Ex-Olympic swimming star to get Fairford 10k field away (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Ex-Olympic swimming star to get Fairford 10k field away

RUNNERS in this year's annual Fairford Festival Invertec 10k road race and 3k family run run, on Sunday, June 5, will come under starters' orders from ex-Olympic and Commonwealth swimming champion Sharron Davis MBE, lady mayor Chris Roberts and Town crier Maurice Jones.

The 10k starts at 11am with the fun run setting off five minutes later. The 10km has UK Athletics/Midland Counties Amateur Athletics permit, certificate of course accuracy and is included as a Gloucestershire County Amateur Athletics series event. The race also has a BARR membership grading.

This year's race is also a County 10k Championship event and has also been adopted by the South West Veterans Athletics Club as their championship race. Applicants have to be at least 17.

This year, there are already entries from as far afield as Cornwall, Leicestershire, Sussex and most of the counties in between are also represented.

There is considerable support from regionally local clubs, such as Bourton Road Runners, Cirencester Athletics Club, Highworth Running Club, Swindon Harriers and Swindon Striders, many of which use the Fairford 10km road race towards their club championship series.

Entries are already 25 percent up on last year which bodes well for big day. The 2004 race was won for a second time by Dan Duke (Cheltenham and County Harriers), just outside the course record in a time of 32min 50sec.

Last year, Wendy Jones (Cirencester AC) won the ladies' race in 36.40 but will not be entering this time around. Cirencester AC won the women's team prize.

Martin Ford (Cheltenham and County Harriers) is so far an all-time champion in his own right, having won six times - albeit in different age categories!

The category of first Fairford male/female was won last year again by tri-athlete Rob Pattison in a personal best time of 39.54.

The Fairford course is a single-lap one, starting on Park Street, over Mill Bridge, through Quenington towards Hatherop, returning to Fairford via Hatherop Road, the Croft, returning through Park Street and finishing at the Walnut Tree Field.

All finishers will receive a medal. There are 17 prizes to be won, the categories being as follows:

1st, 2nd, 3rd male and female; 1st Fairford male/female; 1st male veteran 40, 50, 60; 1st female veteran 35, 45, 55; 1st male/female team (three to score); Anne Stephens Trophy for the 1st female veteran.

A gold sovereign, sponsored by Bourton-on-the-Water Goldsmiths, will be awarded to the first male and first female finishers, Both races are being sponsored by Invertec Ltd, Fairford (main sponsor), Bourton-on-the-Water Goldsmiths, Fairford Sports Centre, Fairford Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic, Osteopathic Clinic, Lechlade, The Therapy Room, Fairford and Park Close Stores, Fairford.

The 3km family fun run starts outside St Mary's Church in Fairford and is a fun event for all ages. The fun run starts at 11.05am, just five minutes after the 10k runners get away.

All finishers will receive a medal. There are also prizes to be won for eight categories in four age groups: 1st infant boy/girl (7 years and under), 1st junior boy/girl (8-11 years), 1st boy/girl (12-17 years), 1st male/female (18 years and over).

Last year, there were 360 entrants for the fun run, which was won by John Ewbank.

Entry forms are available from Fairford Sports Centre and a number of other outlets in Fairford, Lechlade and Cirencester Sports Centre as well as on the web www.fairford.org and www.fairford-tc.co.uk.

For further enquiries, please phone Jim Frank on 01285 712698, 07768 037197 or e-mail fairford10k@hotmail.com