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