Club solidarity was arguably at its strongest at the weekend as Benfleet running club turned out in droves for the 24-hour relay race Harp 24 at Westcliff Rugby Club. The ironclad support and commitment from all proved essential for an event that pits teams and solo runners against each other – all vying to run the most amount of laps around a four-mile course, spanning a whopping 24 hours.
The BRC strategy prevailed in the end, with the team ‘Wrong Direction’, comprised of Lee Baynton, Graham Booty, Andy Low, Eddy Cooper and Terry Spooner, beating 114 teams and solo runners to bring home the top trophy for the club.
The winning team covered an epic distance of 201.6 miles in a time of 23 hours and 15 minutes.
Massive congratulations to the many Benfleet teams and supporters that rallied together and made this event such a success. The race ended up raising 12,500 for Southend’s homeless charity. Every single one of you who ran or showed your face to boost the morale contributed to the cause. Well done everyone.
Cotswold 226 Triathlon
Tim Tomlins officially joined the iron man club after surmounting an impressive 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run at the Cotswold 226 long distance triathlon. Tomlins crossed the line in 12:01:54, ranking 39th out of 119 competitors.
European Sprint Tri Champs
18-year-old Keira Tippett is making waves on the Triathlon scene. The young athlete has been rightfully billed as one to watch over the last couple of years after increasingly raising the bar in a series of high-profile championships in far-flung quarters. Tippett’s continual hard work and perseverance are paying dividends as she has just achieved a bronze medal at the European Sprint Triathlon Championships in Dusseldorf. This caps off a highly successful streak for Tippett, who in the space of a couple of months has become National Aquathon Champion and British Standard Triathlon Champion. Next stop is the World Standard Distance Championships in Holland.
