Mud and puddles combined with beautiful sunshine marked the fourth and final cross-country league fixture at Bexhill on Saturday.
As usual numbers were lower than previous fixtures, but there were some great performances by the 411 athletes who turned out to compete.
The event kicked off with the Under 11 races where Julieana Walsh (Brighton and Hove AC) came in first in the girls’ race and Raphael Kelly (Brighton and Hove AC) in the boys.
Anna Fox (Crawley) had the best run of her season winning the Under 13 girls by a huge margin in 12.58. 
Eastbourne’s Isabelle Chappell (13.18) also enjoyed her finest race over the 2019/20 cross country fixtures storming in second whilst Rihanon Daniels (Crawley) was third in 13.27. Crawley AC took the top team spot in this age category on the day with an impressive 9 points to Brighton and Hove AC (27 points) in second and Lewes in third (29 points).
Hastings Runner, Finlay Goodman, followed on from his superb performance at the County Champs back in January, taking top spot in 11.58 in the Under 13 boys. 
For much of the race he was tracked by second on the day, Joshua Dunne (12.08), Chichester, but managed to pull clear towards the end. Arun Khursheed (Haywards Heath Harrier) was third in 12.21. Brighton and Hove and Haywards Heath were joint team winners on the day with 24 points.
In the Under 15 girls’ race, Eleanor Strevens’ cemented her dominance over this age group winning in 16.52. 
Amelia Cox (Crawley) was second in 17.48 and Isabel Guirdham (Uckfield) third in 18.11. Eastbourne and Bodyworks were clear team winners on the day with 14 to Crawley’s 23 and Brighton and Hove on 30.
This season’s top runners all turned out for the Under 15 boys’ race, but it was first year in the age category, Luke Newton, who rose to the challenge clocking 15.56. This was 3 seconds in front of his second place team-mate, Luc Best with Henry Yelling (Brighton and Hove) in third in 16.06. Crawley displayed their team domination in this age group scoring just 8 points to Lewes and Eastbourne, who both finished with 24.
Hastings’ athlete, Jonah Davies, 
won the Under 17 boys’ race in 18.44. Second was Atticus Mohapi Dobouny (Lewes) in 18.52 in front of Crawley’s Callum Stone in 18.57. Team winners in this category were Crawley (12 points) followed by Lewes (20) and Hastings (21).
Eighty-one athletes ran in the Under 17, Under 20 and Senior women’s 5k race. Beth Cook (Team Bodyworks) was the first U17 over the line and second overall in 20.12. She was beaten to number 1 spot by her senior woman team-mate, 
Emma Dixon (20.03). Third across the line, and second Under 17, was Harriet Bloor (Hailsham) in 21.03. Stacey Clusker had clocked 20.55 but is currently running unattached.
Olivia McDonald (Worthing) was the first Under 20, and 5th overall, in 21.43. The leading veteran woman was Amelia Brown (Crawley) in 22.27.
Brighton and Hove AC were division 1 winners on the day with Eastbourne and Bodyworks winning division 2. Brighton and Hove also led the veteran women’s category whilst Brighton Phoenix topped the Under 17 girls.
The senior men’s race, which incorporated the Under 20 and Veteran men’s races saw William Cork finish nearly a minute (28.38) ahead of fellow Brighton and Hove runner James Turner (29.24) in a field of 114. Calum Upton (Lewes) was third in 29.46. Team Synergy’s Toby Nisbet was the first Under 20 man in 30.13 while Matt Bradford came in first veteran in 30.40.
Brighton and Hove AC were division 1 and veteran men winners, Crawley division 2 and Worthing division 3.
As this was the final cross-country fixture for 2019/20, it was also the decider for the individual and team league positions. Some medals were awarded on the day (unfortunately the results have shown some alterations) and others will be handed out at the Road Relays in April. A full report of the league positions will follow this report over the coming days.