Middlesex Veterans’ Championships – Ruislip – 1st February 2003

Highgate’s Alex Davidson overcame a mixture of snow, mud, blinding sunshine and stiff opposition to claim his first Middlesex Veterans’ title, Gavin Collett reports. Harrow’s ultra international Chris Finill was responsible for slowing wearing down the opposition, as the pack of Chris Bailey, Mark Cursons, Davidson, Paul Lemmon and former champions Seamus Kerr and Eric Southam after the first of the three laps, was reduced to just Finill, Davidson and Lemmon with one lap remaining. Kerr, returning from injury, was 10m off the pace with Bailey a further five in arrears.

However Finill, the inaugural champion in 1999, could not do enough to shake off the attentions of Davidson, who survived a slip on a corner in the final 200m to hold on for victory.

Finill, medalling for the fourth time in five years, led Harrow to team victory as Highgate, with three in the first seven, waited until 34th for their fourth and final scorer.

The women’s race was totally dominated yet again by Southern Over 45 champion Fiona Kennedy, who recorded her fifth consecutive victory in this event as many of the “younger” female veterans in the County decided to stay away.

Ealing clubmate Lynn Wilson overcame a steady start to move through and claim silver, though the Southern Over 45 team champions were forced to play second fiddle to hosts Hillingdon on this occasion.