Mud, Grit and Glory

Athletes had to dig deep at the third Sussex AA Cross Country Races at Ardingly Showground at the weekend.

Following a period of constant rain, the courses were made up of mostly mud, making conditions underfoot very tough.

This didn’t turn off the more than 500 who competed.

One of these was rising under 15 para athlete Fletcher Roberts (Brighton Phoenix), who has completed all three cross country league fixtures this season.

The under 15 boys’ race was comfortably won by Brighton & Hove’s Taylor Thom Watts (15.15) who was 33 seconds ahead of team mate George Urben (15.48) and Harry Chapman (Lewes AC) in 3^rd (15.57).

With Samuel Gill in 4^th place, Brighton & Hove were comfortable team winners on the day.

Prior to this, in the under 11 races Victoria Ridley (Brighton & Hove) made it three out of three league wins so far this season. Her time of 8.54 was identical to HY AC’s Michael Mansell in the boys’ race.

Next up were the under 13 girls where the Chichester team took top spot in 12 points placing 1^st (Amelie Adams 12.33), 3^rd (Poppy Alden 12.58) and 8^th (Heather Hand).

Team Bodyworks’ Lana Povey was 2^nd individually in 12.48 and the 2^nd team was Brighton & Hove AC (22 points). HY AC were 3^rd with 40.

Crawley’s Finlay Nottage looked in fine form winning the under 13 boys race (11.32). The next places went to Isaac Bowley (Phoenix) taking 2^nd in 11.39 and Hugo Wrapson (Horsham) 3^rd in 11.49.

Team places went to Brighton & Hove on 19 and joint scoring Phoenix and Worthing on 31.

Isabella Buchanan (HYAC) ran a very controlled race in the under 15 girls clocking 16.23. Behind her was Chichester’s Isabella Lendrum who is going from strength to strength this season. Hannah Methyn Thomas (Brighton & Hove) had the best race of her winter season so far placing 3^rd (17.42).

With just 10 points, HYAC were team winners. The other 2 scorers being Florence Tewkesbury in 4^th and Scarlett Dixon in 5^th.

Following on from a strong race at the inter counties the week before, Eastbourne’s Finlay Lumber Fry won the under 17 men’s 5K contest (17.57) with Freddy Boniface (Horsham) 2^nd (18.48) and Crawley’s Dominic Airey 3^rd (19.04).

It was the Brighton & Hove boys placing 4^th(Alex Roberts) 5^th (Ben Smith) and 7^th (Raphael Kelly) that collectively took team 1^st with 16 points.

Next to run were the collective under 17, under 20, senior and vet women where Molly Smithers (Chichester) made it a hat trick of wins in 20.38. This means Molly has already won the under 17 league award.

In 2^nd place overall was 1^st senior woman Imogen Matthews (HYAC) and 3^rd Ava James (Brighton & Hove). Ava was also 1^st under 20 woman. The 1^st vet woman to cross the line was Lewes’ V35 Izzy Bradford in 21.44.

In the women’s leagues, Brighton & Hove topped Division 1, Hastings Division 2, Lewes the V35-50 category and Burgess Hill the over 50 league.

There was a relief by the last race that the rain had not poured too hard through the day. This hadn’t stopped the mud getting churned making it a heavy battle for the 127 who finished the 8K course.

Brighton & Hove’s senior man Andrew Green won in 29.17 with Finlay Goodman (Brighton & Hove) 2^nd  (and 1^st under 20).

V35 Ben Short (Crawley) was the vet to cross the line in 8^th overall.

Team wise, in Division 1, it was impossible to get near Brighton & Hove AC. The club’s 6 scorers placed 1^st, 2^nd, 5^th, 7^th, 11^th and 16^th.

In Division 2 HYAC were top with 125 points whilst Brighton & Hove won both the V35-50 (24 points) and over 50 (21 points) categories.

For this fixture, Haywards Heath Harriers took the lead with support from officials and volunteers across the county.  A big thank you to all those that stand out in the cold conditions to make these fixtures happen.