Cross-country round-up includes news from various county leagues across the UK.
ESSEX LEAGUE, Match 2, Hainault Forest, November 8
Toby Rees-Jones, who was fifth in the South of England under-20 championships, headed Southend club-mate Adam Hickey, with their club also adding the senior men’s team title.
Grace Burrell, who has mainly raced in America in recent years, secured victory in the women’s field and came out on top for the second league race in a row.
In the young athletes’ races, Brentwood Beagles’ Heidi Woodley won the under-15 girls’ race again but a clash with the London Youth Games drew some junior athletes away from the second league race of the winter in these parts.
Men:
1 T Rhys-Jones (S’end, U20) 24:43; 2 A Hickey (S’end) 24:49; 3 C Charleston (AFD) 25:08; 4 L Harknett (Ori n) 25:37; 5 D Williamson (Col H) 25:41; 6 S Boxhall (S’end) 26:11
M40: 1 P Coates (Brain) 26:20
M50: 1 L Taylor (S’end) 28:36
M60: 1 S Philcox (Ilf) 31:17; 2 C Rodley (Col H) 32:01
M70: 1 D Butler (Bill’Cay) 35:06
TEAM Div 1 (6 to score): 1 Southend 81; 2 Colchester H 117; 3 Havering 146
Div 2 (6 to score): 1 Basildon 180
M40 TEAM: 1 Orion 134; 2 Havering 267; 3 Springfield 292
U17:
1 S Horsley (Hav’g) 18:05; 2 F McLaren (Hav’g) 18:28; 3 J Delaney (Chelm) 18:45
TEAM (3 to score): 1 Havering 17; 2 Chelmsford 18; 3 Southend 37
U15:
1 C Calver (W Suff) 13:02; 2 W Hughes (B’wood) 13:19; 3 B Tucker (Harl) 13:41
TEAM (4 to score): 1 SS Athletics 47; 2 C&T 66; 3 Basildon 68
U13:
1 R Stringer (C&T) 10:45; 2 D Law (Chelm) 10:50; 3 A Brotherwood (SS) 11:08
TEAM (4 to score): 1 SS Athletics 20; 2 C&T 45; 3 Harlow 81
Women
1 G Burrell (Bas) 20:17; 2 L Reed (Hav’g, W40) 20:36; 3 H Rex (Bas) 20:45; 4 H Bolton (Chelm) 21:09; 5 S Williams (Grange F&D, W40) 21:34; 6 Z Oldfield (Lought, W45) 21:28
W50: 1 W King (Chelm) 23:39; 2 A Trauttmansdorff (Lought) 24:27
W55: 1 D Morley (Col H) 25:27
W60: 1 J Eley (Mid Ex) 26:14
TEAM Div 1 (4 to score): 1 Chelmsford 47; 2 Havering 61; 3 Loughton 95
Div 2 (4 to score): 1 Springfield 157
W35 TEAM (3 to score): 1 Loughton 52; 2 Chelmsford 64; 3 Grange F&D 72
U17: 1 D Bakler-Kugler (Bas) 21:48; 2 K Cox (Chelm) 22:50; 3 A Smith (SS) 23:44
TEAM (3 to score): 1 Basildon 13; 2 Colchester H 16 (only 2); 3 Braintree 21 (only 2)
U15: 1 H Woodley (B’wood) 13:48; 2 S Bickerstaff (B’wood) 14:42; 3 S Owen (SS) 15:23
TEAM ((4 to score): 1 Brentwood Beagles 17; 2 Basildon 34; 3 SS Athletics 50
U13: 1 R Reeve (Col H) 11:36; 2 E Soan (Thurr) 11:37; S Finnegan (SS) 11:58
TEAM (4 to score): 1 SS Athletics 27; 2 Thurrock 49; 3 Colchester H 61
LONDON CHAMPIONSHIPS & LONDON YOUTH GAMES, Parliament Hill, November 8
Seyfu Jamaal, who came third in the 2022 London Cross and second in 2023, led all the way to take London Heathside to team victory over the fairly dry surface, Alastair Aitken reports.
