The team results at Saturday’s County championships produced some tight battles; two were decided of the placing of the fourth scoring runner, and two major surprises.
There were surprise victories for Brighton & Hove in both senior team events.
Both Brighton Phoenix, who were strong favourites, and Brighton & Hove were well below full strength but better packing by the Brighton & Hove club saw them total 92 points to the title holders 94 points with Lewes taking third team spot with 115 points.
This is certainly the highest points score for a winning team in these championships for many years and probably ever.
The senior women’s race completed the afternoon’s racing and again it was the Brighton & Hove team, who have not been that sparkling in the League events this season, who snatched the team title in an even closer results as both Brighton & Hove and Hailsham scored 70 points but the Brighton team won as their fourth scoring running finished 26th against 29th for Hailsham with Lewes again third in 78 points. Under 20s and seniors combine for the team event.
Certainly these were the highest points scores by a winning team ever
Fittingly the Hastings club who did so well in putting on excellent championships won the most team titles scooping up the Girls U17, U15 and U13 titles.
Just two teams closed in the U17 with Hastings scoring 17 to Horsham’s 26 points.
In the U15s they scored 22 to Horsham’s 24 and Brighton & Hove’s 32 while in the U13 they totalled 20 to Brighton Phoenix’s 22 and Brighton & Hove’s 32.
Hastings very nearly took a fourth title when they scored 31 points in the U13 boy’s event.
This total was matched by Lewes who also scored 31 and it was they who took the title after three thirds and a second team place as their fourth runner finished 15th to the Hastings’ fourth runner’s 21st place.
Chichester did the double winning the boys U15s with 14 points to Lewes’s 24 and Brighton & Hove’s 31 and then the U17 boys with 30 points to Horsham’s 49.
Worthing struck team gold in the U20 boys team event scoring 23 points to Chichester’s 26 and Lewes’s 27.