Photos 2008

Photos of 2008walk at: http://robelliott952.fotopic.net/c1575714.html

2008 report and results

 Sunday September 7^th 2008

 

Sarnia Walking Club 19.4 miles Church to Church Walk

South Esplanade, St Peter Port, Guernsey

 

Battle for second as Thomson takes title

Carl Thomson secured his second win in the annual Church to Church Walk in Sunday`s race, which was walked in warm conditions, following the wet and windy weather of the previous days.

 

His winning time of 2.58.23 was only nine seconds down on his 2000 win, but this time was on his own throughout, except when passing the women walkers who are set off 30 minutes before the men. He walked well to pass 5 miles in 44.27, some five and a half minutes clear of the chasing group, consisting of Jason Le Noury, Phil Lockwood and Ed Shillabeer.

 

Carl went through 10 miles, holding his form well, in 88.45 before slowing down by a few minutes to reach Vale Church and the 15 miles point in 2.15.14. The final 4.4 miles was hard going before he crossed the line, taking 43 minutes for the final stretch, although his victory was never in doubt.

 

The race for second place was the highlight of the 2008 edition of the annual Church to Church Walk, with the young, the inexperienced and the Master battling it out until the final miles.

The trio of young Jason Le Noury, the inexperienced Phil Lockwood and Past Winner and Masters walker Ed Shillabeer in close order.

 

Within striking distance of each other for a good deal of the way, Lockwood made a determined effort around 13 miles to open a gap. He succeeded in soon getting away by 100 metres, but was soon looking strained with some way to go and in his first race of this distance.

 

Passing 15 miles in 2.24, there was no way of closing down Carl Thomson, but still had first Shillabeer and then Le Noury still in contention close behind.

 

Lockwood seemed to falter as he headed uphill to the 16 miles point at the Vale School and half a mile later on the down hill section to the Bridge Le Noury made inroads to overtake and regain second place.

Le Noury pushed on to cross the line in a new personal best time by 11 minutes, 3.08.28, to get himself in the Guernsey Top 20 for the course.

 

Ed Shillabeer also passed the struggling figure of Lockwood as he got into third place, three minutes behind Le Noury.

 

Phil Lockwood stuck to the task and despite “hitting the wall” over the final three miles can be well satisfied with his 3.17.03, which was well inside his pre race prediction of 3.30.

 

Womens winner Jayne Le Noury has had a long wait to secure her third Church to Church Walk win, with her previous wins being in 1976 and 1977. Thirty years on and once again she finishes in first place and incredibly only 2 minutes outside her personal best time set in 1982. In 2008 she walked just outside four hours in 4.00.45.

 

Second woman home Rose Druckes finished 19 minutes behind in 4.19, with a smiling mother and daughter Karen and Katie Robinson finishing together in third place.

Belinda Doyle from Sark found the going tough, well down on her best time, as she finished almost 6 minutes ahead of Germany`s Gabriele Shcütte.

 

 

Michael Harran, from Surrey WC, in his first Church Walk, got the better of local walker John Dedman, after walking together for a lot of the race to take fifth place in the mens section.

 

Local  Kevin Le Noury, walking for the 33^rd time in this event lost out the next place to a faster finishing David Hoben from England. Returning walker Bernie Hercock just broke the 4 hours mark, ahead of Mick Le Sauvage who completed his 47^th walk. Alan Roger walked a lonely race to take last spot in the mens field.

 

 

The Sarnia Walking Club would like to thank all those involved with the walk today, walkers, sponsors and officials.

 Apologies for bad format below!

