Alex leads the way in juniors' Bourton Challenge

NINE members of Stratford AC took part in the annual Bourton One Mile Challenge at Bourton-on-the-Water.

The race grows in popularity every year and has now become a major fixture in the racing calendar, with separate races for juniors and seniors.

It was also something of a family affair for eight of the Stratford runners with two members of the Adams family, two members of the Williams family and four members of the Gravelsons family taking part.

First home for Stratford and winner of the junior race, was Alex Adams, in the superb time of just 5.25.

Alex was two seconds quicker than fellow club member Dylan Williams (26th, 5.27) and his ever-improving brother Ollie (42nd, 5.42) who ran brilliantly.

Christopher Hunt (58th, 6.02) knocked 20 seconds off his previous best time.

Hunt will be disappointed to have not been able to dip under six minutes, especially so as he had recorded his time as being under six minutes.

Dylan’s sister, Annabella Williams, recorded a time of 6.39, finishing in 89th place.

In the Gravelsons’ family battle, Harry is happier over a longer distance and so was keen to beat the rest of his family.

Keeping his pace constant, he moved past Brian at the half-mile point and then Charlotte at the three-quarter point, but Charlotte pushed her brother hard over the last quarter of a mile, so that both achieved personal bests, with Harry (73rd, 6.21) just edged out Charlotte (74th, 6.22) on the line, followed by Brian (6.39) exactly the same time as Annabella Williams.

Mother Alison (161st, 10.17), slashed her personal best by some 52 seconds.

The race was won by David Roper in a time of 4.35. The first lady to finish, in 17th place, was Elsie Butler in a time of 5.14.