Glorious sunshine and beautiful countryside marked the end of the Sussex Cross Country League season at the weekend.
Glyndebourne played hosted to the races and proved to be a beautiful setting for the 440 finishers.
Kicking off with the under 11 girls which was comfortably won by Brighton & Hove’s Eleanor Poate (10.07), who has looked stronger in each race she has done.
Eleanor placed 2nd overall in the league itself scoring 5 points with the winner of the 1st three races, Victoria Ridley (Brighton & Hove) winning the title. HY’s Ivy Buchanan and Eastbourne’s Emily Petrova shared the bronze on 9 points.
In the boys’ race, in winning, Luke Overton (Brighton & Hove) managed to secure the points (4) to jointly share the league gold with HY’s Michael Mansell. Second on the day, Finlay Cammack (Chichester) placed 3rd overall.
Chichester’s Emmy Pemberton won the first two fixtures in the under 13 girls league but took break on the 3rd fixture at Ardingly. She was back in force on Saturday and again placed 1st meaning with 3 points she took the league gold.
Team mate Amelie Adams did not compete on Saturday but scoring 6 points already was enough for the silver league spot.
With joint 10 points, the league bronze went to Lana Povey (Team Bodyworks) and Elzie Ortiz (Brighton & Hove).
With four athletes (Emmy, Amelie along with Heather Hand and Poppy Alden) consistently placing in the top 10, it was no surprise that Chichester won the team title scoring 44 across the season.
Brighton & Hove were 2nd (70) and HY 3rd (160).
Isaac Bowley (Brighton Phoenix) took the terrain of puddles and hills in his stride in the under 13 boys’ race crossing the line in 12.38. He placed 2nd overall in the league with 8 points. This was jointly shared with Crawley’s Finley Nottage also on 8 points.
The winner was Brighton & Hove’s Barnaby Moyes with 6 points.
Brighton & Hove were also solid team winners on 76 (Barnaby, Benjamin Sorrel, Laurie Fox and Tom Surgeoner) followed by Worthing on 107 and Phoenix on 117.
Next up were the under 15 girls where prior to the gun going off Isabella Buchanan had already secured the league title winning the 1st three races. Isabella was resting on Saturday in the run up to big national races giving others an opportunity to capitalize.
That’s exactly what Ruby Armstrong (Brighton & Hove) did winning by 34 seconds, adding just 1 point to her best 3 – enough to take league silver on 6 points. Isabella Lendrum scored 7 for bronze.
Also winning the league from the first three fixtures (on 4 points) and not racing at Glyndebourne was under 15 boy Taylor Thom Watts (Brighton & Hove). Oliver Goodman (HY) won the race on the day followed by Brighton & Hove’s George Urben in 2nd and Samuel Gill 3rd.
George scored 7 across the season for silver and Chichester’s Max Gayle 11 for bronze.
Brighton & Hove easily won the team title with a phenomenally low 39 points (Taylor, George, Samuel and Joaquin Perez Rork).
On 136 Chichester were 2nd and Lewes 3rd on 148.
Places in the under 17 boys league were all up for grabs so it was all to run for. Unfortunately one of the main contenders, Finlay Lumber Fry, was missing due to a school trip, meaning his previous total of 8 points couldn’t be bettered and was the target for others to aim for.
Alex Roberts (Brighton & Hove) rose to the challenge wining, having the best race of his season and with just 1 point added to his total scored 6 for league gold.
Freddy Boniface’s 3rd on the day was enough to secure 7 points overall for silver meaning bronze for Finlay Lumber Fry.
Team gold went to Brighton & Hove on 83 followed by Crawley on 105 and Chichester on 154.
Milly Dickinson made the women’s 5K look like a breeze (23.14). The Brighton Phoenix senior has won all three of the league races she has competed in this season so easily took gold overall.
Freda Pearce was 2nd overall on Saturday and 1st under 17 woman placing her 2nd in the league. Gold had already been secured by Molly Smithers (Chichester) on just 3 points. Izzy Wheeler (Horsham) won league bronze.
The under 17 winning league team was Chichester on 95 followed by Crawley 130 and Eastbourne on 164.
Placing 5th at Glyndebourne and 1st vet woman was Kathleen Law (Brighton & Hove) whilst Brighton Phoenix’s Frida Rocha was 1st under 20 and 7th overall.
In the under 20 league category Esme Stephenson (Brighton & Hove) won gold on 4 points with Ela Pemberton (Chichester) 2nd and Ava Madsen (Crawley) 3rd.
Brighton Phoenix won the senior women Division 1 league on 197 points whilst Horsham Blue Stars won Division 2.
In the vet age categories golds went to Kathleen Law (V35) on 4 points, Rachel Hillman (V40 Lewes) on 3 points, Amy Dixon (V45 HY) on 3 points, Suzy Rushforth (V50 Phoenix) 3 points, Jennifer Brown (V55 Eastbourne) 3 points, Nadia Anderson (V60 Chichester) 4 points, Joan Lennon (V65 Steyning) 3 points and Susan Baker (V70 Chichester) 3 points.
Lewes were V35-50 league winners whilst Burgess Hill Runners scooped V50 + gold.
Under 20 HY runner, Finlay Goodman, easily won the senior men’s race followed by senior Joshua Burgess (Lewes) and V35 Simon Heath (Phoenix) 3rd.
Overall the under 20 league was won with 5 points by Brighton & Hove’s Freddie Matthews, who was resting Saturday. Team mate Thomas Barnett scored 10 for silver and Lewes’ Isaac Tarafder bronze on 19.
Joshua Burgess won the senior men’s contest on 3 points whilst Brighton & Hove scored 367 to scoop the Division 1 title. Chichester were Division 2 winners on 525.
In the vet age categories golds went to Simon Heath (V35) on 4 points, Neil Hutchison (V40 Worthing) on 6 points, Toby Meanwell (V45 Lewes) on 5 points, Howard Bristow (V50 Brighton & Hove) 3 points, Garry Saunders (V55 Steyning) 9 points, Dean Angell (V60 Horsham Joggers) 8 points and Tim Hicks (V65 Haywards Heath) 3 points.
Phoenix were V35-50 league winners on 124 and Brighton & Hove V50+ winners on 93.