Guernsey
Church to Church 19.4 miles Walk
Sunday September 7th 2008
Pos.	No.	Name	Club	Country	Age	Time
		MEN
1	48	Carl Thomson	Sarnia WC A	Guernsey	M40	2.58.23
2	49	Jason Le Noury	Sarnia WC A	Guernsey	M	3.08.28
3	54	Edmund Shillabeer	London Vidarians	England	M65	3.11.27
4	51	Phil Lockwood	Sarnia WC A	Guernsey	M35	3.17.03
5	41	Michael Harran	Surrey WC	England	M70	3.40.36
6	52	John Dedman	Sarnia WC B	Guernsey	M35	3.46.16
7	45	David Hoben	Surrey WC	England	M55	3.52.04
8	50	Kevin Le Noury	Sarnia WC A	Guernsey	M50	3.52.15
9	43	Bernard Hercock	Enfield & Haringey	England	M70	3.59.10
10	47	Mick Le Sauvage	Sarnia WC A	Guernsey	M65	4.23.03
11	46	Alan Roger	Sarnia WC B	Guernsey	M50	4.35.01
	53	Tony Harran	Surrey WC	England	M45	DNF
		WOMEN
1	93	Jayne Le Noury	Sarnia WC B	Guernsey	W45	4.00.45
2	96	Rose Drückes	Sarnia WC B	Guernsey	W60	4.19.28
3=	95	Karen Robinson	Unattached	Guernsey	W45	4.39.06
3=	94	Katie Robinson	Unattached	Guernsey	W	4.39.06
5	92	Belinda Doyle	Unattached	Sark	W45	5.11.02
6	100	Gabriele Schütte	Unattached	Germany	W70	5.16.50
With thanks to our Event Sponsors:
Walkers, Fletchersports, Rose Drückes, P & B Drückes Horticulturists, Jenny Elliott
Healthspan, Harrods Bank Ltd, Guernsey Candles, Relate Guernsey Ltd, Taj Mahal Restaurant, KPMG
Network Insurance, Swoffers Estate Agents, Landsbanki Guernsey Ltd, Rothschild
States of Guernsey Culture & Leisure Dept, Trust Corporation of the Channel Islands, Saffery Champness
Organised by Sarnia Walking Club
Thanks to all walkers and helpers for making todays event another success
						Guernsey Church to Church Walk 2008 Definition of a Channel Islander “A person who was born or has been resident in Channel Islands for 12 months immediately prior to walk” Men: Open Winner (sponsor Rose Drückes) Carl Thomson 2nd Jason Le Noury 3rd Edmund Shillabeer     Victory Cup (First Channel Islander) (sponsor Harrods Bank Ltd) Carl Thomson 2nd Jason Le Noury 3rd Phil Lockwood     Newcomer (First Channel Islander) (sponsor Network Insurance) Phil Lockwood     Under 19 (sponsor Taj Mahal Restaurant) No Entry Women: Open Winner (sponsor Rose Drückes) Jayne Le Noury 2nd Rose Drückes 3rd= Karen and Katie Robinson     Star Perpetual Trophy (First Channel Islander) ( sponsor Network Insurance) Jayne Le Noury     Jenny Elliott Salver (First Guernsey woman O/35) (sponsor Jenny Elliott) Jayne Le Noury     Newcomer (Open) (sponsor Guernsey Culture & Leisure Dept) Karen Robinson   Katie Robinson     Under 19 (sponsor Swoffers Estate Agents) No Entry     Men or women: Veterans tankard: 40 to 49 male or female (sponsor Guernsey Candles) Carl Thomson     Super Veteran Trophy: 50 to 69 male or female (sponsor Healthspan) Edmund Shillabeer     Vets Over 70 : male or female Michael Harran     Team Trophies: Fletchersports Team: (Men, women, mixed) (sponsor Fletchersports) Sarnia WC A Named team of 3 walkers to score:     Carl Thomson, Jason Le Noury, Phil Lockwood (Based on overall actual finish times)       Parish Shield :(first Parish with 3 over line) (sponsor Landsbanki Guernsey Ltd) Vale Jason Le Noury, Phil Lockwood, Jayne le Noury       Family of 3: (first family across line) (sponsor Trust Corporation of the Channel Islands) Jason, Kevin and Jayne le Noury       Husband and Wife: (first couple over line) (sponsor Relate Guernsey Ltd) Jayne and Kevin Le Noury     Mob match Channel Islands v Overseas (6 a side) No Competition 6 a side based on actual walk times for positions           Momentoes: Sponsored by P & B Drückes, Saffery Champness, KPMG, Rothschild

 

 

 

 

1990 Photos

Stuart Phillips Jim Ball

Race winner Stuart Phillips (2.44.05) with Jim Ball (68).

Ed Shillabeer

Regular visitor Ed Shillabeer crosses the line in 4th place in 2.53.19.

Pat Rod leads Colin Morgan

 Pat Rod (Trowbridge) leads Colin Morgan at St Martins Church (1.75 miles)

Colin Bradley

Colin Bradley 3rd in 2.50.41 leads winner Phillips after 4.5 miles. Also obscured in group Ball, Shillabeer and Thomson.

1 Stuart Phillips Ilford 2.44.05

2 Carl Thomson Sarnia WC 2.45.18

3 Colin Bradley Medway 2.50.41

1 Jenny Elliott Guernsey 3.49.36

2 Rose Druckes Sarnia WC 3.49.49

3 Julie Gardener Guernsey 4.16.08

1991 Mark Easton New Course Record by 7 mins

Course Record Obliterated

Mark Easton crossing finish line in new best time. Photo  by local Press

The 1991 edition of the 19.4 miles Church to Church Walk had been given a boost when the organisers, Sarnia Walking Club had obtained a sponsorship deal with Jersey European Airways enabling all finishers to receive a medal for their efforts as well as offsetting some costs for visiting walkers.

