| Another dry sunny evening greeted Poacher competitors at the pleasant assembly area of Potterton's Alpine Nursery. Planner Jon Fulwood was able to use parts of the wood not unavailable last year to Vernon Davis, producing courses as challenging as Nettleton allows. He overcame the problem of the narrow Start Finish area with a very short first leg on the Long Course. The Long Course winner was Sudbrooke Sports Scientist Paul Murgatroyd, well clear of Junior International Zac Field. Paul became the fourth different winner of the Long Course this year and this result shows that he is not going to give up the Lincolnshire Poacher Trophy he won in 2009 without a fight. Breaking into the top half of the field was Grasby Junior Jay Robinson with his best run in 2010 just ahead of the North bank's Helena Crutchley who looks like returning to her true form after a disappointing run at Mausoleum Woods. It was unlucky 13 for some runners on the Long Course who may need to book into the eye clinic as they went from number 2 to number 13 by mistake. Short Course leader Jake Field took maximum points ahead of the Caistor Grammar School duo of Digby Sowerby and Sam Offler. Heather Tuck had her best run this year just behind HALO Chairman John Butler. Last week at Mausoleum Wood there was some inevitable bunching of competitors after problems with the errant rootstock. The person at the start tries to leave a gap between competitors but his job would be easier if runners voluntarily left an appropriate interval before they line up. Poacher 2010 returns next week to Swallow Vale after a gap of two years. |