August 20077
‘Rovers…
what a
finish!’
Eastbourne
Rovers
Athletic
Club Men’s
team
completed
their final
Southern
League match
of the
season at
Hastings in
fine style
with no
fewer than
five double
victories.
 After
missing
promotion by
the smallest
of margins
last season,
this one has
been filling
with mixed
fortunes.
The match
was
predominately
a mid table
clash with
Rovers
against home
club and
local rivals
Hastings,
London’s
Serpentine
and a join
team from
Haywards
Heath
Harriers and
Lewes. The
track
started with
a real
purpose as
the first
double was
score as Jon
Dennis, one
of the stars
of the
afternoon
broke the 60
second
barrier for
the first
time with
victory in
the 400M
hurdles. He
was more
than abley
supported
with 400M
man Stuart
Pelling
winning the
‘B’ in
62.7.
Meanwhile in
the field
events ‘the
Keen
brothers’
were both
securing
seconds
places in
the pole
vault both
Paul got
another
second with
a 100M
clocking of
11.6. He
was
supported by
Nick King
who is
making a
very welcome
return to
the sport
for a third
in the ‘B’
race. He
also
supported
Brian
Slaughter to
win the ‘B’
shot before
his
hamstring
stopped his
progression
in the long
jump where
Jon Dennis
got his
second pb of
the
afternoon
with 5.77.
The Hammer
was won by
Brian
Slaughter
with Jamie
Keen making
his debut in
the ‘B’
event.
The high saw
the reliable
Stuart
Pelling saw
over another
1.70
clearance
with Jamie
again
getting
those other
vital
points.
There were
no
announcements
or updates
on points so
this made
keeping
track of the
match
situation
difficult.
But the
second
double win
in the 400M
maintained
team moral
high with
Stuart
Pelling
holding off
a late
challenge to
the finish
line and
Matt Southam
powered
around the
final bend
to get a new
pb and
victory for
the ‘B’
race. The
800M race
saw Fraser
Weir having
a real
battle as he
got close to
the 2minute
barrier
again with
2.01.4 with
Alex Dennis
in the ‘B’.
Alex also
won the
‘B’Javelin.
The 5000M
was a very
fast race
and this was
the first of
three
victories
for Scott
Harris with
a 16.18.9
clocking.
The 110M
Hurdles saw
U20 Jon
Dennis break
another pb
to for
victory with
Jamie Keen
ensuring
another
double for
the club.
The 200M saw
Paul Keen
and Stuart
Pelling both
record the
same time.
Before yet
another
double with
Fraser Weir
and Matt
Southam
having there
own battle
for
victory.
The triple
jump saw
another
brother
double as
Jon Dennis
jumped a
huge 12.54
ably support
by brother
Alex who was
by now
picking up
points in
various
events. The
4*100-relay
team of Jon
Dennis,
Stuart
Pelling,
Jamie Keen
and Paul
Keen enjoyed
themselves
with a great
victory
before Scott
Harris won
again in the
steeplechase
with a very
useful
10.14.2
clocking.
Brian
Slaughter
and Stuart
Pelling were
the ones
scoring
eight more
points in
the Discus
before
Stuart along
with Jon
Dennis, Matt
Southam and
Scott Harris
comfortably
won the
4*400 relay
to crown a
great day of
competition.
Final Match
Result
ERAC 144
Serpentine
125
HHH/Lewes
121
Hastings 101
|
 Paul’s
show
Eastbourne Rovers Athletic
Club Men’s team competed in
the penultimate Southern
League match of the season
at the Tooting Bec facility
last weekend. After missing
promotion by the smallest of
margins last season by
finishing in third spot they
have this year secured a mid
table one this time.
The home club were the high
flying joint league leaders
Herne Hill Harriers (HHH),
great rivals Ealing and
Havant. On paper this
season, ERAC would do well
to finish in third place but
a great team sprit and some
fine individual performances
meant second place to HHH
would be a great
achievement.
Paul Keen was the star of
the day as the Eastbourne
Rugby man put in some great
performances. His best
being a 3.40M clearance in
the pole vault very well
supported by his brother
Jamie who was making his
season debut with 3M. The
hammer saw multi-talented
Jim Allan try his hand at
the Hammer with great
success as he and Brian
Slaughter scored a near
perfect nine points with
Brian winning the event
33.69M. They teamed up for
the shot with Jim winning
the ‘B’ event in a new pb
distance and Brian achieving
a seasons best of 10.61M for
another nine points. The
400M hurdles saw Josh Varney
running a slightly different
race to his usual 3K
steeplechase but his
strength was needed as he
ran a good time of 66.4 for
a strong second place. In
the ‘B race Alex Dennis went
one better as he won with
ease.
