On a cold and damp day the Southern cross country championships were held in Stanmer park and the Brighton youngsters produced their best ever results in this event.
It was great to see so many youngsters who were running in this event for the first time against the best teams in the south and in big fields with up to 260 and many have another year in their age group.In the u/13 girls race it was Dulcie Yelling who has only just turned 11 had a storming run in 22nd and with 4 to score in all the races she was followed home by Ruby Wilson 87th, Rosie Gasson 97th and Edith Hancock who has also just turned 11 125th closed the team in 14th place and were the 2nd Sussex team.Sophie Packham after a nasty fall was next in 147th, followed by Tilly Wilburn 148th, Sima Saadatzadeh 156th, Maddy Badruzaman 163rd, Ella Kaps 184th and Allanah Clayton 185th.
In the u/13 boys race it was Henry Yelling continuing his fine form, led the team home in 28th and with Will Matthews 67th, Miles Waterworth 98th and Alexander Riley 146th the team went one better than the girls in 13th and were the 1st Sussex team. Good back up came from Cosmo Derangi 176th, Archie Turner 181st, Ethan Booth 204th, William Muzio 223rd, Joe Wilburn 225th, Rhys Laverick 229th, Kit Monti 232nd and Jonny Hancock 237th.
In the u/15 girls race Rebecca Losh after her 3rd place in the Sussex schools celebrated her selection for the English Schools with an excellent run in 22nd and she still has another year in the age group and with another fine run from Lois Dooley 40th, Gracie Barnard 83rd, Poppy Malins-Palmer 84th both having their best runs of the season the team finished an excellent 7th and were the 1st Sussex team. The team as it has been all season were well backed up by Emily Muzio 99th, Alex Nann 111th, Bertie Brooking having her best run to date 114th, Jess Corbet 131st, Lacey Fowler 137th and Astrid Blackledge 185th.
In the u/15 boys race after his excellent run in the Sussex championships where he finished second, Tom Roberts followed up with another fine run in 26th and with Patrick Connolly 63rd, Harvey Grant 78th and Adam Firsht who had run the day before for his school did well to come 92nd and like the girls came another 7th place and were the second Sussex team to finish. Joseph Luker who had also run the day before came 128th and Josh Pay finished another excellent team performance in 170th.
In the u/17 women’s race Amber Wright finished 98th and Jemima Edwards 108th and in the u/20 women’s race Emma Gill came 47th and Amy Gamblin 57th.
In the u/17 men’s race Tom Eames who had previously won the Sussex schools, had another outstanding run in 7th and not far behind Tomer Tarragano who was 2nd behind Tom in the schools had another excellent run in 10th and they have both been selected to compete in the English schools and with Joe Clayson 47th and Sam Kane 81st the team were just outside the medals in 4th. Good back up came from Sam Wilkinson 95th, Max Brazier 112th, Finn Halloren 121st and Henry Taylor 124th.
Well done again to every one regardless of your position you all did the club proud. Peter