Smith wins close Turbo X @ Bordon
Chris Smith
Reversing the result of the 2008 event at Bordon, Thames Valley Harrier Chris Smith won yesterday’s final Saab Salomon Turbo X of 2009, in torrential rain and high winds. Runner-up was British Fell Champ Rob Hope, the winner in 2008.
Smith had bided his time in yesterdays 10 mile off-road event that takes in bogs, ditches, reed beds and swamps, after Hope and Ricky Lightfoot had led Smith up to the ‘Turbo Zone’ at around 8 miles. “The plan was to wait until that point before making a move”, said Smith afterwards, “Rob and Ricky had pushed on, but I had them in my sights up to 8 miles, I then really pushed on and managed to over take rob in the last mile or so”. Chris went on to win the race by a slender 7 seconds, with Lightfoot in third, over a minute back.
The event attracted a huge field of almost 900 starters, in this form of racing that is now gaining high popularity amongst running thrill seekers.
In the women’s event Cumbrian Natalie White made the long journey south to win by an equally slender 13 seconds from Sarah Rollins. Rollins had led for much of the event, with White moving ahead in the tricky Turbo Zone. “That was well good”, said a very happy White after the event, “We had a really good battle out there, and I only managed to move ahead in the last couple of miles.”
Natalie White
The Bordon event wraps up the 2009 SS Turbo X series, after also visiting Surrey Hills, Mugdock and Wharncliffe in Sheffield across the four events. The corresponding fixtures are set for 2010, and entries are now being taken for the first Bracknell event in March.
Full results are now online at racetimingsystems.com
Head on over to the Salomon Trails website for more info, results, photos and video from the whole series…