After a mile he was 30 metres up on defending champion Andrew Penny and Samuel Greenstein.
Penney went on to be a clear second but in third place Olu Adedeji, who came through late for third place after a heavy training session in the morning.
Although Jamaal was pleased with his result, he says his favourite event is the half-marathon, where his PB is 63:33. He came to England from Ethiopia in 2005.
Emily Bradley, 25, immediately confessed she had never won a race until London but is coached well by Charlie Dickinson with Belgrave Harriers, the team winners on the day.
In the last half mile she got away from Ruby Carter, who had been near her for the rest of the race.
Men: 1 S Jamaal (Lon H) 34:30; 2 A Penney (HW) 34:37; 3 O Adedeji NEB) 35:45; 4 D Shaw (Herne H) 36:18; 5 R Wilson (High) 36:20; 6 S Greenstein (SB) 36:29
TEAM: 1 London Heathside 61; 2 Herne Hill 75; 3 Blackheath & Bromley 83
U17: 1 F Rowe (Hav’g) 15:42; 2 J Scanes (Bromley) 15:47; 3 J Hill (Bromley) 15:53
U15: 1 T Creed (Merton) 10:03; 2 C Nicholson (Har’gay) 10:06; 3 L Boulton (Wandsw’th) 10:19
U13: 1 E Aldridge (Bromley) 7:02; 2 D Pascal (Barn) 7:04; 3 H Richards (R’bridge) 7:13
Women: 1 E Bradley (Belg) 21:42; 2 R Carter (HW) 21:44; 3 A Bropoke (Belg) 22:03; 4 R Whyte-Wilding (Belg) 22:05; 5 S Sooley (Herne H) 22:11; 6 H Clark (B&B) 22:26
TEAM: 1 Belgrave 20; 2 THH 60; 3 Herne Hill 66
U17: 1 S Allen (W’minster) 11:04; 2 J Marsh (Enfield) 11:23; 3 A Nicholl (H’smith & Ful) 11:31
U15: 1 S Smith (Haver’g) 7:28; 2 C Foster (Greenwich) 7:38; 3 D Larkin (Lambeth) 7:45
U13: 1 S O’Brien (Southwark) 7:45; 2 S Davies (Ealing) 7:49; 3 L Graham (Richmond) 7:51
NORTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE, Match 2, Kettering, Northamptonshire, November 8
Wicksteed Park played host and men’s race winner Elliott Smith Rasmussen scored a repeat race victory for Newark by just under a minute from Alex Hampson, who moved up from third last time out.
Women’s winner Pat Jackman was second in the opening match but came home well over a minute clear in this second match.
The younger age groups saw repeat race victories for the Midland and Inter-Counties cross-country under-17 champion Ewan Withnall, under-15 Kieran James and under-13 William Saunders.
