Leading duo keep up their dominance of sexarathon

The race, which has been organised by Telford Athletic Club since it was first held in 1978, this year saw 367 runners finishing the course.

The current course uses the old railway line down to Jackfield, then over the Boat Inn footbridge, down to the Woodbridge and back to Ironbridge along the former Severn Valley railway line.

Townsend from the Birmingham Running and Triathlon Club, has been dominant in the series this year and has a clear lead in the overall standings – almost three minutes clear of his nearest rival.

He won the Ironbridge race by 10 seconds in 21.23 from Shrewsbury’s Daniel Husbands, with Tipton’s Robert Meredith third in 21.52 and Paul Aston fourth in 21.55.

Dan Robinson – a team-mate of the winne – was fifth, with Telford AC’s Jack Cole completing the overall prize winners with sixth in 22.00.

Shrewsbury AC’s Lauren Cooper has dominated the women’s categories throughout the series, impressively winning all five races so far.

She won at Ironbridge by more than a minute in 23.57 – just outside her course record time from last year – and is now more than six minutes clear in the standings.

Nia Nokes (Stoke) came second in 25.10, Lucy Calrow (Wolverhampton & Bilston) was third, Rae Nicholls (Birchfield Harrier) fourth, Tipton’s Jade Charlton fifth and Shrewsbury’s Jan Cook sixth in 25.33.

Other prize winners:

Under-20: Zoe Asquith and Charlie Costello. Over-35: Amy Wakeley and Tom Holden. O40: Stacey Hawkins and Jon Hart. O45: Nicola Shipp and Paul O Brien. O50: Lucie Tait Harris and Paul Bowes. O55: Jo Warnock Horn and Darren Hands. O60: Penny Barber and Haydn Jones. O65: Barbara Cole and Martin Summers. O70: Anne Strowger and Peter Hough. O75: Naomi Wrighton and Chris Clarke.

Current overall standings:

U20 Women: 1 Emily Gapper, 2 Zoe Asquith, 3 Leonie Childs. U20 Men: 1 Charlie Preece, 2 Ed Harrison, 3 Brady Watkinson. Senior Women: 1 Amy Hadley, 2 Charlotte Parnell 3 Sarah Price. Senior Men: 1 George Appleby, 2 James Ingram and Adam Jones. O35 Women: 1 Amy Wakeley, 2 Jennifer Willott, 3 Claire Evans. O35 Men: 1 Dale Quiney, 2 David Newport and Sam Chilvers. O40 Women: 1 Lisa Kendrick, 2 Kirsty Greenhead, 3 Emma Hall. O40 Men: 1 Gary Worrall, 2 David Clarke, 3 Darren Perry. O45 Women: 1 Nicola Shipp, 2 Vicky Morris, 3 Lucy Moloney. O45 Men: 1 Mark Judge, 2 Adam Cotterill, 3 Nicholas Beach. O50 Women: 1 Rachel Coupe, 2 Michelle Clarke, 3 Angela Vinall. O50Men: 1 Paul Bowes, 2 David Mole and David Gibson. O55 Women: 1 Lisa Yeomans, 2 Sam Rushby, 3 Sarah Crawford-Clarke. O55Men: 1 Darren Hands, 2 Shaun Bennett, 3 Gary Davies. O60 Women: 1 Penny Barber, 2 Diane Gill, 3 Julie Tatton. O60Men: 1 Haydn Jones, 2 Ian Grandfield, 3 Andy Christian. O65 Women: 1 Barbara Cole, 2 Sue Johnson, 3 Jo Snowden. O65 Men: 1 Martin Summers, 2 Gus Erlandson, 3 Gregory Perkins. O70 Women: 1 Anne Strowger, 2 Carol Reid, 3 Hilary Hollington. O70 Men: 1 Peter Hough, 2 Peter Savill, 3 Pere Johnson. O75 Women: 1 Naomi Wrighton. O75 Men: 1 Chris Clarke, 2 Iain Day, 3 Roy Sargeant.