As a reminder, here is the top line explanation of how it worked throughout the year:
- Simply, we took your age grading scoring from your race performance and converted these into points.
- The six highest races are totalled to form a league table throughout the year.
- As with previous incarnations there was the possibility to nominate one ‘Joker’ race that isn’t on the nominated race calendar to be included in the results and, depending on the score, included in their best of six to count.
There were 22 separate rounds with again two marathon rounds included.
We also trialled a ‘best of’ score in the two local 5k series; Lincoln Wellington 5k with 4 races and Peterborough 5k series with 5 races. The highest score from each series counting as an additional score.
The opportunity to use a joker once in year remained an option too.
Thus 25 scores the maximum with 32 racing opportunities.
Statistically Speaking…
3689.15 Miles (5937.10 kilometres) were raced. 1003 more miles than 2022.
156 of you took part – An exact 50/50 split of 78 Women and 78 Men took part!
In all there were 540 performances to score.
The youngest competitor was 18. The oldest 73. A diversification of 55 years.
3.46 – the average number of GP races per competitor.
15 the highest number of GP races by a single competitor.
36 completed the necessary 6 races to register a final score (15 women. 21 men)
The highest score of the entire series: 84.96%
With 5 new names across the top three for both Ladies and Gents GP, 2023 represented somewhat of the changing of the guard – or in one case redemption and back to winning ways.
With a jam-packed GP series in 2023 there were 540 scores to churn through.
In all 36 women and men completed the required 6 scores to qualify for the GP final standings. Up from 25 in 2022.
Ladies
Yvonne Buckley, Judi Allsopp, Tracy Webb, Ros Sadler and Holly Wragg finished just outside the top 10.
Zoë nudged past her younger sister to tenth – separated by just 7½ points. The sisterly battle will be one to watch in 2024.
Early season racer Naomi Rivers and late season resurgent Sylv came next in 9th and 8th respectively. Making great waves in her first year with the club was the talented Carlene Veasey in 7th.
Julie, Marj and Caroline made up 6th, 5th, and 4th – showcasing their determination and longevity.
In 3rd place and carving out a place as one of the club’s finest but lesser raced runners – averaging 73.44% is Hannah Whittaker!
In a hard fought second place is a literal club legend donning her racing shoes at the highest level once again; Sarah High, averaging 75.98% per race.
2023 the year the cream rose again to the top. An injury ladened 2022 sparked off a drive plain to see throughout last year’s series.
Averaging 82.96% yes. EIGHTY-TWO POINT NINE-SIX percent, the highest score of the year – the brilliant, fantastic and whatever superlative you can think of: Catherine Payne.
Men
With 21 men qualifying it was a bumper crop of athletes battling it out. With some very, very close rankings indeed!
Richard Urquhart, Ben Mason, Anthony Boyle, Martin Rodell and Stuart Baty showed consistency throughout.
Sam Dodwell, Tommy Napier, Simon Allsopp, Kevin Wallace were separated by just 2.4 percentage points.
Peter Jennings, and Andrew Pask were all vying for a top ten place, just missing out.
Just beating Andrew to 10th was Daniel Pearce.
Prolific Paul Davis took to the GP 15 times and broke 1000 points in 9th.
Stefan Latter, Number 1 Atter (Robin) and Number 1 Jepson (Paul) again were locked in battle all year with only 1.2% separating the trio for 8th, 7thand 6th respectively.
Robert McArdle took 5th and Alan Carley 4th proving there is life in the old dogs yet.
It was a stunning year in almost every single distance for the top three.
The most experienced in 3rd, Peter Bonner has found the elixir of youth and reaping the benefits of sheer bloody hard graft.
A battle for the ages raged on and on and finally was settled in the 2nd week of December.
Two of the most talented runners in the local area full stop, produced PBs galore, Gold County Medals, Gold Age Grading standards for both (the first time for each) and over the 6 race series were separated by just 1.4%.
In 2nd place is Joaquim Jeronimo (Flash) – he averaged 79.47% with a high of 80.75%.
So, the winner of the Men’s GP is Russel Whittaker an average of 79.70 and a high of 80.56%.
Check out the GP fixtures for 2024 so far.
Report by Samuel Jepson