The heavens opened as the youngest age groups prepared for the start line at the first Sussex Cross Country League fixture of the season.
It was the Under 11 girls up first and it proved to be a very close race with Brighton & Hove’s Ada Greenaway being overtaken as they approached the line by winner Emmy Pemberton (Chichester).
Not so close was the Under 11 boys where Lewes’ Rex Hastings, brother of county javelin thrower Barney, won in a time of 7.25 – 19 seconds ahead of second place Jesse Skinner (Brighton & Hove).
By the Under 13 races, the weather conditions at Goodwood had improved (other than a blustery wind), for the 51 girls and 60 boys who completed the course.
Katherine Haslip (Brighton & Hove) controlled the girls’ race from the start winning in 11.17. HY’s Isabella Buchanan also had a brilliant run finishing second in 11.29.
With athletes placing 1st, 8th (Juliana Christopherson) and 9th (Seren Rowe), the Brighton & Hove team took top spot on the day with 18 points. Close behind though was Crawley with 20 points led by Bibi Webb who was 3rd overall.
Off the back of a strong summer season, Fin Lumber Fry started the winter in a similar fashion. The Eastbourne youngster clocked 11.01 leading his team to first – with Ben Wright in 4th place and Jonah Messer 5th and a total of 10 team points.
Individually Matthew Mainwaring (Chichester) was 2nd and George Gilbert (Brighton & Hove AC) 3rd.
Next up were the Under 15 girls which was won by a home club athlete, Molly Smithers (15.26).
The Crawley AC team were the winners in this age category with Rihanon Daniels and Alice Cox 2nd and 3rd overall and Niamh Lesova 12th (a total of 17 points).
In the boys’ race Brighton & Hove’s Finlay Goodman looked out of this world clocking 13.40 – 33 seconds faster than the winner last year. Team mate Thomas Matthews also broke the 14 second mark crossing the line in second in 13.57. Together with Saul Bennett, who was 4th, the Brighton & Hove team’s total points on the day was a very low 7. Team Bodyworks Lucas Gorrill (14.03) was 3rd overall.
Heartening to see were the numbers competing in what can usually be a dwindling age group – the under 17s.
Finley Jones (Brighton Phoenix) was victorious in the men’s race in 16.05 ahead of Chichester’s Harvey McGuiness. Top team on the day was Crawley AC (22 points) led by 3rd place Luke Newton.
The Under 17 women run with the senior and vet women. As a result, they are able to score as under 17s as well as senior women.
Crossing the line in an impressive 2nd place overall meant Stephanie Shaw was the 1st Under 17 woman. Along with team-mates Lauren (4th U17) and Charlotte (9th) Wormley, she led the Crawley team to 1st on the day.
Rae Le Fay (Hastings) was 2nd Under 17 and Dulcie Yelling (Brighton & Hove) 3rd.
The senior race was won by an incredible run by Under 20 Amelia Cox in 18.24. In fact, all top 3 places were taken by up and coming Crawley athletes with Shaw 2nd and Under 20 Francesca Clayton 3rd (18.48). Not surprising that Crawley topped Division 1 by the end with 18 points.
Darja Knotkova Hanley (Lewes AC) was the 1st senior woman to cross the line in 5th place with V45 Julie Briggs (Arena 80) 1st vet in 6th.
Crawley’s B team collected 92 points to finish Division 2 on top whilst Eastbourne’s impressive trio of Sue Fry, Liz Lumber and Jenny Brown collectively scored 22 points in the vet category to win this division on the day.
The biggest win of the day came in the senior men’s contest where Ross Skelton (Hy Runners) clocked 25.03 for 1st – 55 seconds ahead of Kieran Barnes (Crawley AC).
Top senior men’s team was Brighton & Hove AC led by Under 20 Henry Yelling in 3rd in 26.17 and Craig Halsey (26.20) in 4th. Craig (V40) was also the 1st vet to cross the line helping the Brighton vets’ team score 10 points and finish the day on top.
Worthing District Harriers will go into the next fixture top of Division 2 with 147 points.
Thanks to all the hard work of Phil Baker and his Chichester volunteers, Goodwood is always a great way to kick off the league. The next fixture will be at Ardingly on Saturday, November 12th. Save the date. Entries open very soon.