Traditionally the first Sussex Cross-country races of the New Year are the County championships and so it is again this year and hundreds of athletes will be converging on the Bexhill Down on Saturday to do battle for the ten titles that are at stake.
Although the day’s racing will start with the Under 13 Girls race at 11.30 it is the senior events, Men’s at 13.30 and Women’s at 14.15 that will command the most attention and this year, for the first time, they will both race over 10km.
Tom Evans from Lewes, the reigning men’s champion will be aiming to notch up his hat-trick of victories but he may come under considerable pressure from the in-form Crawley runner Paul Navesey who will be eager to become the first Crawley runner to win the title since Gavin Thompson in 2001.
Last year’s runner up Ross Skelton (Hastings) is not expected to run but bronze medallist Ben Savill (Lewes) will be eager to take advantage of any loss of form by his club mate.
Last year Brighton Phoenix won the closest ever team event with just ten points separating the first three teams, who were Lewes and Brighton & Hove. And it could be just as close again this year with maybe Lewes winning their first senior team title.
The Women’s race may not be quite as close as Nicole Taylor, from Crowborough, who runs for Tonbridge attempting to record her fourth successive crown.
Beth Kidger (Phoenix) is probably the most likely to dethrone her though last year’s silver medallist, Leah Harris (Worthing) and another former runner up Emma Dixon, now in the Bodyworks colours likely to challenge for a medal.
As in the men’s race the team race looks pretty open with Arena 80 eager to retain their title.
In the younger age groups Bethany Cook (Bodyworks) looks set to win her sixth title on the trot in the U17 Girls race while Nicholas Hollan-Ellidge (Crawley) and Ben Connolly (Phoenix) will do battle for the Boy’s U 15 title with Eastbourne’s Eleanor Strevens favourite for the Girls championships.
Tomer Tarragano (Brighton & Hove) is expected to take the U20 crown and it will be interesting to see how high he finishes in the field as this event will be held in conjunction with the senior men’s race.
In the Under 13 girls raced we could be in for a probable unrepeatable double. Brighton & Hove’s Dulcie Yelling is already the Sussex 13 javelin champion and is one of the favourites for the cross-country crown.
The current forecast is that it will be a little cooler but dry and bright on Saturday the wet autumn will certainly make the going under foot pretty heavy and muddy, which is not unusual for the Bexhill Down course.