Much of the United Kingdom may be feeling the brunt of Storm Bert, but that did not stop plenty of athletes from taking to the roads or mud. James Rhodes runs through the weekend’s racing highlights.
The second fixture of the British Athletics Cross Challenge, taking place at Sefton Park in Liverpool, is perhaps the most important of the season. As the trials event for the European Cross Country Championships, it regularly sees great depth across races and this year was no different. The forecast wind and rain was present, although not as bad as once predicted. However, as the day wore on, conditions became increasingly challenging.
Muddy Brilliant
The last race of the day, and therefore facing the worst of the muddy conditions, was the senior men’s race. As with the women, the top four were guaranteed selection for Antalya. Tomer Tarragano (24:44) had one of the best races of his career to secure victory, covering the course in 24:44. Perhaps an unexpected winner, he was ten seconds ahead of last year’s winner Hugo Milner (24:54). Impressively, it was Tomer’s first cross-country race of the season. He will make his senior debut for Great Britain in Antalya, having competed in the U23 race at last year’s European Cross Country Championships.
Photo: Mark Hookway
Milner will be looking to better on his fourth-place finish in Belgium last December. Having won the English National XC Championships in September, he had to settle for matching his result from 2022. Training partners Scott Beattie (25:02) and Ellis Cross (25:15) finished third and fourth respectively to secure their selection. Another training partner, Rory Leonard, was just one second behind in fifth (25:16). He will have to wait until Monday’s selection meeting to find if he will join the pair in Turkey. Gateshead’s Calum Johnson (25:25) was sixth.
Integrated into the race was the U23 trials, which provided one of the biggest shock winners of the day. David Stone, racing for the first time since February 2023, clocked 17:02 to finish sixteen seconds clear of the field. The Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier will make his Great Britain debut in Antalya. He will be joined by reigning European U23 XC Champion Will Barnicoat, who finished second in Liverpool (17:18). Scotsman Peter Molloy of Central AC and Brett Rushman of Herts Phoenix will join them. Both clocked 17.28.
David Stones (3688) & Tomer Tarragano (1344). Photo: Mark Hookway
Amazing Axford
Having finished third at the Cardiff Cross Challenge earlier this month, Belgrave’s Kate Axford entered as one of the favourites of a strong women’s race. She lived up to expectations, finishing sixteen seconds ahead of the field in 28:05. It has been an amazing season for someone in their relative infancy to the sport, and the win guarantees a first Great Britain vest next month.
Behind, a close finish saw Cari Hughes (28:21) just get the better of steeplechase specialist Poppy Tank (28:22). The pair completed the podiums and will both be heading to Antalya, Cari for her sixth European XC Championship appearance. Poppy raced at last year’s edition, finishing eleventh.
Photo: Mark Hookway
Last year’s bronze medallist in Brussels, Abbie Donnelly finished fourth (28:29) to also guarantee selection. Behind, Izzy Fry (28:32) and Jess Gibbon (28:36) will have to wait to find if they will be joining the team.
There was a City of Norwich one-two in the U23 race, led by Meg Gadbsy (19:45) from Kate Willis (19:54). They will be joined in Turkey by Reading’s Mia Waldmann and Herne Hill Harrier Poppy Craig-McFeely. The pair clocked 19:55 and 20:13 respectively.
Juniors & Short Courses
Pre-race favourite Innes FitzGerald was an expected winner of the U20 women’s race. Racing over 4.4km, the reigning European U20 XC Champion finished over half a minute clear of the field (14:45). Behind, Jess Bailey (15:16) and Lizzie Wellsted (15:39) completed the podium, with Zoe Gilbody (15:43) fourth and Isobelle Jones (15:46) fifth. All five are automatically selected for the Europeans. Ellarose Whitworth won the U17 women’s race in 15:52, which was incorporated into the U20s.
Henry Dover, returning from collegiate racing in the United States, won the men’s U20 race over the same distance. He clocked 13:49 and finished just three seconds ahead of William Rabjohns (13:52) and Oliver Conway (13:53). Miles Waterworth (13:55) and Quinn Miell-Ingram (13:58) took fourth and fifth respectively. Jack Marwood (14:17) won the U17 race.
