Success at Race 3 of the Essex League

Well - with, what must be considered the best six athletes at under 13 age level competing in the National championships, how extraordinary that we again put four in the top six in the third fixture of the Essex cross country league staged at the Writtle College campus. Havering`s Summer Smith was again to the fore but then the gold and green came through with Francesca Phillips 2nd, Izzy Eida 3rd, Lily Sanford 4th and Emma Pickering completing the scoring with just 15 points ahead of Brentwood Beagles 55 and Havering on 61.

There was another victory from the under 15 boys following the success at One Tree Hill and Basildon courses. Here Jacob Parrott placed 4th with Josh Eida 7th, Ben Smith 11th and Thomas Carter 14th. With 36 points this showed us ahead of Havering on 44. In addition Austin Kelly was 16th, Luke Webb 30th and Ewan Pearce 46th. Two third team places came our way. The first from the under 13 boys with Fred Ferman 14th, Khaya Fakazi 18th, Sebastian Cook 26th and Thomas Burgoyne 31st. Our senior women having placed a first and second in the previous meets, were led by Rebecca Luxton in third place was followed by Megan Williams 12th, Wendy King, the leading competitor in the over 50 age group, 25th and Rachel Broome 33rd. It was an improved turnout for the senior men and their eighth place moved them off the bottom of the league table. All be it that the team in fact included only one from the senior age group. Under 20 year Finn Rattray led them home in eighth place from the 296 finishers with Sebastian Cirillo 51st. Now the vets. followed in with Nick Hunter 68th, Peter Waite 73rd, Will Parrott 76th and Adam Colgrave 116th completing the scorers. Other members David Tullett 118th, Sam Robinson 151st, Peter Tullett 200th, Mick Bridgeland 239th and Gerry Daniels 286th. Having won the two fixtures the under 17 men missed out on those picking up the gold medals at Mansfield. William Sweeney was close to the front being fourth whilst Benjamin Watley 30th and Fraser Hughes 43rd gave the team eighth place this time round. At under 15 girls level we had nobody to replace the two teams at the National relays whilst only Emma Cox represented us in the under 17 women's race.

Report written by Roy Meadowcroft

Historic Medal Haul at the National XC Relay Champs

Well what a start to the winter season with the relays bringing titles from Essex championships, South of England and National, twice, in events over both road and cross country.

The latest saw our under 17 men complete what in tennis terms achieve the `grand slam` when at Mansfield in the National cross country relays they came home with an advantage over Norwich of 26 seconds. This time round the team comprised Jacob Hurrell with a time of 9m 18s, Joseph Grange 9m 22s and Sam Plummer 9m 21s. Our `B`team who have all been members of winning teams in the other four races of the campaign placed 21st here from the 88 competitors facing the starter - Gregory Martin 9m 43s, Harry Wright 10m 10s and Archie Durham 9m 55s.

Our under 13 girls who have fielded the same team throughout the five races came oh so close to also achieving the grand slam. Heidi Woodley 7m 48s had brought the through fourth on the opening lap before Ava King with 7m 46s took the lead. Aldershot`s Poppy Guest now came up the fastest lap of the race and despite a determined effort Erin Kelly could not match this and second place was taken - just six seconds adrift. Our `B` team of Beatrix Cooke 8m 19s, Isla Kehoe 8m 47s and Orla Martin 8m 32s placed 22nd in such a class field. Success also came from the under 15 year girls for taking any kind of medal in a National event must come under that category. In a close affair Aldershot came out winners in 22m 50s with Rotherham`s 23m 00s edging us by a mere two seconds. Ezra Harrold running the first stage set the scene with 7m 39s in fifth place, Lottie Wilkin on 2nd leg with 7m 49s then moved us in to third place. Daisy Stollery, being brought into the team after fine performances in Essex League races, proved right for with 7m 34s -fourth best of the two hundred competitors - maintained the third spot. The `B`team were to place 23rd with Hetty Harrison 8m 07s, Amelia Shipton 7m 42s and Niamh Roberts 9m 14s. Amelia having been in the`A`team previously showed how difficult it can be for team managers, but solace can be taken that forthcoming championships have four scorers. It was to be sixth place for our under 20 year women with Megan Harris 8m 49s, Ruby Vinton 9m 19s and Kiera Atkinson 8m 52s - yes 6th but the only real club ahead were Cambridge & Coleridge for it was Birmingham and Loughborough taking places 1 to 4 and they of course include runners from other clubs. At under 17 level Sienna Shipton 9m 47s, Lucy Nuttall 10m 08s, and Kayleigh Atkinson 9m 20s gave us 14th place whilst the under 20 men with Will Steadman 9m 23s, William Nuttall 9m 14s, and Joseph Perry 9m 03s came through in 9th place.

It was unfortunate that the senior team could only muster two members via Hannah Bolton and Martha Smith.

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Report written and compiled by Roy Meadowcroft

Essex League Round 2 Success for CAC

The second fixture of the series brought a mixed fortune for Chelmsford with three team wins but against this is offset with failure to turnout full scoring teams in three events.

Again our under 13 year girls have to be the stars of the day as they packed five in the top seven home, Havering`s Summer Smith won as at One Tree Hill in the first meeting but then followed Izzy Eida ,Francesca Phillips ,Beatrix Cooke ,Emma Pickering and Lily Sanford whilst Isla Kehoe was not far behind in 11th place. Such packing brought a most convincing win. Win number two came from the under 15 boys with Jacob Parrott 6th, Josh Reynolds 7th, Ben Smith 8th and Thomas Carter 12th ensuring they again topped Havering for the leading team.

As in fixture one the under 17 men proved to have the best trio out although this time it was a completely different squad with Archie Durham 3rd, William Sweeny 4th and Harry Wright 11th.

Although bettered by Colchester Harriers it was a good performance by our senior women to take second team placing with Rebecca Luxton 6th, Megan Williams 8th, Hanna Bolton 12th, Molly Drane 23rd and Rachel Broome 32nd in the field of 158 finishers.

The senior men had a full compliment of scorers - but comprised of veterans - and placing 12th in division one will be in danger of relegation unless they turn it round. Here Will Parrott placed 65th, Peter Waite 66th, Nick Hunter 73rd, Sam Robinson 170th, Mick Bridgeland 204th and Peter Tullett 225th in what may be a record of 282 finishers. Of the incomplete teams the under 13 boys missing just one lad had Khaya Fakazi 15th, Charles Jackson 22nd and Thomas Burgoyne 24th and they had to be content with sixth team placing.

There was another fine run by Daisy Stollery to finish third in the under 15 girls repeating her placing at One Tree Hill and must be challenging for a place in the relay team who missed this one as they prepare for another major relay event.

At under 17 level Emma Cox our only contestant placed a good 8th position.

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Report written by Roy Meadowcroft