Banbury 5

                   A STUDENT AND A PUPIL TAKE THE HONOURS AT THE BANBURY FIVE

Elisha de Melba a second year university student running for Rugby & Northampton AC captured the Geoff Smith Memorial Banbury “5” on Tuesday. The race a part of The East Midland Grand Prix attracted a field of almost 400. Run in almost perfect conditions and starting just off of the A361, Banbury to Chipping Norton road, the course then travels down the Queensway, left out of town to Broughton left again along Wykham Lane and left again to the finish opposite The Easington public house.

From the start a pack of six including the winner plus fifth year pupil Skip Snelson of Banbury Harriers headed down the Queensway. They turned at the bottom with the two accompanied by the Coventry Godiva duo of Alistair Smith and Harvey Speed also Alistair McDonnell of R&N and Alexander Ash of Wellingborough AC. Five of these seniors plus young Snelson this unusual the days with the veteran age group normally prominent. Just off the pace thou was Woodstock Harriers excellent vet40 James Bolton. As they approached Broughton this the halfway point Smith narrowly led from De Melba, Speed followed next 20metres behind with the other four the same distance behind Speed.

Down the field in 50^th place was the first lady Frankie Snare an unattached runner who was leaving the club runners way behind.

De Melba pushed up the hilly section on Wykham Lane and began to break Smith, the two were followed by Speed and McDonnell .De Melba increased the pace as they turned again back to the finish, he entered the last half mile full of running and crossed the line in 26minutes 4seconds. Smith followed with Speed closing him down, from McDonnell, Ash, Bolton and young Snelson. This De Melba’s first run in the series, the next three home had finished first,second and third at The Rugby Six.

In a determined finish Cherwell Runner&Joggers Ali Herbert finished an excellent 13^t. Also in the top sixty locally were James Cliffe of Brackley and District 31^st, David Hollidge 42^nd, RuebenTrotter both of Banbury Harriers. Ant Redhead 49^th,IanThomas 58^thand Thomas Batchelor 60th all of Cherwell.  

Snelson easily won the Under 20 prize from team mate Trotter.

 Snare easily won the ladies race in a time of 30minutes 58seconds, with a excellent run from teenager Tia Williams from Banbury Harriers second in 33minutes 5seconds, just edging out the vet 40Sue Harrison from Leamington C&AC.

by Mike Hughes