Tim Britton writes:
In the absence of our Club Captains, BOK newcomer (but seasoned coordinator for the Wimborne team) Tim Britton took on the logistical challenge of arranging the 2008 BOK team.
The line-up looked promising with 15 strong runners willing and able to help carry our baton over 100km from the Devon/Dorset border at Lyme Regis all the way along the Dorset coastline to the ferry at Sandbanks, Poole.
The day dawned bright with seven teams on the start line, led rapidly down the slopes towards the Cobb by Clive Hallett. We were in the lead up the first hill, eventually being overtaken at the top by Wessex, with a team almost twice the size of ours, sprinting their baton past Mark Saunders. With their many runners punctuating the route, Wessex soon pulled ahead of the rest of the field.
A close battle up and over Golden Cap saw Tim Britton overtake the Junior Squad’s Ben Chesters, with KERNO not very far behind. Second, third and fourth places were fiercely fought-over throughout the day between us, KERNO and the Junior Squad. Mark Bown came through West Bay in second; at Hardy’s Monument we were in fourth, having lost a couple of places to the two larger teams. Tom Cochrane and fiancée Emma climbed hard along the rollercoaster cliffs behind Durdle Door, and by Lulworth Cove we had made it back into third place, ahead of the Juniors. There were five minutes separating each of these three teams at Kimmeridge Bay, with BOK still chasing KERNO.
Mark Bown ran a very fast long stretch along the Purbeck coast, claiming most of the five minutes back from his old KERNO team mates.
With most of our team waiting alongside most of KERNO to run the final leg along the sandy beaches of Studland, word came through from Swanage that only one minute separated KERNO and Mark Selley. KERNO hit the beach first, with BOK in hot pursuit, now less than a minute behind. BOK gradually gained on the KERNO front runners as the two teams fought with the wet sand and ankle-deep seaweed underfoot. Tim hit the finish line first, followed closely by KERNO’s front man, then BOK were brought triumphantly into overall second place by Mark Bown and Clive Hallett, just 26 seconds ahead of KERNO.
Thank you very much to all of the BOK team (including our two guest runners Laura and Emma) for putting in such a great effort throughout the day.
The team comprised Alice Bedwell, Mark Bown, Tim Britton (and Laura Pearson), Tom Cochrane (and Emma), Clive Hallett, Jackie Hallett, Michael Hallett, Ifor Powell, Mark Saunders, Mark Selley, Alison Simmons, John Simmons, and Phil Warry.
Full results can be found on the Dorset Coast Path Relay website.
