Sussex Take Top Spots At BUCS And Schools Inter Counties

Sussex enjoyed plenty of success at the weekend as the cross country season continued with full force.

With the South East Schools Inter Counties in Newbury and the BUCS Champs in Cardiff there was no shortage of competition to keep track of.

First at Newbury, it was gold for Sussex in the very first race.

Clocking 11.17, Elizabeth Hutchinson (Hastings) was the first junior girl to cross the line – 32 seconds ahead of 2^nd place.

She led the team to silver place with Isabella Lundrum (Chichester) 12^th, Darcie Wickenden (Crawley) 13^th, Izzy Docwra (Lewes) 16^th, Florence Tewkesbury (HYAC) 21^st and Amelie Whitehouse (Crawley) 28^th .  

Next up were the junior boys where Sussex’ highest finisher was first year in the age group, Harry Chapman (Lewes), who placed 14^th after tripping twice during the race. He was closely tracked by team mate Jago Dinnage in 16^th. The team were 5^th overall.

The second individual medal of the day came in the inter girls’ race where Raya Petrova (Eastbourne) came 3^rd followed by Bethy Naylor-Davis in 5^th. The team were 4^th overall.

The Inter Boys team came 5^th overall with Ben Wright (Eastbourne) the highest finisher in 15^th.

Team performance of the day went to the senior girls who won gold with Eloise Hudson in 3^rd, Rosie Gasson (Brighton and Hove) 5^th, Anya Barrett (Chichester) 6^th, Alice Cox (Crawley) 8^th, India Somerville (Lewes) 9^th and Dulcie Yelling (Brighton and Hove) 14^th.

In the last race of the day, the senior boys, the team finished in 4^th with Finlay Blythe (Team Bodyworks) top Sussex in 18^th and Fintan Pearce (Eastbourne) 19^th.

Moving further west to Cardiff where more than 2000 student athletes took to the courses in the BUCS competition.

Brighton & Hove and Birmingham University’s Tomer Tarragano was victorious in the Blue Ribbon Long Course race clocking 31.47.

In the women’s long course Milly Dickinson (Phoenix and Cambridge University) finished in12th and was part of the gold winning team, whilst Emily Muzio (Brighton and Hove and Loughborough University) was 17^th and part of the bronze winning team.

Eastbourne’s Eleanor Strevens just can’t stop winning at the moment and Saturday was no exception as she took the short course title in 18.38 along with the team gold with her Birmingham University teammates.

In the same race, Brighton and Hove’s Ciara Muzio (Loughborough University) came an impressive 5^th and was part of the team silver medalists. Maia Hardman (Phoenix) was 22nd and Amelia Cox (Crawley and Loughborough) finished in 27^th.

Brighton Phoenix’s Xander Sproston was 8^th in the men’s short course and part of the Loughborough team gold winners.