GREAT Bentley Running Club hosted the final race in the Friday Five series.

Nearly 400 athletes took part and the winner was Andrew Rooke, from Aldershot, Farnham and District, in 25 minutes and 22 seconds.

He won comfortably by just over two minutes, appearing to glide effortlessly in front of Gavin Davies (Ipswich Jaffa, 27m 25s) and Gavin Allen (Springfield Striders, 27m 25s).

Racing for St Edmund’s Pacers, and not far behind, was Odette Robson, in 29m 21s.

She was followed by Tamara Jordan, from Stowmarket Striders, in 29m 57s, while third place went to an unattached runner, Kerry Dennett, in 32m 58s.

Flying the flag for Bentley were Matthew Knowles, Rob Thorpe, Graham Clarke, Tonie Wilson, Jennifer Aylen, Caroline Searle, Karen Skene, Matt Seward and Bee Palmer Barnes.

Aylen and Searle both gained bronze club standards with personal best (PB) times of 40m 54s and 41m 31s respectively.

Palmer-Barnes achieved a gold standard, finishing in 44m 28s (PB).

There was a great turnout for the junior events as one and two-kilometre races were held on the village green.

Eighty-three young runners of 15 years and under made their way along the courses laid out and Bentley’s Joe Alexander played the hare for the 2km run.

Nina Simmons acted as sweeper.

Bentley juniors taking part were: Amie Apps, Emily Cook, Eve Cook, Evie Foster, Caitlyn Hughes, Megan Hughes, Chloe Iddon, Mia Iddon, Olivia Stevens, Lucy Warren, James Blacker, Darian Harvey, Alex Hill, Rufus Keitch, Michael Knowles, Harrison Leek, Ben Lyon and Charlie and Connor Sharp.

Four Bentley members raced in the Colchester Parkrun.

Meera Rajoo Oakley led Lee Clarkson, Chusa Batista and Claudia Keitch back to the Castle Park bandstand.

In Sunday’s races, Gary Hill travelled to Bishop’s Stortford, Tricia Stacey to Gosfield and Charlie Keitch to Kent.

Hill, competing in his first ten-mile race, completed the route in 1h 31m 49s (PB).

Stacey chose to take on the Olympic triathlon distance, promoted by Born2tri, in a total time of 2h 48m 21s.

Keitch took on a 15-mile race and finished just one second shy of club-mate Ben Ficken’s Benfleet time, in 1h 53m 44s.

The third race of this year’s Essex Championships was arranged by Thrift Green Trotters.

First home for the Bentley men was Darren Horner, in 43m.

For the ladies, with a time of 48m 1s, that honour went to Eileen Shadford.

Other runners in action were Steph Horner, Caroline Searle, Barbara Law, John McKay and Alison Clarke.