There were run-a-way victories for all six winners of the Sussex Masters Cross country championships at Coombe Farm on Saturday.
The races were well supported over this new testing course in spite of the damp and cold conditions.
With both Neil Boniface and James Baker no showing in the M40 race it was left to former champion Howard Bristow (Brighton & Hove) to romp away with the title clocking 25:58 for the 5-mile course. James Skinner (Haywards Heath) took the silver medal in 27:08 and Kevin Holland (Crawley) who is currently showing improved form taking the bronze medal 28:03.
All three women’s age groups were held together and this allowed two W45 women to finish ahead of W35 winner Alissa Ellis from Hailsham who won the title in 31:15, also over 5-miles, well clear of Arena 80’s Juliette Roberts who clocked 33:48 and Erica Martin (Brighton Phoenix) 35:05.
In the W45 group reigning champion Caroline Hoyte beat fellow Arena 80 athlete Julie Briggs recording 30:28 to 30:54 and both are still amongst the best Sussex Women middle distance runners in the County and well able to hold their own in senior competition.
Horsham’s Elspeth Turner took third place in 31:30 and also finished ahead of all the W35 runners apart from the title winner.
Former County senior champion Jane Harrop (Chichester) took the W55 crown in 33:28 ahead of Caroline Wood (Arena 80) 34:25 and Cathy Ulliott (Brighton & Hove) 36:15.
The M50 and M60 5-mile races raced together but the M50 held sway when crossing the finishing line.
Lewis Side (Lewes) was a convincing winner in 28:13 ahead of Morris Tarragano (Brighton & Hove), whose son Tomer won the Sussex Schools senior title the previous Wednesday in 29:31 and Crawley’s Adrian Haines in 29:44 while John Lowden (Brighton & Hove) 32:22 took the M60 title from Graham Purdge (Hailsham) 32:52 and reigning champion Paul Whelpton (Phoenix) 33:13.
In the team events Crawley Saints and Sinners were the only non-Brighton & Hove based club to win a title and they were the only team to complete a scoring three runners scoring 41 points.
Brighton Phoenix took the M40 event with 34 points.
A80 won both W45 and W55 events with 7 and 14 points respectively and Brighton & Hove took the M50 and M60 titles with 14 and 12 points.
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