Men: 1 E Smith-Rasmussen (Newark) 32:00; 2 A Hampson (Mansf) 32;55; 3 J McRae (Mansf) 33:15; 4 G Phillips (Beest) 33:40; 5 L Pollard (Charn) 33:51; 6 O Hitchcock (Notts U) 34:45
M40: 1 G Patterson (Mansf) 34:55
M50: 1 J Bailey (Mansf) 36:43
M55: 1 S Fenwick (Harb) 37:22
M60: 1 M Kingsbury (Charn) 41:50
U20: 1 I Mohan (Leic C) 35:58
TEAM: 1 Mansfield 38; 2 Peterboro & NV 169; 3 Notts 178
M40 TEAM: 1 Long Eaton 108; 2 Beeston 172; 3 Charnwood 198
U17:
1 E Withnall (Burton) 20:15; 2 W Griffiths (orby) 20:30; 3 E Orchard (OWLS) 20:39
TEAM: 1 Burton 22; 2 Corby 24; 3 OWLS 25
U15:
1 K James (Charn) 18:40; 2 M Fletcher (Burt) 18:51; 3 L Wayman (OWLS) 18:54
TEAM: 1 Burton 19; 2 Charnwood 23; 3 OWLS 39
U13:
1 W Saunders (Der) 12:48; 2 J Cripps (Corby) 12:54; 3 J O’Dowd (Charn) 13:16
TEAM: 1 Charnwood 18; 2 Harborough 33; Derby 33
Women: 1 P Jackman I(Newark) 21:52; 2 J Anthony (Charn) 23:16; 3 A Seager (Charn) 23:26
W60: 1 R Loutit (Yax) 27:30
U20: 1 D Watson (Notts U) 23:30
TEAM: 1 Charnwood 16; 2 Notts U 20; 3Beeston 58
W35 TEAM: 1 Mansfield 180; 2 Lincoln & D 182; 3 Long Eaton 193
U17:
1 O Towlson (Wreake & SV) 21:28; 2 S Wheeler (Drr) 21:39; 3 A Bianchi (R’cliffe) 21:43
TEAM: 1 Derby 24; 2 Wreake & SV 24; 3 Burton 35
U15:
1 M Owen (Kett) 12:48; 2 M Cheetham (Burton) 13:02; 3 C Whysall (Mansf) 13:35
TEAM: 1 Mansfield 14; 2 Derby 29; 3 Wreake & SV 37
U13:
1 O Goodale (Corby) 11:57; 2 J Lenton (Der) 12:17; 3 M Smith (OWLS) 12:31
TEAM: 1 Mansfield 16; 2 Lincoln Wellington 37; 3 OWLS 37
SUSSEX LEAGUE, Match 1, Goodwood, October 11
Josh Burgess moved up from second in the opening round of the league last month to comfortably head James Turner in the senior men’s race, as Stanmer Park was again brought into service as a venue.
The women’s event again included the under-17 women and Molly Smithers, who was 11th in the under-17 English national, scored a repeat victory over Milly Dickinson.
In the junior races, Isabella Buchanan, the delayed 2024 English National under-13 runner-up, continued where she left off last year and increased her tally of consecutive league wins in the under-15 girls’ event.
Men: 1 J Burgess (Lewes) 26:13; 2 J Turner (B&H) 26:27; 3 S Heath (Phoe) 26:32
M45: 1 J Baker (Chich R) 28:12
M50: 1 H Bristow (B&H) 28:58
M55: 1 L Sida (Lewes) 32:59
M60: 1 M Ussher (Lewes) 33:10
M65: 1 T Hicks (Hay H) 38:51
U20: 1 F Matthews (B&H) 27:42
TEAM Div 1 (6 to score): 1 Phoenix 63; 2 B&H 113; 3 Lewes 149
M35 TEAM: 1 Phoenix 20; 2 B&H 26; 3 Worthing 42
M50 TEAM: 1 B&H 11
U17: 1 F Lumber-Fry (E’brne) 17:08; 2 F Boniface (Horsh) 17:14; 3 A Roberts (B&H) 17:19
TEAM: 1 B&H 21; 2 Crawley 28; 3 Chi hester R 42
U15: 1 T Thorn-Watts (B&H) 13:51; 2 O Goodman (B&H) 14:12; 3 G Urben (B&H) 14:21
