FATHER and son duo Tim and Fin Hutchinson were part of the Stratford Athletic Club trio who competed in the Dartmouth Regatta Road Race.
The event is in its 173rd year and, as well as boat racing, there are air displays, fireworks and sporting events, one of which is Dartmouth Regatta Road Race held under UK athletic club rules.
It is a testing 5.1-mile undulating course, which takes runners along South Embankment and Weeke Hill before levelling out through Stoke Fleming and turning back towards Little Dartmouth, for the long run back to the finish, via the South Embankment on top of Boatfloat bridge.
Lasse Virén used to be known as the Flying Finn but SAC have their very own Flying Fin in the shape of ever-improving junior endurance athlete Fin Hutchinson.
Fin was competing in his last year of the youth race, which is a 1.6-mile out and back road race for 11 to 14-year-olds.
It starts on the banks of the River Dart, then turns uphill for half a mile, followed by a short downhill section before the turn around point at Warfleet, returning by the same route in reverse, with the finish on the crowd packed embankment.
Fin was pleased with his race, particularly as the conditions were very warm and the start very quick. This settled down on the uphill outward leg.
He worked well but found himself somewhat in no-man’s land, with no close competitors. Despite this he still had enough energy at the end for his trademark sprint finish, finishing in 12th place with a time of 11mins, 11secs.
Fin is now looking forward to next year, when he will be old enough to compete in the 5.1-mile senior race.
Tim was racing in this event for the fifth time and it has become one of his benchmark races. He started well, keeping up with the lead pack but by halfway up Weeke Hill found himself isolated and, like Fin, somewhat in no-man’s land, ending up running the majority of the race by himself.
He was hoping for a repeat of two years ago with a category win but had to settle for second place in his age category, finishing in sixth place overall in 32.11.
He commented that it was a good start to his training for the Snowndonia Marathon at the end of October.
The third SAC member competing was Mark Loosmore, who finished in 48th place in 41.11.
The youth race was won in a time of 9.48 and the seniors in 29.36 by Luke Murray of Clevedon Harriers.
