There were clear winners in all nine age categories at the Sussex Masters Cross Country Championships at Coombe Farm on Saturday.
The races were well supported in crisp, icy conditions.
Craig Halsey (Brighton & Hove) went one better than last year taking gold in the M40 contest clocking 27.20, ahead of team mates Zared Hale 27.37 and Howard Bristow 28:14.
For the first time, M35 were included in this competition and it was Worthing’s Neil Hutchinson who took the top spot here in 28:28, followed by John Stoddart (Henfield Joggers) 29:15 and Graham Russ (Steyning) 29:18.
All three women’s age groups are held together and it was a W45 athlete, Linda Schofield (Brighton & Hove) who came comfortably at the front of the pack in 32.12. Overall second and first W35 was Alice Robinson (Worthing) 32:28, with W35 Jenna French (Lewes) third in 33.21.
Phoenix’s Rebecca Knights was bronze winning W35 in 34.48 and Suzy Rushforth (Phoenix) 34.58 and Caroline Hoyte (Arena 80) 35.05, second and third W45s.
Caroline Wood (Arena 80) had a fine run to win W55 gold in 37.33 whilst Samantha Ridley (Haywards Heath Harriers) 39.40 won silver and Moyra Amess (Steyning) 39.55 bronze.
Arena 80’s Yvonne Patrick took the W65 crown in 45.43 ahead of Judith Carder (Brighton & Hove) 46.46 and Sue Baker (Chichester) 52.39.
The M50, M60 and M70s all race together. Haywards Heath Harriers dominated this race taking overall first and second with M50s, James Skinner 29.06, and Marcus Kimmins 30.42. Gary Witton (Worthing) was third in 31.37.
Lewes’ Joathan Burrell was the first M60 to cross the line in 31.44, with Kurt Hoyte (Phoenix) second 31.59 and John Lowden (Brighton & Hove) third in 33.59.
Last year’s M70 winner, Tony Lintern (Crawley) did it again in 41.20 ahead of second place Andrew Haig (Phoenix) 43.18 and Colin Simpson (Phoenix) 43.30.
In the team events, Brighton Phoenix won both the W35 (15 points) and W45s (11 points), whilst Arena 80 took the W55/65 title.
Brighton & Hove AC took the M40 title (10 points) as well as the M60/70 (17 points).
Haywards Heath Harriers scooped M50 gold and Worthing District Harriers the same colour in the M35s.