In a repeat of last year’s result Brighton & Hove’s Keith Newton notched up his tenth Sussex Cross-country title in the M50 race at the Sussex Master’s championships at Lancing on Saturday.
Newton won no less than eighth M40 titles and on Saturday notched up his second M50 title when he again got the better Haywards Heath Harrier Paul Cousins who had won the title in 2014.
Newton took control of the race from the start and finished thirteen seconds clear in 31:46s.
It was very much a case de ja vu as Jonathan Burrell (Lewes) repeated his bronze medal placing of last year in 33.26s.
Dean Angel, fourth in 33:34s, led the Horsham Joggers team to victory over Brighton & Hove scoring 21 points to 25 with Lewes scoring 38 in third place.
Paul Whelpton (Phoenix) repeated his win of last year in the M60 age group in 34:49s with Chichester taking the team title from Phoenix both teams scoring 16 points with Chichester “B” on 36 in third place.
The Women were next on the scene and last year’s bronze medallist Sue Fry from Hailsham made the jump to gold this year. She took the W35 title clocking 27:12s with Emma Rollings (Lewes) repeating her second place of last year in 27:57s and Arena 80’s Katherine O’Hara taking the bronze medal in 28:35s.
Hailsham took the team title with 13 points to Area 80’s 20 and Brighton & Hove’s 28.
Hailsham also provided the winner of the W45 crown when Liz Lumber managed to hold off Helen Sida (Lewes) recording 29:21s to 29:26s with Caroline Wood (Arena 80) finishing exactly one minute adrift in third place.
Brighton & Hove took the team title with 18 points to Arena 80’s 22 and Horsham Jogger’s 42.
Clare Aqualina managed to keep Arena 80 club mate Jenny Hughes at bay to take the W55 title in 31:59s to 32:05s.
The afternoon finished with a run-a-way victory for Brighton & Hove’s Howard Bristow in the M40 championships.
Earlier in the month he missed the County championships, where he may well have challenged for an individual medal, because of an Achilles niggle but on Saturday he was in a class of his own as he romped to victory in 34:23s approaching three minutes clear of newcomer Mike Ellicock (Lewes) 37:02s with fellow Lewes runner Lewis Sida, who had finished sixth last year, not far away in third place in 37:10s.
Brighton & Hove took the team title with 19 points ahead of Lewes’ 25 and Brighton Phoenix’s 57.