Alex Gaskell enjoyed a boxing day run out, finishing 7th in 34.35.

A selection of Thames members forsook Christmas lunch preparations in favour of working up an appetite. Andy Weir and Tim Beer raced in at the sharp end, while it was good to see Andy Robinson and Keith Donald appearing in the saltire. Results below.

1 Paul Drake (HW) & Dave Huck (WSEH) 5m 1549y
2 Andy Weir (THH) & Keith Drake (Wimb W) 5m 1257y
3 Tim Beer (THH) & Mark Larche (HW) 5m 1250y
6 Kassa Tadesse (Belg) & Andy Robinson (THH) 5m 1086y
12 L Rehn (Belg) & Keith Donald (THH) 5m  102y

Nic Gould ran a sound 34.22 in a quality field.

The ladies captain passed a late fitness test to record a fine personal best. Richard Pitt and Vikki Webb also ran well.

24	Richard Pitt		37.23
34	Kate Symons 		38.50
73	Ian Trotter		41.38
86 	Vikki Webb		42.23

Andy Weir led an exclusive Thames team home over an extended Wimbledon Common course. Results below.

6	Andy Weir
31	Mark Gilbertson
77	Dan Pescod
111	Al Gibbons
124	Al Irvine

The captain scored a marathon victory in a wintery Cologne. Running on frozen trails he made his winning push at the bottom of the last of the seven hills, finishing in 2.39.00.

Rachel Disley finished 19th, helping the Surrey ladies team to second place, behind Essex.

Allie Outram won the ladies race in 47.37 while Keith Spacie was first M65 in 51.51

Nick Gould led Thames home in this traditional pre-christmas fixture as we finished third in both the three and eight to score. Results below.

 1	James Trapmore (HW)     			27:28
 5	Nick Gould				30:04
16	Peter Giles		M60		33:05
19	Leslie Cherrington    	M55		33:12
22	Al Gibbons		M50		33:35
24	Tim Nightingale    	M40		34:04
31	Amby Burfoot		M55		34:49
34	Al Irvine					34:58
42	Alan Leakey		M50		35:49
55	Dave Walsh		M55		39:02
71	Diane Leakey		W45		45:25

MATCH RESULTS: 
(3-to-score)	
1 Hercules Wimbledon AC	   	14
2 Veterans AC			15
3 Thames Hare & Hounds	   	24
4 Croydon H			31
5 Bank of England AC    		36

(8-to-score)	
1 Hercules Wimbledon AC  		71
2 Veterans AC			84
3 Thames Hare & Hounds   		149
4 Bank of England AC    		220

Ben Reynolds won the Kent Veterans Championships by a minute.

Phill Sly dominated the race, winnning by nearly 1 minute in 30.33.

Robin Dickson ran 32.24 for third M60 in the Victory 5.

Fraser Thompson completed a hat trick of victories while Alice Beverly led from the front as Oxford completed a double victory in the 114th Varsity Cross Country race hosted by Thames on the Common on Saturday. Reversing the Cambridge double victory of last year, the men are now all square on 57 victories each, while Oxford ladies extend their lead to 5 points - 17 points to 12. Nick Talbot and Julia Bleasdale ran out winners in the old boys and girls race. Individual results from all the races below.

Ladies Race
1  Alice    Beverly   23.52  Oxford
2  Courtney Birch     24.00  Oxford
3  Emily    Crowley   24.02  Oxford
4  Emily    Ferenczi  24.25  Oxford
5  EmmaJane Pooley    24.36  Cambridge
6  Sophie   Wood      24.40  Cambridge
7  Rachel   Deegan    24.44  Oxford
8  Alice    Tozer     25.24  Cambridge
9  Kathy    Burgoine  25.38  Oxford
10 Lucy     Cundliffe 27.24  Cambridge
11 Clare    Day       28.10  Cambridge

Team (4 to score)
Oxford        10 points
Cambridge     29 points

Mens Race
1    Fraser  Thompson   38:14        1
2    Jon     Blackledge 38:32        2
3    Ben     Moreau     38:52        3
4    Ben     Hope       39:01    4    
5    Paolo   Natali     39:53    5    
6    Rowan   Hooper     40:00    6    
7    Tom     Douglas    40:09        7
8    Richard Ward       40:13    8    
9    Matt    Robinson   40:21    9    
10   Ed      Brady      40:27    10    
11   William George     40:28    11    
12   Luke    Walton     40:31        12
13   Mark    Dewhirst   41:22        13
14   Owain   Bristow    41:45    14    
15   James   Hogan      41:59        15
16   Martin  Bishop     47:15        16

Team 
Oxford        38 points
Cambridge     42 points

Old Boys Race
1    Nick    Talbot     Oxford    21:03     1
2    Andy    Weir       Oxford    21:19     2
3    Simon   Baines     Oxford    21:41     3
4    Dave    Symons     TH&H      21:57            
5    Richard Hewitt     Cambridge 22:12  5    
6    Andy    Lynch      Oxford    22:21     6
7    Dave    Barker     Cambridge 22:27  7    
8    Jeremy  Bradley    Oxford    22:33     8
9    Ed      Catmur     Oxford    22:37     9
10   Olly    Mytton     Cambridge 22:43 10    
11   John    Herries    Cambridge 22:48 11    
12   Andy    Arbour     Oxford    23:05    12
13   Frances Maloney    Cambridge 23:16 13    
14   Mark    Tucker     Cambridge 23:16 14    
15   Jose    Prieto     Cambridge 23:28 15    
16   Simon   Rutherford Cambridge 23:30 16    
17   Lawrence Chandy    Oxford    23:35    17
18   Simon   Molden     Oxford    23:53    18
19   Julia   Bleasdale  Cambridge 23:55 19    
20   Mark    Bown       Cambridge 24:17 20    
21   Chris   Daniels    Oxford    24:26    21
22   Tom     Offord     Cambridge 24:31 22    
23   Leah    Walland    Cambridge 24:31 23    
24   Arash   Mostofi    Cambridge 24:44 24    
25   Karen   Ellison    Cambridge 25:48 25    
26   Kate    Symons     TH&H      26:45            
27   Jacob   Eisjer     Cambridge 27:13 27    
28   Peter   Giles      TH&H      27:13            
29   Eelke   Naeff      Cambridge 27:49 29    
30   Meleika Goonerathe Cambridge 29:49 30    
31   Julia   Fea        Oxford    30:20    31            
32   Lucy    Adam       Cambridge 34:59 32    
33   John    Bryant     Oxford    35:02    33
34   Kath    Finnagan   Cambridge 35:23 34    
35   Paul    Wilcox     Cambridge 35:44 35    

10-to-score                
Cambridge    130                
Oxford        97