The high jump was a very
high standard event but
Stuart Pelling and Jamie
Keen kept the pressure on
HHH and Ealing as now only
two points separated the
three clubs. The 800M is
always a great race and
Fraser Weir and Jon Dennis
made it more so with a
perfect TEN. Down the back
straight on the second lap
Fraser was in second place
but demonstrated his form
and pulling in front when
needed for a secure 2.03.6
clocking. Jon Dennis was
running well and did what
was required for a ‘B’
victory just outside his
best with 2.06.8. The
Javelin was a higher
standard than the high jump
in comparison so Alex Dennis
and Jim Alan did well to
secure some good points.
Perhaps the most
entertaining and not to be
underestimated the
usefulness of there points
Matt Southam and Fraser Weir
teamed up to score points
for the team in the 5000M.
So that they did not affect
their other events too much
they ‘jogged’ the event and
the meeting organisers
staged the 400M races around
the outer lanes of the track
because they had not
finished in time. A great
team effort by these two
fine athletes.
The 100M saw Paul Keen and
Stuart Pelling run 11.6 and
11.7 respectfully. Stuart
then ran a season best 52.5
for second place in the 400M
with Alex Dennis in third.
Jon Dennis and Josh Varney
scored two seconds in the
triple jump before Jon then
went onto another second in
the 110M hurdles along with
Paul Keen. Paul then ran a
pb time in the 200M of 23.4
and for a rugby man who
claims 200M is too far
looked very strong. Stuart
Pelling was also strong
despite only having 25
minutes to recover from the
400M he recorded a 23.7.
Fraser and Matt was team
again in the 1500M and did
very well for two seconds.
The 4*100 team of Brian
Slaughter, Stuart Pelling,
Jamie Keen and Paul Keen
were not strong enough to
hold off a very fast HHH but
they demonstrated some good
batton changes as points
were now critical. Josh
Varney and Alex Dennis kept
the points coming in the
steeplechase in a great race
for Josh as he tussled with
Ealing for first place, Alex
finished second. The Discus
was an unusual teaming of
Brian Slaughter and Stuart
Pelling but with Brian
winning and Stuart second
things were going well. The
4*400 team of Stuart Pelling,
Matt Southam, Fraser Weir
and Jon Dennis put the
‘icing in the cake’ as they
ran to a clear victory and
enabled the team to finish
overall in the great second
place.
Final Match Result
HHH 153
ERAC 136
Ealing 126
Havant 63
|
June 2007
Eastbourne Rovers Pipped Again!
After
being beaten into second place by an
agonizing half of one point three weeks ago
at Tonbridge, Eastbourne Rovers were beaten
into third place on Saturday by a single
point in their Southern League match in
Bromley despite fielding their strongest
team of the year. A powerful Blackheath
and Bromley team won the match with 148
points, with Richmond gaining 130,
Eastbourne 129 and London Heathside having a
bad day on 89.
The day
started in great fashion with Man of The
Match Jon Dennis gaining twelve team points
in 30 minutes. Jon won the 400m Hurdles A
string in a personal best time of 60.8, with
Brian Slaughter finishing second in the B
event, then finished second in B string the
High Jump, with Stuart Pelling finishing
third in the A event, and then finished off
with third place in the A string Long Jump,
with Nick King (making a welcome return to
the Rovers team after a ten year absence!)
also finishing third. Jon later teamed up
with Stuart Pelling in the 400m with both
athletes finishing second, Stuart in the A
race in 52.8 and Jon in the B event in 54.9.
Paul Keen
and Brian Slaughter carried on the
impressive start with second and first in
the Pole Vault, in the respective A and B
events. Paul then went on to run an
excellent 100m finishing second in 11.5s
which equaled his personal best time, with
Steve Trangmar finishing third in the B
event, and also finished second in the 110m
Hurdles. Brian continued his preparations
for the Master’s World Championships later
this year with second places in the Javelin
and Hammer and also finished third in the
Shot and Discus. Jim Allan, whose Decathlon
season has been hampered by injuries, gained
excellent second places in the Javelin, Shot
and Discus. Brian was aided in the Hammer
by Eddie Dennis, who gave his usual solid
performance finishing third in the B event.
