joanna Barton (W35, 44.50) and Jane Dew (W35, 46.04).