The Sussex Cross Country League kicked off in a style at the weekend with over 500 runners taking to the beautiful grounds of Goodwood.
Skye Widdows (Brighton & Hove) was the first winner in the Under 11 girls starting the day in style clocking a time 33 seconds in front of the runner in second.
In the boys’ race Crawley’s Xander Wagjiani led the pack of 41.
Next up were the Under 13 girls where Isabella Buchanan started the season as she had finished the last one – winning. With a total of 10 points, she led the HY Runners team to the top of the league.
It was a bit closer for team 2nd and 3rd positions with Crawley scoring 21 (led home by Amelie Whitehouse’s individual 2nd position) and Brighton & Hove 22 (led home by Gracie Fox in 3rd).
Taylor Thom Watts (Brighton & Hove) controlled the Under 13 boys race from start to finish. There was a battle for 2nd and 3rd though with Eastbourne’s Joshua Webster nipping Luca Di Giovanni (City of Portsmouth) at the finish.
Eastbourne collectively scored 11 for the team win. They Continued to dominate in both the Under 15 Girls and boys team contests.
The girls scored 14 points with Daisy Connor 1st and Freda Pearce 2nd (Chichester’s Molly Smithers placed 3rd) and the boys’ 19 points. Lewes AC are hot on the team spot in the boys just 1 point behind on 20. Individually Jacob Trotman (Lewes) was 1st, Ben Stewart (Chichester) 2nd and Fin Lumber Fry (Eastbourne) 3rd.
Next up were the Under 17 men which for the first time in the league’s history saw the biggest field in the youth age groups with 48 finishers.
Brighton & Hove athletes made up for an astounding amount of these (13 runners) and were rewarded with team 1st (8 points) and 2nd (36 points) with Crawley and Eastbourne both on 37 for 3rd.
Team mates Finlay Goodman and Thomas Matthews (Brighton & Hove) took individual 1st and 2nd respectively and Eastbourne’s Fintan Pearce was 3rd.
The 2 top places in the senior women’s race went to two Lewes Under 17s (who have only just moved up into this age group) – Ava James and Esme Stephenson. Under 20 Eleanor Strevens (Eastbourne) was 3rd, with Darja Knotkova (Lewes) the first senior athlete to cross the line.
In the women’s race Under 17s can score as seniors as well as in their own age group, so it was no shock that Lewes topped the league after day 1 in this age group (14 points). The Chichester A team collectively scored 55 points to top Division 2 and 34 to also top the Vets League. Sharon Gordon (Crawley) was the first veteran to cross the line in 15th overall.
Ross Skelton (HY Runners) looked in fine form winning the senior men’s race with Under 20 Alexander Riley (Brighton & Hove) second and
Brighton Phoenix’ Robbie Fitzgibbon 3rd.
Brighton & Hove were Division 1 winners (44 points) on the day and Eastbourne Division 2 (126).
Vet athlete, James Baker (Chichester), was 12th overall and 1st in his age category whilst Brighton & Hove also took top spot in this league (11 points).
Although slightly chilly, weather conditions throughout the day were mostly kind (other than the power shower that was turned on during the Under 17 men’s race).
The next fixture will be at Ardingly on Saturday, November 11th. Entries will open next week.
Click Here for full results from Saturday .