Cross country courses test Eastbourne and Hastings athletes

More than 650 runners turned out to enjoy the conditions, which underfoot were tougher as a result of recent rainfall.

The fixture kicked off with the under-11s and Charlie Davey was first Eastbourne Rover in 17th. Sophie Homer was a well-deserved 11th.

In the under-13 girls’ race spectators saw a repeat of the Goodwood result with Katherine Haslip (Brighton & Hove AC) 1st, Isabella Buchanan (HY Runners) 2nd and Bibi Webb 3rd. Rovers’ Evie Lennard was close on their tails in 6th with team-mates Pearl Winslet 21st, Milla Winslet 28th and Chyna Wai 40th.

Brighton & Hove finished top in the under-13 boys’ race with Eastbourne chasing close behind to finish as second team, led by Ben Wright, 2nd overall individually.

Jonah Messer clinched 5th, Joshua Webster 16th, George Armstrong-Smith 18th, Byron Roberts 29th, Tommy Homer 57th and Fisher Winslet, with an amazing sprint finish, 53rd.

In the under-15 girls, Molly Smithers (Chichester) won with Crawley’s Rihanon Daniels 2nd and Lewes AC’s Esme Stephenson 3rd.

Eastbourne Rovers new girl, talented Daisy Connor, is going from strength to strength, placing 7th.

Finlay Goodman (Brighton & Hove AC) looked as exceptional in the under-15 boys’ contest. Second was Team Bodyworks’ Lucas Gorrill. Returning to form for Eastbourne was Ilya Korchev in an impressive 5th.

The under-17 women, who run the 5k together with the under-20, seniors and vets, saw Crawley’s Stephanie Shaw win. Eastbourne’s Eleanor Strevens showed a great improvement in form since returning from injury and was 2nd U17 woman.

Liz Lumber from Eastbourne had another superb run, claiming the 2nd V55 spot.

This is the second year Sussex has held a league fixture at Ardingly and it is proving to be a popular course. Organisation was led by Haywards Heath Harriers and Eastbourne Rovers praised their efforts.

The third league fixture is at Stanmer Park tomorrow.

Meanwhile many Eastbourne athletes have been selected to compete at the Inter-counties cross country in Oxfordshire on December 10.

A healthy contingent of 32 Eastbourne Rovers adults and seven juniors participated in round two of the East Sussex Sunday Cross Country League at soggy Snape Wood.

It was tough going but fun for participants.

The Rovers under-11 boys scored 4th and 5th place through Fox Andrews and Charlie Davey, while the U11 girls scored two podium spots with Grace Luford-Brown and Georgia Lennard 2nd and 3rd.

In the under-13s race both Jonah Messer in the boys and Evie Lennard for the girls won. Dermot O’Rourke won the U17s boys’ race.

In the senior race Rovers were competing among 379 runners. Eastbourne’s Alison Moore took first in the women’s race, making it back to back wins in the first two rounds. The women maintain second place in the league.

The next round is at New Place Farm on December 18.

HASTINGS RUNNERS/HASTINGS AC

The combined Hastings Runners/Hastings AC cross country team has jumped to joint second in the East Sussex Sunday Cross Country League.

They finished third out of 17 teams in the latest fixture at a muddy, rain sodden Snape Wood in Wadhurst last Sunday. The two clubs fielded 32 runners in the 379-strong field.

The six race series finishes at Pett in March next year.

An eventful morning started with HR's Martin Noakes nearly colliding with a deer while warming up.

And it finished with Rick Burne emerging like a latter-day Terry Butcher with a bloodied head after a close encounter with the stony track leading up through the wood.

Persistent rain made the undulating two-lap course even more challenging, as most of the five-mile route was across very greasy, woodland sections.

HR times were: Will Withecome 34.00; Paul Lambert 36.26; Andrew Shipilov 37.17; Martin Noakes 37.25; Kevin Blowers 39.00; Neil Jeffries 40.21; Martin Snape 40.27; Claire Thomas 42.01; Simon Trevena 43.49; Andy Knight 45.34; Piers Brunning 45.40; Tamsin West 48.02; Jo Nevett 49.59; Guy Ramage 51.47; Paul Hope 51.49; David Bratby 52.31; Trish Audis 54.54; Rick Burne 54.59; Phil Morris 55.56; Sarah Marzaioli 57.27; Jo French 58.04; Nick Thompson 58.30; Sylvia Huggett 59.12; Yockie Richardson 60.51.

Current HR individual standings after two races are: Will 3rd M35; Claire 3rd F35; Martin 1st M55; Neil 3rd M60; Trish 2nd F65; Sarah 1st F75; Sylvia 2nd F75.

HY RUNNERS

HY Runners ace Reece Lincoln competed in the British Athletics Cross Country Challenge in Liverpool in treacherous conditions.

Reece completed the 9.8km race in 35:41, placing 167th in the senior mens race and 69th in the under-23 category.

HY’s David Ervine, Stuart Piper and Jethro Atherall ran the London Half Marathon at Queen Elizabeth Park.

Ervine knocked an impressive four minutes off his previous PB placing third overall in 1.12.018. Stuart ran in honour of his friends, father and son Johnny Cash and John Boy Cash who tragically passed away recently.

His efforts earned him a new PB finishing 5th in 1.17.38 with Jethro finishing 29th in 1.22.56.

Oliver Carey, Benji Symes, Fiona Norman-Brown, Danny Blackman, Jenna Harmer, Matthew Harmer and Lisa Buchannan took on the East Sussex Cross Country in abysmal conditions.

The five-mile route featured two laps of undulating hills, mud and mixed terrain at Snape Wood.

A notable performance came from Oliver Carey, who finished 12th in 31:50.

Ellen Gates, Ivy Buchanan, Alyssa Cornford and Evelyn Cornford defied the relentless weather to complete the 2k kids’ race.

HY look forward to the 3rd meeting in the Sussex Cross Country League at Stanmer Park tomorrow (Sat Dec 3).

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