Round Two - Two In Two
Peter Smyth won another Random 15 Championship round as he marches towards the title. With his adversary Andi James absent, Smyth is running away with this year's championship. The turnout was exceedingly high, with two débutants and nine teams, six of which finished under three hours.
They started at Stockwell at 12:31, and Rhys Benjamin was the first one to provide the entertainment, as although trying to avoid falling over on the very slippery surface (and reduced his speed as a result), he still slipped when turning left onto the escalator. Most people left the Victoria line at Vauxhall, although some challengers stayed on the Victoria line. Nearly all of them reconvened at Stamford Brook.
Hugo Marrow, making his Random 15 Championship début, came ninth, nearly two hours behind winner Smyth. The début is something he should be able to build on.
Martin Hazel has an awful round, with two eight minute waits and coming home eighth, although he was more than 30 minutes ahead of Marrow. The result all but eliminates Hazel's championship hopes, as Smyth continues to walk away with it.
Seventh place saw another débutant, albeit in partnership with Andrew Baker (who came out of retirement last season), Ashley Moore, finish seventh on her début, one of the only female challengers ever to participate in the Random 15 Championship.
Sixth place went to Team Rhys - Rhys Benjamin and Rhys Jackson - after a mediocre day, as they made several gambles, one of which resulted in them reconnecting with almost every other challenger at Stamford Brook. Although followed by Nick Gardener for a while, they were astonished to find themselves only sixth, thinking, somewhat naively, that they should have done better.
With a very similar route to Team Rhys, Nick Gardener finished fifth. The only difference was that he did Whitechapel via West Ham whereas Team Rhys did it via the London Overground (then left on the District line to make it count).
Glen Bryant was the only challenger to finish at North Greenwich and was awarded seven points for his efforts.
Scurmpy Pie and Pasty Power - Kevin Brown and Damian Cook - finished joint second with Andrew Chilcraft, leaving Peter Smyth to wrap up a second win and four points clear at the top of the table.
They started at Stockwell at 12:31, and Rhys Benjamin was the first one to provide the entertainment, as although trying to avoid falling over on the very slippery surface (and reduced his speed as a result), he still slipped when turning left onto the escalator. Most people left the Victoria line at Vauxhall, although some challengers stayed on the Victoria line. Nearly all of them reconvened at Stamford Brook.
Hugo Marrow, making his Random 15 Championship début, came ninth, nearly two hours behind winner Smyth. The début is something he should be able to build on.
Martin Hazel has an awful round, with two eight minute waits and coming home eighth, although he was more than 30 minutes ahead of Marrow. The result all but eliminates Hazel's championship hopes, as Smyth continues to walk away with it.
Seventh place saw another débutant, albeit in partnership with Andrew Baker (who came out of retirement last season), Ashley Moore, finish seventh on her début, one of the only female challengers ever to participate in the Random 15 Championship.
Sixth place went to Team Rhys - Rhys Benjamin and Rhys Jackson - after a mediocre day, as they made several gambles, one of which resulted in them reconnecting with almost every other challenger at Stamford Brook. Although followed by Nick Gardener for a while, they were astonished to find themselves only sixth, thinking, somewhat naively, that they should have done better.
With a very similar route to Team Rhys, Nick Gardener finished fifth. The only difference was that he did Whitechapel via West Ham whereas Team Rhys did it via the London Overground (then left on the District line to make it count).
Glen Bryant was the only challenger to finish at North Greenwich and was awarded seven points for his efforts.
Scurmpy Pie and Pasty Power - Kevin Brown and Damian Cook - finished joint second with Andrew Chilcraft, leaving Peter Smyth to wrap up a second win and four points clear at the top of the table.