RAF Road Relays - 11
Royal Air Force Road Relay Championships Report & Results RAF Wittering - Thu 4 Aug 11
Flt Lt Carl Thompson
By kind permission of the Station Commander Group Captain Richard Hill MA FCILT RAF, the Royal Air Force Road Relay Championships took place at Royal Air Force Wittering on Thursday 4 Aug 11. A total of 11 male teams and 5 female teams attended the Championships hosted for the fourth time in succession at RAF Wittering. The male competition was over (4 x 5 km) and the Ladies (3 x 5km). The race was held in rainy and breezy conditions on an accurate 5 km route using the virtually traffic free Wittering airfield perimeter roads. The course followed an "out around a loop and back" format taking in a circuit of Vigo Woods.
RAF Championships Ladies 3 x 5 km
The opening leg saw the ladies led home by Ruth Cork from High Wycombe recording 21 min 29 sec, unfortunately this was a solo run with 
no team mates available to make up a complete team. Cpl Sarah Perkins secured second place for Wittering, 22 min 30 sec, Cpl Angela Bell Brampton Wyton Henlow (BWH)"A", running 23 min 28 sec. Second leg SAC Claire Bonner ran 22 min 14sec to take BWH “A” into the lead. The third and final leg Jackie Wren ran 21 min 32 sec to ensure an overwhelming victory for the BWH team in 67 min 14 sec, over two minutes clear of Wittering. The BWH "B" team included Group Captain Bea Walcot (BWH Stn Cdr), they finished third overall holding onto to third place by just two seconds, despite the best of efforts of accomplished Inter-Services tri-athlete Flt Lt Sarah Hazell (RAF Waddington). Sarah ran the fastest female time on the day of 19 min 32 sec.
1. Brampton Wyton Henlow “A” 67 min 14 sec.
2. Wittering 69 min 24 sec
3. Brampton Wyton Henlow “B” 73 min 28 sec
RAF Championships Men 4 x 5 km
The opening leg saw Cpl Matt Blunden (Waddington B) run 15 min 35 sec, Matt “fresh” from his Heckington 10 mile road race victory the previous week-end, elected to run two relay legs, with his main effort being saved for Waddington “A”. Sgt Paul Vernon (Brampton Wyton Henlow “A” ) 16 min 56 sec and Chf Tech Chris Rowland third (Cottesmore/ Wittering “A”) ran 17 min 33 sec. The second leg saw Cottesmore/Wittering moving into second – Cpl Pete Norris 17 min 19 sec, on the third leg Cpl Steve Robinson 16 min 32 sec, secured the lead and SAC Mark Peart 17 min 40 sec brought the team home to victory in 68 min 24 sec a new male team course record. Waddington “A” were second, Matt Blunden closing the gap to 25 seconds with the fastest run of the day 15 min 30 sec. Waddington “B” were third team across the line ( 73 min 54 sec) but ineligible for the RAF Team bronze medal as Matt Blunden could only count for one team - Waddington “A”. Brampton Wyton Henlow “A” picked up the bronze medals with 74 min 16 sec. A total of ten runners broke the 18 min barrier amnd there was a promising run from a Junior runner Under 20 - SAC Thompson (Cott/Witt) in 18 min 53 sec .
1. Cottesmore/Wittering “A” 68 min 24 sec.
2. Waddington “A” 68 min 49 sec.
Waddington “B” 73 min 54sec – non scoring
3. Brampton Wyton Henlow “A” 74 min 16 sec
An absolutely huge thank-you once again to Warrant Officer Steve Marshall (Low Flying Ops) and his team for his first class organisation of the whole event, MTMS at Wittering for the use of the facilities on the day and for the first class support from RAF Wittering.