While much of Britain snoozed away Boxing Day morning as part of their recovery from the festivities, 51 brave souls from Southend Athletic Club battled Arctic conditions.

They were taking part in the 48th annual Southend Pier handicap race where an icy wind coupled with freezing temperatures led to a chill factor of around minus six or seven centigrade for the young and young at heart who took part.

Apart from the half-century plus who competed in the main affair, there were 13 starters for the under-11s special race, which covered a course to the second shelter and back again on the longest pier in the world.

This saw Jonathan Sayer First boy home in six minutes dead, while Katie White took the girls' honours in 6m. 12s.

John Tyler, among those who first instituted this annual event back in the early 1950s, was on the Pier helping on Tuesday along with Mike Seaman, who has studiously worked out handicaps for the past 15 years.

Marion and Tony Bullock also carried out their usual task of making sure the Pier facilities were available to the runners and it was something of a red letter day for the fair sex when the first four athletes to compete the course were all females.

Leading the way was over-35 veteran Sally Schade in 18m. 49s with three under-15 girls filling the next spots. Sarah Jeffery had a time of 16.32 with Kristina Marshall on 15.46 and Nikita Aspinell a further second back. First male home was club treasurer Dave Lesley in 14. 57.

These, of course, were the positions on handicap, with Sally in particular showing an improvement of two minutes on her 1999 time.

More important, perhaps, were the positions on times on the day and winner here was outstanding under-15 boy Ashley Humphreys who, coming in ninth, had the fastest time of 12.33.

Fastest senior man was Chris Leeman, 11th, in 13.23, with Sarah Raven the speediest female of the day with the under-20 girl 13th in 15 minutes dead. Second quickest runner was over-50 veteran Peter Binns, who was 15th in a time of 13.17.

Ashley's speedy coverage of the near two-and-a-half mile course also naturally made him the top under-15 boy of the day with the similar girls' prize going to Kristina Marshall.

Fastest under-17 was Rhys Norton (19th) 14.59, while for the under-13s, Chris Lee (24th 14.50) and Nicole Kelly (31st 17.20) were speediest boy and girl respectively. Senior women's quickest run was from Georgina Bullock (49th 20.09).

Said Mike Seaman: "Conditions were very cold and far from easy, but we have had it worst in the past. On two occasions at least we've had to stage the event along Western Esplanade as gale force winds and, on another occasion, snow made it impossible to run on the Pier."

In such cold conditions there was no chance that the course record of 11.02 was going to be challenged.

(Right) We've won the cups - (left to right) Sarah Raven, Ashley Humphreys and Sally Schade with Katie White in the front.

(Left) Out in front - winner Ashley Humphreys.

Pictures: LUAN MARSHALL

By Dick Marshall

Reporter's e-mail: dick.marshall@notes.newsquest.co.uk

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.