The quickest man to enter in 1991 was Surrey Walking Clubs British International walker Mark Easton. He had finished 5^th in the previous years Commonwealth Games walk over 30 kms in under 2 hours 15 minutes. This distance is only 0.8 miles shorter than the Church course. He was also the current National 20 kms Champion.

A fast time was on the cards with Mark Easton duly smashing local walker Rob Elliotts course record by seven minutes.

From the start it was a question of by how much he would take the record. He was on fine form only just missing out on selection for the World Championships.

With the company of Jim Ball, who was only going to walk 10 miles, Easton set off to head the field from the start. Easton reached the first mile in 8.20. Not a fast time on paper but a hard climb up Cornet Street and Hauteville demands respect. Ball was five seconds down, followed by twice winner Ed  Shillabeer, local 1986 winner Mark Elliott, frequent visitor Colin Bradley, local Rob Elliott and former Great Britain International Bob Dobson.

 Easton stormed on to reach 5 miles in 38 minutes with Ball in tow. The other contenders were now spreading out and by Torteval Church (6.25 miles) the leading two were five minutes up on Shillabeer.

 Easton went through 10 miles in 75 minutes, Ball in 77 and Shillabeer 83 and a half. Bradley was close at hand but finding it hard, with Rob Elliott less than a minute down and looking good. Dobson seemed out of it pasing in 92 minutes.

At St Andrews Church (11 miles), leading lady Jenny Elliott had been caught by Easton. Ball had now retired from the race leaving Shillabeer in second place. Another few miles and Rob Elliott had passed Bradley and moved into third. It was a short lived third as Bradley responded in the next mile to regain his spot.

Mark Easton moved passed 15 miles in 1 hour 52 minutes, some six minutes faster than Elliott had done in his 1982 record walk. Shillabeer went through in 2.07 with Bradley and Elliott a further five behind. Jenny Elliott at this point was well ahead of her nearest rivals Rose Drückes and Edna Martel as she recorded 2.38.

Admitting to hurting over the final miles, Mark Easton crossed the line in a magnificent 2.25.38, eighteen minutes up on second placed Shillabeer.

In most other Church walks we would be enthusing over Ed`s finishing time of 2.43.16, still one of the best on record, but overshadowed by Easton on this occasion.

Easton shortly after finish with Bob Porter who retired. Photo local Press

Easton was delighted with his afternoons work after looking to walk around 2.30. He said” the first 10 miles were OK………but after 1 hour 20 mins my stomach started churning, with aching legs from 1 hour 40″.

He went on to say he really felt the pressure in the final mile and a half as his calves tied up leading to his slowing down, despite him trying to push on.

Colin Bradley finished a good third, with Bob Dobson storming past Rob Elliott in the final mile and in doing so closed down a 6 minute gap, to take fourth spot.

Jenny Elliott again took victory in the Womens section with a sub 3.38 time, 19 minutes ahead of second placed Rose Drückes. Stalwarts Mick Le Sauvage and Roy Le Marquand both finished their 30^th Church to Church walks.

 1 Mark Easton 2.25.38

2 Ed Shillabeer 2.43.16

3 Colin Bradley 2.52.26

4 Bob Dobson 2.55.51

5 Rob Elliott 2.56.32

 

1 Jenny Elliott 3.37.44

2 Rose Drückes 3.57.03

3 Edna Martel 3.58.16

Mark Easton returned the following year to remove another minute of his record time!!

Church Walk 2000

Rob Elliott left and Carl Thomson early in race

Carl Thomson and Rob Elliott fought out one of the tightest finishes ever in the annual Church to Church Walk. Carls 4 seconds advantage at the finish line does not tell the full story as will be told later.

 

As reported by the local Press.

 

 Rob Elliott recollections of the race.

 

I went into the race with plans to walk my own race and not to just follow Carl who had made a comeback over a few races earlier in the season and beaten me! Carl was always fit through his other sports and with a safe walk technique could never be underestimated.

Carl had opened up almost a minutes gap on me by the half way point, meaning he was in my view for a lot of the time. After 12 miles the gap was reducing rapidly and I got on Carls shoulders at 13.5 miles. Indeed I learnt later on from his “water carrier” that just prior to this point Carl had asked him where I was, to which the carrier replied “almost on your shoulder!”

By now I felt we were both struggling and as the race wore on and neither of us could open up an advantage that it may well come down to a sprint for the line.

Still together with 100 metres or so to go and the final straight was upon us. Carl struck and opened up daylight between us, I responded as I had done in other races with him in the past, drew level with him and with metres to go fell to the ground. I remember Carl looking across as I went down, possibly wondering what was going on, before he crossed the line in victory whilst I was getting to my feet before walking the final metres. I was just knackered I think regarding the fall, but I had to put the record straight after the Press report had it as an injury.

