“What a difference a day makes”. Last Tuesday our hopes for the future had to battle with the most atrocious conditions at the Sussex Schools championships at Waterhall but on Saturday at the other end of the age groups they were able to frolic in bright sunshine on a glorious afternoon at the Sussex Master’s Cross-country championships at Lancing. 
There were three races covering six age groups and all athletes had to tackle a quite tough five mile course, despite their age range - 35 to 70. Encouragingly there were several new faces among the medallists.
Worthing’s Emma Footman turned in an impressive victory in the W35 race steaming clear of Crawley’s Amelia Brown before half distance and winning in 30:40 to 31:21 with Horsham’s Elspeth Turner third across the finishing line in 31:37. 
Turner however was the winner of the W45 title while Alissa Ellis (Hailsham) took the bronze medal in 31:43 and the Eastbourne Rovers team took the W35 team title.
Dani Tarleton and Tara Shanahan from Arena 80 were second and third in the W45 race and A80 took the team title. 
Arena 80 also came out on top of the W55 race where Caroline Wood led the team and indeed the field home in 34:24 ahead of Cathy Ulliott (Brighton & Hove) who clocked 34:24 to 35:41.
In the Men’s races Matt Bradford (Lewes) and Brighton & Hove’s Craig Halsey had a good battle over the early stages of the M40 race but eventually the Lewes runner pulled clear for a clear victory in 26:45 to 27:12 with Chris Gilbert taking third place in 28:04 for Lewes who won the team title. 
In the M50 event David Powell (Phoenix) managed the break away from Graham Godden (Brighton & Hove) in the closing stages clocking 28:25 to 28:43 with Stewart Gregory (PSHH) clocking 28:58 in third place while the team title went to Brighton & Hove.
Alan Buckle from Wadhurst got the better of reigning champion Brighton's John Lowden in the M60 in the closest battle of the afternoon 31:32to 31:40. Chichester won the team race.
FULL RESULTS ON THE RESULTS PAGES.
Photos by Andy Cox