MERITORIOUS SERVICE ACKNOWLEDGED

Dave Ainsworth has forwarded this latest news about our dear friend and life member. Ron Wallwork. It is addressed to the readers of the ‘Essex Walker’

After February’s Enfield League race at Donkey Lane, Enfield & Harringey AC Chairperson Emily McMahon presented long serving Ron Wallwork MBE with a watch and a bouquet for his wife Joan. This recognised Ron’s sterling efforts as the League’s Organiser from 2007-to-2024.

Martin Oliver founded the League in 1998, and on stepping down in 2007, Ron took over. Ron’s now passed the baton on to Tracey Wilkinson. It’s vital Enfield League support continues – as North of the Thames – its the best supported series of race walks on your fixture cards.

Incorporated in the Enfield League is an annual Moulton Open 5 Miles, in delightful Suffolk countryside at a village north east of Newmarket and the annual Enfield Open 7 miles – which this year will see it staged for a 98th time as the only traditional Open 7 still going. Our more established readers will recall “Open 7’s” once being the backbone of British winter race walking.

Also in the League Programme was a 2012 “Olympic Friendship Walk” at Donkey Lane and the adjacent King George V Playing Fields. It was a first time in many years over 100 race walkers made a result sheet – let’s face it, who wasn’t there? Racing that day included supporters from Overseas countries “in town” for the London Olympics and also team support members of competing Countries.

As a race walker Ron’s been receiving awards since the 1950s. On behalf of all readers we add our congratulations to Ron and Joan on being award recipients on this latest occasion.

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Back in January I started to put together a post reflecting on the performances of club members in the Metropolitan Open 7 miles held in early January and perhaps the most prestigious of the winter series of London 7 mile events. My attempt fell by wayside but, prompted by Dave’s reference to the ‘Open 7s’ and Ron’s incredible history in our sport, you will find below results involving LWC athletes. It was quite a trek in those days. I went back in the archives to 1955 and, as you can see, I was looking too for Northern Area representatives.

1955 Albert Johnson, Sheffield UH 2nd in same time as winner George Meadows 55:07 – race only held on a show of hands, given the snow and ice

1956 Brian Hawkins 51:52 from George Coleman 52:14 with Albert down in 5th Other notables Eric Hall 4th George Chaplin 6th, Don Thompson 7th and a certain Stan Vickers 11th

1957 Stan Vickers in a record 51:32 but no Northern presence

1958 The beginning of the Vickers/Matthews era Stan 50:14 to Ken 50:36 – no Northern presence

1959 Ken Matthews 48:14 Stan Vickers 49:13 –  no Northern presence

1960 Stan Vickers deadheats with Eric Hall in 51:20 –  no Northern presence

1961 Ken Matthews 48:02 record from  Eric Hall 51:11 –  no Northern presence 21st Nihill 55:29

1962 Ken Matthews 49:51 from Arthur Thomson 52:17 –  no Northern presence

1963 Paul Nihill 52;08 from Vaughan Thomas 52:49 but Ron Wallwork bursts onto the scene 4th in 53:12 and the first Northerner since Johnson to feature at the front – arctic conditions.

1964  Ken Matthews 48:46 from Paul Nihill 50:16 with Ron 6th in 53:02. The AW report comments on teams from SUH and LWC

1965 John Paddick 51:20 from Maurice Fullager 53:04 with Guy Goodair 25th in 56:05

1966 Mal Tolley 50:34 from John Webb 52:05 –  no Northern presence

1967 Ron 51:13 from John Webb 51:40 Mike Hatton 21st 54:48 97th Graham Abley 60:07 Alan Day 129th 62:42 Alan Hudson 159th 65:32- LWC 12th team 257 started

1968 John Webb from John Kirk 50;47 to 51;06 Julian Hopkins 32nd 56:22 Steve Crow 49th 58:26 Chris Bolton 56th 58:48 Campbell McNinch 62nd 59:12 69th Mick Entwistle –  LWC 10th team

1969 Paul Nihill 50;46 from John Webb 51;16 Tony Taylor 11th 52:57 Julian Hopkins 42nd 56:12

1972 Ron Laird from Shaun Lightman 50:11 to 50;42 Tony Malone 22nd 54:42

1976 Brian Adams from Peter Marlow 49:49 to 50:50 Ron 23rd in 54:44 [West Suffolk]

1980 Mike Parker from George Nibre 48:42 to 48:45, Steve Uttley 27th 54:28 – now 11km

If I have the energy and discipline it would be interesting to look at our members’ participation and results in the Winter Open Sevens. Fingers crossed that the last surviving event, the Enfield race reaches its century.