We were both well past our best Church performances, but this was probably one of the best Church to Church walk races.

Chris Maddocks New Course Record

1998 New Record for Great Britain International Walker Chris Maddocks

 

 

Maddocks crosses finish line at South Esplanade. Photo from local Press

 

Thirty years earlier, Olympic walker Paul Nihill, in his final preparations for the Olympic Games that year, had set a new record of 2.43.19.

 

Thirty years on and Olympian Chris Maddocks uses same race for his final preparations for major Championship.

 

Olympic race walker Chris Maddocks of Plymouth City Walkers created a new record for the Church to Church 19.4 miles walk when he recorded a time of 2 hours 22 minutes 35 seconds for the undulating one lap course around the Guernsey Parish Churches.

This time smashed fellow International walker Mark Eastons time set in 1992 by over two minutes.

 

Chris Maddocks flew to Guernsey for a day trip with fellow Devon walker Ed Shillabeer, a frequent visitor to Guernsey walks since 1977 and himself a previous winner of the event.

 

The race was to be a final “warm up” before Maddocks flew out later that week to Kuala Lumpar for the 1998 Commonwealth Games 20 kilometres walk.

 

Before the walk and after a tour of most of the course, by my wife and car, from the Airport at 3 miles around to the finish, I (Rob Elliott) had asked him if he was aware of the Record to which he replied with words to the effect of he had read up on what Mark Easton had recorded. I took that to mean a quick time was on the cards!

 

From the start two races were to develop for the medal positions. Maddocks was out on his own whilst Shillabeer, Trowbridge  AC walker Colin Bradley and Guernseys Rob Elliott were to fight it out for second place.

 

By the Forest Church and almost 4 miles and Maddocks had forged a six and a half minutes lead over Bradley and Elliott. At Torteval Church (6.25 miles apx) Bradley held second place with Elliott and Shillabeer tucked in behind him. Maddocks was by now steaming past the women walkers who had set off half an hour before the men.

 

A few miles further on and Elliott had dropped 20 seconds behind Bradley and Shillabeer as they went past the Vauxbalets 10 miles point.

 

Shillabeer made a break between 12 and 13 miles after the down hill section at Rectory Hill which was to be decisive in his bid for second place. Elliott soon walked himself back into contention for third and momentarily passed Bradley in the 16^th mile, before Bradley responded and moved back to third.

 

Going across the Bridge at 16.75 mile, Shillabeer held second place by three minutes, a gap he was to maintain to the finish. Chris Maddocks was by now well finished!

 

Rose Druckes finished as leading woman for her 4^th victory, well ahead of Pam Fallaize.

 

One can imagine what Chris said to Commonwealth team mate Mark Easton once in Kuala Lumpar………”by the way I`ve just taken your Church Walk Record” ??

 

Maddocks split times:

 

5 miles 37.17

7 miles 51.11

10 miles 73.14

15 miles 1.49.35

30 kms 2.16.46

 

Results:

Men

1 Chris Maddocks (Plymouth City Walkers) 2.22.35

2 Ed Shillabeer (Plymouth City Walkers) 3.00.49

3 Colin Bradley (Trowbridge AC) 3.04.32

4 Rob Elliott (Sarnia WC) 3.05.11

5 Alan Roger (Sarnia WC) 3.36.03

6 Mick Le sauvage (Sarnia WC) 3.58.16

7 Kevin Le Noury (Sarnia WC) 4.06.24

 

Women

1 Rose Druckes (Sarnia WC) 4.01.37

2 Pam Fallaize  (Sarnia WC) 4.27.54

3 Gabrielle Schutte (Germany) 5.11.35

 

1996

Alan Roger (Guernsey) 3.33.48, Charles Colman (Lancashire WC) 3.34.23, Nigel Carter (Guernsey) 3.58.43

  

   

1996 Mens: 1st Rob Elliott, Guernsey (No 12) 2.53.20, 2nd Colin Bradley, Trowbridge AC (No 6) 2.55.45, 3rd Kevin Baker, Weymouth & St Pauls (No 1) 2.56.31.

Long time rivals Elliott and Bradley reached 5 miles together with Baker three and a half minutes behind. Still together at 15 miles, Bradley was slowly dropped soon afterwards, with Baker closing the gap on Bradley to only 46 seconds at the finish line.

 

Womens 1996: 1st Jean Bleach, Steyning AC  (no 31) 3.44.01, 2nd Rose Drückes, Guernsey (No 34) 3.50.42, 3rd Diane Mason, Steyning AC (No 32) 4.04.16.