However, with two ladies to call upon and only one required for the 5-person team, Anne Unseld (winner of the W55 ladies trophy for the season) opted to use it as a training run after the BVAC 5-mile the previous day and with the London Marathon just around the corner. So, Lynette Walker led off with a fine leg (the other one wasn't so bad!) before handing over to Chris Marshall. Jim Peters, Peter Ratcliffe and Phil Greenfield completed the quintet.

Well done all and thanks to those who came to support. Thanks also to Helen James for getting us all organised.

Awaiting the start	Lynette prepares to hand over ...	... and Chris takes off
Still going strong	Jim takes over	Holding off predators
Off goes Peter	Phil on the last leg (and his)	Camp and supporters!

Report from Rob Bright

Larkfield AC rounded off a successful cross country season by winning the Kent Fitness League relay on Sunday and set both the men’s and women’s fastest stage\par times at Shorne Country Park. Their winning margin was over 3 minutes, but had tragedy not struck the Paddock Wood team, the result could have been so different.

Paddock Wood AC were leading the race going into the fifth and final hilly, two mile leg but the event was spoiled as a contest when league champion, James Ridger, sprained an ankle and was forced to withdraw within 400 metres of the start.

Nicola Groom got Larkfield off to the perfect start with the fastest ladies’ time of the day (14.21) followed by Laura Burton (14.42) of the ill fated Paddock Wood quintet and Ruth Ward (14.58) of Dartford Harriers. Simon Hesketh (12.32) maintained the lead for Larkfield over Paddock Wood’s Gareth Robb (12.37) and Stuart Waterman (13.19) of Dartford Harriers on the second leg. Stage three saw Ashley Howes (13.22) of Larkfield matching strides with Mickael Hegesippe (13.20) for Paddock Wood at the front with Nick Woods (12.35) running an excellent leg to guarantee Dartford a podium position. Leg four saw the first change in the lead as an inspired Peter Buckingham (13.23) swept past Rob Day (13.53) to give Paddock Wood the edge over Larkfield by six seconds going into the final lap.

Dartford remained a solid third at that point through Steve Hickmott (14.13).

Ridger versus Gareth Evans (11.45) of Larkfield would have been a superb final leg battle but the crowd were denied the opportunity of cheering these two closelyr matched athletes in a sprint to the finish. Larkfield’s winning margin was three minutes over Carl Gardner (13.50) of Dartford Harriers and it was New Eltham that gained a creditable third place thanks to a Chris Wyles setting the second fastest time of the day (12.20).

A total of 21 teams finished intact and numbers were boosted by others who had raced elsewhere in the morning to enjoy the hospitality provided at the presentation of awards back at Cascades Leisure Centre after the event. So another good season of cross country running comes to an end and we can hang up the trail shoes until the autumn. Hope you have a good summer and see you next season.

Rob Bright (with thanks to Alan Newman for the words)