Sparkling weather greeted the athletes for the first of this season’s Sussex Cross-country league matches on the Downs at Goodwood on Saturday.
There were, as it should be, several new faces at the heads of the field as well as a first for Haywards Heath Harriers at the end of senior men’s team event.
Conditions were mainly bright with a firm breeze sweeping over the course across Chichester Harbour.
Chris Smith from Haywards Heath who hails from London but is an annual visitor at least to the Sussex League matches spearheaded the Haywards Heath team and managed to keep the ever improving Paul Navesey at bay but the winning gap was not as great as it had been in the past. Smith crossed the line in 24:49s to 25:01s with veteran Howards Bristow finishing third in 25:24s the first veteran to finish.
Smith led his team to a convincing team victory with 73 points to Brighton Phoenix’s 136 points and Brighton & Hove’s 145.
Former Haywards Heath runner Izzy Coomber, who now sports the Lewes vest managed to shake off the attention of Under 17 runner Almi Nerurkar (Phoenix) clocking 18:03 to 18:34 with Phoenix club mate Beth Kidger finishing third in 18:45s, a most welcome return to competition.
Phoenix however took the team title from Lewes 25 to 50 points and the home team, Chichester, taking third team spot with 60 points.
In a good class U17 boys race Joe Body from Hastings and local boy Will Broom had a great battle before Body managed to ease clear for victory in 16:13s to 16:17s. Ben Martin (Lewes) placing third in 16:22s and Tom Eames finishing fourth in 16:27s and leading his Brighton & Hove team to victory.
Joe Smith from Crawley romped away with the U15 boys races finishing nearly half-a-minute clear of Leo Brewer (Phoenix) clocking 14:26 to 14:54s with fellow Crawley runner Callum Storm in third place in 15:03s and Crawley taking the team race.
The home Club’s Olivia Wiseman took the U15 girls race after an almost neck and neck battle with the girl from the other end of the County, Harmony Cooper from Hastings. Just two seconds separated them with Wiseman clocking 16:09s and fellow Hastings athlete Maya Ramnarine clocking 16:23 in third place.
Hastings took the team title.
In the U13 races Ethan Scott (East Grinstead) 11:01s won from Dylan Hanslow (Crawley) 11:38s and Ethan Ward (Worthing) 11:49s and Worthing taking the team event while Rebecca Losh (Brighton & Hove) took the girls race convincingly in 12:20s with Shannon Hopkins-Parry and Erica Body from Hastings in 12:28s and 12:40s with Brighton & Hove taking the team title.
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