Steyning proud to walk this day

In April 1951 a group of Steyning-based walkers broke away from the Sussex Walking and Athletic Club who were discussing a merger with the Brighton and County Harriers the following Autumn.

Johnny Henderson, one of the country's leading long distance walkers, undertook the launching of a club at what had been the hub of race walking in the county since the early part of the century.

Henderson was still a feared walker. He had been short listed for the Wembley Olympics of 1948 and was still a frequent medal winner in the Hastings and London to Brighton walks as well as many of the long distance races held throughout the country.

Henderson did much of his training by walking from his home in Steyning to his work at Christ's Hospital, Horsham, and then walking home again in the evening.

He is one of the few athletes in the country who have had a street named after him. A modern development on the outskirts of Steyning has a road named Henderson Walk as a tribute for his inspiration and hard work in getting the club off the ground.

The Easter Monday walks, that had been part of the life of the market town almost since the early 1900s produced a seemingly never-ending supply of young talent but it was still several years before the Steyning Club were to emerge as the top walking team in Sussex and one of the best in the South of England.

After a decade the club's name was changed to Steyning Athletic Club although race walking was still the main reason for its existence.

Their first national champion was Norman Read, who had won his first title as a member of the Sussex Walking Club but continued to collect further titles in the new Steyning colours.

Of the many top names that have come out of the Steyning club, Henderson and Read are the two giants.

Just two clubs in Sussex can boast an Olympic gold medal winner. Brighton and Hove had George Larner, who won two golds in the walks in 1908, and Steve Ovett, who took the 800 metres title in 1980. Steyning's Norman Read won the 50km road walking title at Melbourne in 1956.

Ironically Norman had emigrated to Australia and then to New Zealand a couple of years earlier and it was in the All Black strip and not the British strip that he wore when winning his title.

Read also raced in the walks in Rome in 1960, when he finished fifth in the 20km event. He was later to return to England and he quickly slipped into his Steyning-Sussex skin, winning the national 20-mile walking title, his first national senior title, and representing Sussex in the Inter-counties championships.

In 1966 Read achieved his best result in the London to Brighton walk when he finished second but he was never able to emulate his younger brother Dennis's victory in 1963.

Dennis, also a national junior champion, won the Brighton event at his first attempt.

He was the first Sussex walker to win this title and at 22-years-old he was also the youngest ever winner, a record he held until the walk was discontinued as unsafe in 1984.

Norman was to take up the triathlon when he returned to New Zealand but unfortunately he was to suffer a heart attack when racing in a 50km cycle race in 1994 and did not recover.

All the Steyning glory is not in the past, however, as they currently boast many champions through the age groups including seniors Niobe Menendaz, who won two national titles this year, and Matthew Hales the British 20km title holder. Hales' sister Sophie won both national and All England Schools titles.

Peter Warren won the All England Schools Under-15 crown and Derry Brown took the National Under-13 title. Hales, Menendaz, Darrel Stone and Donald Bearman were all included in Great Britain or England international teams this year.

Steyning has never been a club for only top class walkers and it has survived to its half century through the dedication of many walkers who have stayed with the sport long after their prime. Ron Penfold, for instance, has raced with the club and helped with administration for more than 40 years.

A Sussex ten-mile road walking champion back in the late Fifties, Penfold is still one of the club's stalwarts and he has been the county race walking secretary for the past decade as well as continuing to organise and race in most of the country's race walking championships.

Dave Stevens who moved to Sussex 30 years ago and took up race walking is still competing regularly and spent 15 years as club secretary.

Another who has been a part of the Steyning scene for 40 years is Tom Tidey and although he no longer races, except as part of a relay team at the Easter Monday races, he has continued his connection as a coach.

There is now a strong running and triathlon section within the club but Saturday's race is really to celebrate 50 years as one of the top walking clubs in the country.

The races that start and finish in the High Street start at 1.30pm with a race for young athletes while the seniors will do battle over five miles from 2.00pm.

TOMORROW the Sussex Half-Marathon championships return to the Barns Green event after three years being held in conjunction with the Hastings Half-Marathon.

The course could hardly be more different as the Barns Green race is gently undulating while the Hastings event is probably the toughest half-marathon in the country involving a climb from the start up to the back of the town only to be followed by a descent back to the coast road and a flat fast finish along the promenade.

Nearly 1,000 runners are expected at 11.00am but neither Tom Grady (Phoenix) nor Sam Baines (Hailsham), who won last year's events, are likely to be in the line up. Grady will be in Cyprus while Baines is unlikely to be fit.

Last year's runner-up in the men's race, Paul Froud (Brighton & Hove) is among the entries but is not currently showing his best form, while the leading entry in the women's event is former county half-marathon champion Julie Briggs.