Championship Cross Country continued with The Masters at Coombe Farm on Saturday.
Around 200 athletes, from eight age groups, took part in the five mile races at Lancing.
The day began with the combined M50, M60 and M70s, where the overall winner, and M50 Gold medallist was Brighton Tri Club’s Morris Tarragano. Two fellow M50 competitors followed with Stewart Gregory (Portslade Hedgehoppers) in Silver and Paul Wishart gaining individual Bronze and leading the Brighton Phoenix team to Team Gold.
Dave Dunstall (Seaford Striders) was 1st M60 across the line with Pete O’Connell (Horsham Joggers) 2nd and team-mate Stephen Wigmore 3rd. Horsham Joggers took the team title.
For the first time, an individual M70 age category was introduced. Winning this was Horsham Jogger Cliff Comber, Andrew Haig (Brighton Phoenix) 2nd and John Miles (Chichester) 3rd. There was no team medal up for grabs in this age category, instead the M70s were able to score in the M60 teams.
Next up was the women’s race, again a combination of age categories. Emma Footman (Worthing) carried on with her success from 2 years ago, when these Champs were last held, taking the W35 Gold and being the first athlete across the line. Emma Singer (Haywards Heath Harriers) was 2nd, Jenna French (HY) 3rd, and Lewes AC were the winning team.
Dani Tarleton bettered her 2020 silver performance to take W45 Gold, leading a string of Arena 80 athletes, who took team Gold and Silver on the day. Individual Silver was won by Eastbourne’s Sue Fry and Brighton & Hove AC’s Paula Blackledge Bronze.
The only female Portslade Hedgehopper athlete on the day was Geraldine Moffat, who made her mark winning the W55 contest. Arena 80’s Caroline Wood took Silver and Nadia Anderson (Chichester) Bronze. Arena 80 were team winners.
In the W65s, again another new individual age group in 2022, Helen Dean (Chichester) was 1st, Marion Hemsworth (Haywards Heath Harriers) 2nd and Sue Baker (Chichester). Like the M70s, there was no team medal but the W65s scored in the W55 teams.
The third and final race of the day was the M40s where seasoned runner, James Baker (Chichester) was victorious. Team-mate Mike Houston was 2nd and Lewes AC’s Toby Meanwell 3rd. Team Gold went to Brighton Phoenix.
Coombe Farm provides a brilliant back drop for cross country and with weather conditions pleasant, the day was a great success.
A big thank you to Peter Wirtzfeld and his team for organising the event, along with all the Sussex AA officials who gave their time to make it possible.