Sexarathon Preview

Up and Running Sexarathon Race Series.

The final race in this years 28th Sexarathon Race Series sponsored by Up and Running, Shrewsbury takes place at Madeley Court Sports Centre, Madeley with a 7 pm start for the Madeley Matchmaker 5 kilometre multi terrain race on Wednesday 1st September organised by Telford Athletic Club. The six race series started with the Lilleshall 5 mile in April. Other races in the series have been the Phoenix Flyer 5k, the Shropshire 4 mile, the Ironbridge 4 mile and most recently the Vic Musgrove 5k in the Telford Town Park.

The Madeley Matchmaker which has been included in the Sexarathon Series for 28 years starts and finishes and Madeley Court Sports Centre and due to proposed demolition of the Sports Centre, when the new Abraham Darby School is completed could be the last in its current format.

The 5 kilometre multi terrain race follows the Rough Park Way track to Lightmoor, before heading back to Madeley along the Woodside ring road. The race is open to entrants of any standard on the night and there are special prizes for genuine couples whose male female times are added together to produce the pairs results. Further details from Margaret Kelcher on 01952 604046 or at www.telfordathleticclub.co.uk.

Michelle Clarke looks set to retain her overall womens title having been the leading sexarathon entrant in all previous 5 races.She has a healthy 7 point lead over Claire Burgoyne of Shrewsbury who leads the open womens age group and Denise Sanders who leads the over 40 womens age group. Chris Bagshaw is just one race away from clinching the mens title for the first time He has been in the top 3 on several previous occasions but never before won the overall title. He currently has a 7 point lead over his nearest rival team mate Robin Sedman Smith, who he was equal second with last year. If Clarke and Bagshaw both win their respective titles it will be the 6th time since the series started in 1983 that two Telford AC athletes have won the overall titles.

The over 35 mens age group is very close with just one point separating Newport's Robin Guy with 498 pts and Telford's Gary Vickers with 497 pts. Kevin Francis from Shrewsbury AC has a 12 point lead in the over 40's section having won two of the races. Johnny Sanders from Telford AC has been the leading finisher in all 5 races in the over 45's section and is well clear team mate Peter Plant in this age group. Shrewsbury AC's Paul Clarke leads the over 50's age group with 492 pts as 3 different athletes have won races in this section throughout the series.

Peter Johnson running for Mercia Fell Runners is 6 points clear of Telford AC's Greg Perkins in the over 55's section having been the first finisher in the Vic Musgrove race. Newport's Brian Moore is a clear leader in the over 60's having won 4 out of the previous 5 races, whilst his team mate Colin Thacker has a maximum 500 points with 5 victories in the over 65's. Patrick Pay from Wrekin Orienteers leads the over 70's with 492 points.

With Shrewsbury's Claire Burgoyne leading the open womens section having been first home in all 5 races, with Wrekin Road Runners pair of Gemma Cox and Ruth James lying second and equal third, as Stafford's Kate Harmer shares third place. Michelle Clarke is the clear leader in the over 35's with Kirsty Briggs and Sue Redstone second and third. Denise Sanders overall sexarathon champion in 2001 and 2002, is unbeaten in her over 40's age group with Newport's Lisa Millar second and Wrekin's Sarah Aston third with just 2 points between them. Kim Panter leads the over 45's with Wendy Hill second and Julie Tatton third. Lindsay Fordyce leads the over 50's with Newport's Anne Strowger leading the over 55's as Naomi Wrighton from Telford Harriers and Kathy Ling from Wrekin Road Runners head the over 60's and over 65's sections.

Paul Sanderson