Saturday produced an extra obstacle for the runners in the final Sussex Cross-country League races of the season at Bexhill Down when they were confronted with a persistent 24 mph south west wind. Course manager Terry Skelton described the conditions as “the strongest wind I can remember since I have been marking the course”.
Apart from the wind conditions were good, dry with firm going.
Racing as always was strong with several new faces winning their events.
One such was Crawley newcomer, Anna Fox, who got the better of club mate Lauren Wormley (who had won the previous race in December) finishing 25 metres clear in the U13 girls race in 12.27 to 12.33. With the other Wormley twin, Charlotte, the three made it a clean sweep for Crawley in 19.39 to ensure not only team victory but also League victory with 34 points to Brighton & Hove’s 60 and Eastbourne/Bodyworks 115 points.
There was another victory for Crawley in the Boys race with Miles Waterworth having to fight off Brighton & Hove’s Alexander Reilly winning by just two seconds in 11:33 with Louis Goodwin clocking 11:44 in third place.
Lewes won the League team title with 44 points to Crawley’s 54 and Brighton & Hove’s 137 points.
Bethany Cook (Bodyworks) romped away with the U15 girl’s race finishing more than a minute clear of club mate Eloise Key in 15:56 to 17:25 with Poppy Palmer-Malins (Brighton & Hove) who clocked 17:32 in third place.
The combined Bodyworks/Eastbourne team won the League title with 42 points to Brighton & Hove 48 and the Brighton & Hove’s “B” team on 100.
Matty Smith (Horsham) was always in control of the Boys race though Carlos Neito (Hastings) was only four second adrift of Smith’s 15:00 at the finish with Crawley’s Thomas James on 15:27.
Crawley took the team crown with 84 points to Brighton & Hove’s 94 and Worthing’s 111.
The U17 race was won by Ethan Fincham who dominated from the start and won in 17:29 to Chichester’s Liam Dunne’s 17:44 and Isaac Elam’s (Hastings) 17:47.
Team wise Hastings took the team title with 71 points to Crawley’s 84 and Chichester 110.
Masie Trafford (Arena 80), who has been showing much improved form recently was a convincing winner of the senior women’s race in 19:57 with local runner Rachael Mulvey clocking 20:06 and Horsham’s Alex Richer’s 17:20 who also won the U17 race which was held in conjunction.
Hastings took the League title, I believe for the first time, with 145 points to Arena 80’s 156 and Hailsham’s 169.
Lois Dooley (Brighton & Hove) was second in the U17 race in 20:48 and Harriet Bloor (Hailsham) third in 20:51.
The senior men’s race, which incorporated the U20 and Masters races saw two masters fill the first two places with Chris Smith (Haywards Heath) finishing well clear of County Masters champion Howard Bristow (Brighton & Hove) in 26:55 to 27:37 with Brighton & Hove’s Tomer Tarragano clocking 27:48 to win the U20 race and Lewes’s Josh Burgess the first senior to finish in 27:55.
Brighton & Hove held on to their League title with 176 points to Lewes’s 451 and Haywards Heath on 574,
The individual league positions have not been published yet.
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