The boys under 13, 15 and 17 Cross-Country teams made a solid start to the 2009/10 XC season at the SEAA relays at Aldershot on Saturday 26th September.
The four leg relays were run in warm, dry and sunny conditions at the Rushmoor arena. The under 13’s were off first. Stephen Ferroni battling with boys a year older than himself to come in with a time of 11:46 and 21st of the 46 running the first leg. He handed on to Tom O’Brian who moved the team up to 20th place with a time of 11:20 for the 3K course. Harry Sullivan-Jones took over for the third leg completing in a time of 12:51. The anchor leg was contended by James Oliver whose strong finishing in a time of 11:13 pulled the team up to 18th of the 33 teams that completed the course.
The gun went off for the under 15’s 4 x 3K relays at 1:15. All bar one of the boys had had pervious experience of the SEEA relays. The best of last year’s under 15’s, Jake Elliott, led the A team off and immediately got in the middle of the action in third place going around the first bend. He kept the pressure up in the leading group coming home in 10th place with the 12th fastest time of the day for the under 15’s of 9:51. Although it was Tom Coyle’s first outing at the under 15 level he had a solid run finishing with a time of 12:09 for the B team first leg.
Next away for the A team was Ian Crowe-Wright. Ian converted his recent good training form into a storming run finishing with a time of 10:16 raising the team to 5th place. Harvey Noakes went away second for the B team. Although carrying an injury Harvey got around with a time of 11:49 to finish for the incomplete B team.
Meanwhile Harvey’s twin Charlie kept the A team in the hunt for a top 10 finish by completing the third leg in 11th place with a time of 11:05. Liam Hurley picked his way through the field to finish with a time of 10:04 and 7th place of the 37 teams.
By the time the under 17’s went under starters orders at 2:55 for the 4 x 3.8K, the weather felt more like high summer than early autumn. The four boys had the ‘enjoyment’ of being taken on an un-planned detour of Guildford town centre by an ‘only slightly lost’ Jackie Silsby.
Despite the navigational skills of Kieran’s Mum, all arrived safely and champing at the bit. After a quick mutiny, sorry, input on team tactics, the running order was settled and Will Gray was off first. Will weathered the challenge of the first leg to complete the first leg 27th of 57 in a time of 13:13 to hand on to Alex Rice. Alex was undaunted by the move up from under 15’s last year and picked up places finishing with a time of 13:31.
The baton then passed to Tom Wilmot, who built on the performance of the other two to get the team in 18th place with a time of 12:55. Kieran Silsby then showed that he is over his long-term injury of the summer by pulling back another two places and bringing the team home in 16th place of 43 with a time of 13:10.
All in all a good solid start to the season that shows good promise for the winter ahead.