TEAM: 1 B&H 6; 2 Chich R 22; 3 Lewes 29
U13: 1 B Moyes (B&H) 11:41; 2 K Wagjiani (Craw) 11:45; 3 H Wrapson (Horsh) 11:50
TEAM: 1 B&H 14; 2 Worthing 22; 3 B&H B 35
Women: 1 M Smithers (Chich R, U17) 18:55; 2 M Dickinson (Phoe) 19:15; 3 I Wheeler (Horsh) 19:29
W45: 1 A Dixon (HY) 20:17
W50: 1 S Rushforth (Phoe) 20:18
W55: 1 J Brown (E’brne) 21:57
W65: 1 J Lennon (Steyn) 26:35
U17: 3 F Pearce (E’brne) 19:44
TEAM Div 1 (4 to score): 1 Phoenix 15; 2 B&H 48; 3 Lewes 64
W35 TEAM (3 to score): 1 HY 24; 2 Lewes 26; 3 Eastbourne R 38
W50 TEAM: 1 Burgess Hill 27
U17 TEAM: 1 Chich R 18; 2 Crawley 30; 3 B&H 34
U15: 1 I Buchanen (Hy) 15:22; 2 I Lendrum (Chich R) 16:16; 3 R Armstrong &B&H) 16:26
TEAM: 1 Hy 18; 2 B&H 25; 3 Phoenix 35
U13: 1 E Pemberton (Chich R) 12:39; 2 A Adams (Chich R) 12:44; 3 L Povey (B’wks) 12:48
TEAM: 1 Chich R 8; 2 B&H 22; 3 B&H B 47
WEST MIDLANDS YOUNG ATHLETES LEAGUE, Match 2, Warley Woods, November 8
Midland champion Archie Lane was back to winning ways after being narrowly headed in the October fixture by Sam Lambert who only managed third place here.
However, there were repeat wins for Brandan Smart in the under-15s and Sebastian Palmer in the under-13 boys events.
Olivia McGhee, the English Schools third placer and European steeplechase representative also scored a repeat victory in the under-17 women’s race.
U17 Men: 1 A Lane (Leam) 15:42; 2 G Wagstaff (B&R) 15:54; 3 S Lambert (Strat) 16:04
U15: 1 B Smart (C&S) 11:21; 2 G Harradence (RSC) 11:24; 3 Z Rush (S&SH) 11:29
U13: 1 S Palmer (W&B) 9:30; 2 H Marriott (R&N) 9:36; 3 F Holden (Tip) 9:45
U17 Women: 1 O McGhee (R&N) 15:42; 2 H Turner (Stoke) 16:18; 3 M Tear-Verweij (Strat) 16:43
U15: 1 T Riches (Bir) 13;10; 2 B Lamb (R&N) 13:13; 3 L Williams (Tip) 13:25
U13: 1 E Rudkin-Wilson (R&N) 10:07; 2 H Cooke (Worc) 10:07; 3 L Pearce (C&C) 10:19
OXFORDSHIRE LEAGUE, Round 1, Cornbury Park Estate, November 2
Men: 1 B Cole (Swin, M40) 29:27; 2 J Davies (Oxf C, U20) 29:46; 3 A Bampton (Swin) 29:51
M50: 1 J Bolton (W’stock) 33:10
M60: 1 B Reynolds (Radley) 34:32
Under 17: 1 J Steel (Abing) 22:02; 2 J Norton (newb) 22:02; 3 O Ormand (Banb) 22:20
Under 15: 1 J Mayneord (Swin) 16:07; 2 L Moss (Newb) 16:43; 3 H Colson (Radley) 17:07
Under 13: 1 S Cousins (Radley) 10:38; 2 J Lindsay (Abing) 11:31; 3 J Lynch (Newb) 11:38
Women: 1 G Bridge (Oxf C) 35:14; 2 J Franklyn (Newb, W40) 35:20; 3 V Bodeker (Hook N, W35) 35:42
Under 17: 1 A Lorimer (Oxf C) 24:48; 2 C Bailey (Newb) 26:28; 3 K Barney (Radley) 26:41
Under 15: 1 N Saunders (T Kennet) 18:14; 2 N Parry-Spring (Radley) 19:15; 3 E Scrase (Swin) 20:01
Under 13: 1 M McMeeking (Swin) 13:04; 2 K Gillon (Read) 13:11; 3 K Mumme-Young (Oxf C) 13:12
