There was a great turnout of thirty three CAC road runners at the 7th race of the Cornwall Glass and Glazing Cornish Grand Prix Series at Sticker on Saturday, with a record 499 runners finishing the hilly 5 miler.

Highlights for us were team victories for our Men and Ladies and dominant victories for a returning Ollie Shilston and a rejuvenated Emma Stallard.

Ollie obviously hasn’t lost too much form during his injury/apathy/South African break, and pulled clear of Ollie Gibson of Newquay Road Runners, after hitting the uphill section just before three miles, with Matt Cleave having dropped off half a mile earlier.  He continued moving away to win in 26 minutes 19 seconds, twenty one seconds ahead of the other Ollie, with Matt three ticks outside 27 minutes in a solid third position.  Ryan Cleave had a better race than Cubert, finishing 7th, twenty seconds slower than there but on a much hillier course (Matt was 55 seconds slower) and James Waldie was only eleven seconds behind in 9th, showing the form on the hills that has earned him a second Scottish vest in the World Mountain Running Youth Challenge at the end of June.  The lads were 1st, 3rd and 4th in the mini Under 20 Grand Prix, already tied up by Matt after his third consecutive win. 

Old hand Tony Dunn was bemoaning the fact that Shaun Milford saw him closing rapidly and kicked away in the last furlong, not even mentioning young James in between them.  Then we realised why – the old warhorse has just turned 45 and was eyeing the top Vet 45 award!  He’s a schemer that Dunner (or “Gripper” as the Navy boys call him) – you don’t make Lieutenant Commander without a strategic outlook!  Anyway, Tony made a welcome return in10th (2nd V45), in 28.22, three seconds behind James (and 9 behind Shaun!).

Steve Wherry won the race for the 6th ‘A’ team scorer by six seconds over Justin Thomas but Justin was fourteen seconds closer than at Cubert, finishing in 29.41, with Steve taking 3rd Vet 45, as well as a fine 17th overall.  Phil Bolt was forty six seconds slower than at Cubert, clocking 31.35, with most people reckoning the hillier course adds 30-40 seconds.  Young Neville Witham was five seconds and one place behind in 31.40 for 47th and third place in the very tough Vet 50 age group

Dave Pell, just eight days after his Half-Ironman, ran only sixteen seconds slower than at Cubert, finishing 54th in 32.09 and John Waldie was 60th, 31 seconds behind.  Former CAC runner, Ben Squibb (32.33)faced after a few years’ absence in 59th and Ken Curtis took our final ‘B’ team position with 89th, his time of 33.35 showing he’s rapidly getting fit again, running twenty four seconds faster than two weeks ago.

Adrian Mutsaers was 96th, in 33.58, with Martin Wills (34.17) seconds down and improving rapidly in 101st.  Danny Marsh (34.48) was allowed out for good behaviour, taking advantage and finishing 115th, with Paul Chesterfield cruising around with his wife most of the way, before not being able to hold back in the last half mile and finishing 23 secs up in 156th with 36.11.  Pete Torr was 188th, eleven seconds ahead of debutant Will Hutchins, who stormed round inside the first 200 in 38.01, a great first outing and managing to make the ‘C’ team too.

Big Viv was seven secs and seven places behind Will in the race’s peak flow, with Paul Riley (40.06) being the club’s next scorer in 249th .  We’ll let him explain how he managed to run nearly four mins slower than at Cubert!  Norris Kington, our classy Vet 65, was 317th in 42.49 and Dave Southby accompanied hiswife Helen round to round off our men in 385th position.

Eleven CAC Ladies toed the line and the ‘A’ team won the Grand Prix team and also the race team award, with a ridiculous six Ladies to count.  Emma Stallard showed that her break after London is paying off, as she ran twenty nine seconds quicker than at Cubert to win by seventeen seconds, ahead of Kensa Rescorla and is now looking very good to retain her overall Grand Prix title in 2009.  Suzy Bosustow didn’t go as well this time but still took 5th in 32.42, just holding off a great comeback run from Juliet Knowles, three seconds behind in 6th.  Bethany Alston struggled a little on the hills, but still hung on for 7th and 1st Under 20, thirteen secs down on Suzy.  Jenny Almey was 10th and 2nd Under 20 clocking 34.24 and another young talent, Amy Rundle, was 14th female and 3rd Under 20 in exactly 35 minutes, rounding off a superb Grand Prix team victory

It was good to see Caroline Chesterfield on the roads again, finishing 23rd lady in 36.34 and Cher Tyack backed up her Cubert debut with a solid 41.38.  Jill Curtis (43.48) sneaked in three places and three secs ahead of Kirstie Mutsaers (43.51), who was 338th,with Lynette Torr finishing as the 4th Vet 55 and 395th position clocking 46.37.

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