Back on the
track Neil Maxwell’s young middle distance
group were imposing themselves on the other
teams. Scott Harris streaked away from the
field to win the 800m in 1.59.6, with Fraser
Weir winning the B string in 2.02.3. Scott
later completed a ‘double’ by winning the
3000m Steeplechase with Alex Dennis gaining
two valuable points for the team in the B
event and also in the 5000m. Fraser later
went on to finish second in the 1500m. Matt
Southam was suffering from blisters on his
feet in the 5000m but still completed the
distance and also went on to earn points in
the 1500m. Team Manager Graeme Hogg teamed
up with Steve Trangmar in the 200m with
Graeme taking a creditable second in the A
event and Steve matching the achievement in
the B string.
In the
relays Rovers 4 x 100m team of Stuart
Pelling, Graeme Hogg, Paul Keen and Steve
Trangmar produced the best time for some
years with 44.8 but the 4 x 400m team
suffered with injuries finishing last but
with Russell Weir making his senior debut.
Final Match
Result
Bromley &
Blackheath 148
Richmond
130
Eastbourne
129
London
Heathside 89
|
5th May 2007
ERAC Men’s Season not
started according to plan
Eastbourne Rovers Athletic Club staged the first of the
Men’s Track and Field Southern League matches of the
season. By missing promotion by the smallest of margin last
season and this fixture being staged at home optimism was
very high. However, it would not be easy as team manager
Graeme Hogg had wedding commitments, there were a few injury
worries and others at the British University championships.
The day
started strong with Jon Dennis (U20) making his nervous but
great debut in the 400M hurdles. He delivered above
expectation with second place in 62.2. This was backed up
by Brian Slaughter in the ‘B’ with another second place,
both behind very strong competitors from Victoria Park who
had set out to make their mark on the match. Brian Then
teamed up with Eddie Dennis where he achieved another second
place in the hammer with 33.40.
Meanwhile Paul Keen was over at the pole vault securing
another second spot in between rugby commitments, again
Victoria had won this event.
The long
jump team of the impressive Jon Dennis and Steve Trangmar
could not stop the Victoria Park surge on points. The high
jump saw Stuart sore over 1.70.
The 100M
was a great opportunity to see Julian Bharami (U20) in
action but conditions were not perfect for fast times. He
got stronger as the race went on to finish third in 11.8.
Unfortunately work commitment meant he could not contest his
stronger event of the 200M later in the afternoon. Steve
Trangmar, current at Brunel University turned out in the ‘B’
for another third place. The 800M was a hotly contest race
but despite this Fraser Weir and Josh Varney put another six
points on the score sheet. Jim Allan (U20) is starting to
get much stronger in all of his events again and pushing
coach Brian Slaughter in the throwing events. The two of
them placed second and first respectfully in the shot putt.
Sacha Henty (U17) was due to make his debut for the team in
the 400M but declared himself not able to run as he
discovered a hamstring problem during warm up. However
Stuart Pelling was on hand for a secure second place. He
then teamed up with Steve Trangmar for the 200M with them
both recording the same times. Fraser Weir and Jon Dennis
were back in action as points were becoming important.
Victoria had taken a commanding lead but Eastbourne rival
Bexley were chasing them hard. Fraser recorded yet another
second place and Jon third for more valuable team points.
The
4*100M relay team of Slaughter, Pelling, Trangmar and Keen
(back from Rugby) saw off the Bexley challenge with yet
another second place.
At last
there was an out right victory to cheer about as Josh Varney
dominated the 3000M steeple Chase. This was ‘splashed out’
in a mere 10.37.7 for a personal best time. Despite this
great performance Victoria were just one point in front of
Bexley and Eastbourne in third with just the 4*400M relay to
go. Victoria clearly put their best runner on the first leg
as they took a commanding lead. As the race went in to the
final leg it was very close from Victoria, Bexley and
Eastbourne. As the runners went down the back straight and
tried to get the edge the Bexley runner clearly pulled a
hamstring and unfortunately had to limp home handing the
race and match victory to Victoria.
The
match was clearly not the start ERAC wanted but despite this
they will be heartened by the news that Victoria and Bexley
are two of the strongest teams in the league and ERAC will
be back with a full team at the next match in Tonbridge.
The
club’s immediate attention will now turn to the Sussex
Championships where a huge medal haul is predicted. Coaches,
Team managers and athletes have been working hard to prepare
for this championship.
Final Match Result
Victoria Park 148
Bexley 146
Eastbourne 108
Medway/Maidstone 56
