While Storm Darragh did its best to curtail any possibility of racing at the weekend there were still some prepared to pull on the vest to compete, and one of our athletes was pulling on another vest overseas.
Pride of place this week goes to Isobelle Jones who pulled on a Great Britain vest in the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Turkey. Competing in the U20 race over a distance of 4812 metres, Isobelle finished in a superb 36th position in a field of 92 in 17.17. Isobelle was part of a superb team, with Innes Fitzgerald claiming victory, Jess Bailey chasing her home as runner up, and Eleanor Strevens placing 6th, with 3 to count the GB & NI team claimed gold.
There was a third fixture of the season for the younger brigade on Sunday as the club competed in the West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League at Nuneaton. Megan White was 7th in 15.30, Scarlett Willoughby 24th in 17.18, Ronni Read 27th in 17.28, Zena Asbury 33rd in 18.29 in the U17 womens race, with the club placing 4th in the age group. In the U11 boys there was a 2nd place for George Nicholls in 6.25, Edison Bowden was 26th in 7.01, Cameron Guest 29th in 7.07, Isaac Heinke 55th in 7.36, George Shaw 64th in 7.49, Samuel Worrall 73rd in 7.57, Joseph Blunt 74th in 7.59, Joshua Hayes 91st in 8.35, with the club placing 3rd.
In the U17 mens race there was a 9th place finish in 17.02 for Jack Stockton, Samuel Southall was 49th in 19.19 and Kane Carrington placed 54th in 20.37. The club placing 11th in the age group. Alba Jones took the win in the U11 girls race crossing the line in 6.34, Abigail Evans was 8thin 7.20, Holly Doody placed 27th in 7.52 and Sophie Pilsbury was 75th in 9.31, placing 7th in the age group. There was another win for the family with Fred Jones coming 1st in the U15 boys division in 11.14, Will Hughes was 12th in 12.14, Lucas Fullwood 31st in 13.24, Aaron Guest 46th in 14.33, the club coming 6th.
Lila Pearce led the field home in 1st place in the U13 girls race, crossing the line in 9.16, Heidi Hayes was 16th in 10.18, Phoebe Bridgen placed 23rd in 10.35, Biba Guest 28th in 10.40, Evelyn Haines 30th in 10.42, Amiyah Pal 80th in 13.00 and Charlotte Rogers was 81st in 13.31. The club placed 3rd in the age group. In the U13 boys race there was a 2nd place finish for Rocco Hawley in 8.14, Seb Palmer was 4th in 8.46, Theo Ulfig 5th in 8.47, Jonathan Yang 7th in 8.56, Harry Monkton 15th in 9.07, Nahum Worrall 24th in 9.40, placing the club in 1st. Grace Hendy brought the club home in 4th place in the U15 girls race in 13.16, Kiki Guest crossed the line in 21st place in 14.36, Maya Rosa Jelic Ramesh was 28th in 15.19, Erin Mia Nash 32nd in 15.28, Alice Cattell 42nd in 16.06, Kaleah Moulder 56th in 17.23, Clara Butler-Montero 57th in 17.27 and Amira Moulder 62nd in 17.41. The club finished 4th in the age group.
When the dust had settled the overall all age results on the day placed the club 2nd, around 450 behind Rugby & Northampton AC, with a lead on Birchfield Harriers who sit in 3rd place. And after three fixtures it’s a similar story with Rugby & Northampton on top of the pile on 19308 points with Wolverhampton & Bilston sitting in 2nd on 18505.
Also, on Sunday athletes took part in what could possibly be the very last Sneyd Christmas Pudding Run with Sneyd Striders having to relocate from the school that has been their base for many years. Over the one lap, 5 miles, distance there was a 3rd place finish for Alex Kelly in 29.18, Veronika Foster was 39th overall and 1st in her age group in 37.31 and Ruby Buggins placed 166th in 50.40, Over the double lap, 10 mile, distance there was a 5thplace finish for Ben Foster in 59.09, Steve Newman was 15th in 1.02.34, Vicki Mackay was 24th and 2nd lady in 1.05.18, Lorna Hulme took 26th place and 1st in her age group in 1.05.28, Carl James was 32nd in 1.07.08, Dave Joynson put the marathons to one side this week running 1.09.54 for 43rd and taking the 1st M60 prize, Jay Patel was 45th in 1.10.45, Mark Judge 53rd in 1.12.03, Rob Edwards was 78th in 1.17.10, Paul Clarke 85th in 1.17.44 and Gill “marathon” Mitchell was 247th in 1.54.54.
Dave Norman
