Outstanding Squad Wins First SOT Team Race Since 1997

 With this race boasting a higher standard of late and always tricky to win with just 4-to-score bringing plenty of clubs into the mix, we produced a quartet to have one wondering if it was the finest in our history.  Well, nearly, but not quite.  Our all time record is 16 points in 1984, via the smooth blend of Foote, Gladwin, Sinclair and D North, who were 3 points superior to the tribe of 1945, who in turn were turn 2 points better than 1968 who were just 2 points up on 2016’s vintage.Still, illustrious company, and just the fourth time we’ve won since the win of 50 years ago.  There are a couple of neat links to the boys of ’66: the race starter that day was the SOT’s President and our own Bill Lucas (the 1946 winner), who turns 100 in January; and our 17^th man home that day was Bill Laws, our current Club President, who was out supporting here.As I joked to Wicksy’s parents, Steve and Christine, at the start, we had the perfect Phil for this one: ‘slightly sick, but not too sick’.  A spell unwell meant he didn’t travel to Liverpool for the Euro trials, but GB’s potential loss was our great gain, and from inside the first two minutes Phil was right where he belonged, 20 yards up on the chasing pack.  Andrius kept close attention just behind nemesis Ian Bailey of Aldershot, with SOT old fave Dean Lacy of Cambridge just behind.We expected Ed Auden to be our 3^rd man but Nick Bundle was in the mood to be a thorough pest in the early salvoes – what great spirit; he knew he was probably over-cooking things but it’d have been useful for Ed to have a chaperone.  New man Arne Dumez started conservatively with the savage mile long climb in store, and his caution was rewarded as he picked men off all race.As the runners turned for the brutal climb up to the finish there was great news as Phil’s lead remained and Andrius’ strength had told over Bailey and Lacy; and neither were going to have much luck hauling him in on the ascent. He made his Bels debut at this one two years ago, and his five SOT races have gone 18, 9, 7, 5, 2.  What a curve.   Our order had been made sensible as Ed had slogged his way up to 7^th, with Arne doing a brilliantly clinical job for 13^th.But this was no mere quartet we had out there, with Nick and Royston keeping close order, and new man to both us and running, Steve Gardner getting round well.  Poor Scott Mills’ hamstring twanged in the Surrey League, but this time it was his calf.  He finished both races though, which meant we placed an honourable 2nd for the 8 to score.So some great spirit and real quality shown from the Bels.  Our squads of the late 1940s & 1960s were the envy of the land, so it’s a positive sign if we’re comparing then and now.1 P Wicks 26:00; 2 A Jaksevicius 26:10; 3 I Bailey (AFD) 26:21;... 7 E Auden 27:24; 13 A Dumez 28:13; 21 N Bundle 28:49; 29 R Maddams 29:28; 77 S Gardner 32:53; 105 S Mills 35:38.  193 finished.1 Belgrave H 23; 2 Kent 53; 3 AFD 62; 4 Kent 'B' 106; 5 Herne Hill H 116.  37 teams closed in.8 to score:  1 Kent 159; 2 Belgrave H 255; 3 HHH 343.