Racing over 1.5km, only the winner of the respective short course races was guaranteed selection for the mixed relay. Those honours went to Maddie Deadman and last year’s winner Josh Lay. The pair clocked 5:15 and 4:31 respectively. In second, Holly Dixon (5:16) and Tyler Bilyard (4:33) await news of their selection (or otherwise).
Henry Dover. Photo: Mark Hookway
More Mud
Muddy, wet and windy conditions awaited runners in the South of Thames XC Championships Team Race at West Horsley Place. Belgrave Harriers won both team titles. Kent’s a and b teams completed the men’s podium, with Kent and Guildford & Godalming second and third in the women’s race.
Photo: Steve Gardner
Individual wins went to Mack Downey of Belgrave Harriers and Aldershot’s Georgie Bruinvels. The pair completed the five-mile course in 26:33 and 30:20 respectively. It was a close finish in the men’s race, with just four seconds separating first from third. It was a Belgrave Harrier podium lock-out, with Phil Wicks (26:36) second and Findlay Dyer (26:37) third.
Georgie was a clear women’s winner by 54 seconds. She has previously won this race in 2022 and finished second in both 2021 and 2023. Emily Bradley (31:14) and Emily Robbins (31:57), both of Belgrave Harriers, completed the podium.
Photo: Steve Gardner
The Championship Race, first held in 1888, takes place next month in Tonbridge.
On the Roads
The action was not all confined to the muddy fields. Whilst some races were cancelled or postponed due to the weather, others went ahead and delivered speedy performances.
The Wilmslow Festive 10k often produces fast performances and this year was no exception. Richard Allen (29:40) was a clear winner amongst the men racing, with a close finish between Nigel Martin (30:01) and Callum Davidson (30:03) for second.
Kate Ward (33:55) and Sarah Dufour-Jackson (34:05), both of Vale Royal AC, were separated by ten seconds in the women’s field. Finishing third, Kirsty Longley (34:43) ran a season’s best in her tenth race over the distance this year.
Samuel Roberts (30:57) was a clear victor of the Doncaster City 10k. Despite blustery conditions, the Retford athlete was able to improve his PB by two seconds. A close finish saw Lewis Gamble-Thompson (31:32) and James Johnson (31:34) complete the top three. Amongst the women racing, precisely one-minute separated Emily Soanes (34:50) from Naomi Drakeford (35:40). Charlie Thornton (35:54) took third.
In Wales, there was plenty of success for Swansea Harriers at the Richard Burton 10k in Cwmafan. Runners from the club delivered both first and third place finishers, led by Caryl Edwards (35:46) and Dewi Griffiths (30:39). Olivia Tsim (36:57) of Pontypridd Roadents took second and Hannah Williams (38:15) third amongst the women racing. Meanwhile, Michael Ward (31:01) and Jonathan Hopkins (31:40) joined Dewi on the men’s podium.
Samuel Stevens (34:15) and Jo Andrews (38:41) won the Adnams Southwold 10k and Abdinassier Mohamoud Elhmi (30:31) and Isabel Davies (38:17) the Boscombe 10k.
Still Going
It was a good day for Ipswich Harriers at the Hadleigh 5, with Darcy Gladwell (32:25) and Brandon Barber (26:56) securing victories. Both did so in commanding fashion, finishing roughly three minutes clear of the respective fields. Over double the distance, Patrick Hannah (58:06) and Kate Creak (64:57) won the Hadleigh 10.
Highgate Harrier Daniel Lewis (26:06) and Freya Weddell of St Albans Striders (28:43) won the Hatfield 5. Paul Jones (60:02) and Hannah Thomas (74:27) took victories at the Elan Valley 10.
Racing over 13.1 miles, Elliot Avis (74:02) and Nicola Douglas (82:53) set the fastest times at the Kingston Half Marathon. Kate Brown (38:40) and Jonny Hind (35:14) did the same in the associated 10k.
Jennifer Cartmell of Hillsborough & Rivelin RC (86:56) and Worksop Harrier Thomas Shaw (76:28) won the Clowne Half Marathon. Michael Eccles (73:12) and Mabel Beckett (81:51) did the same at the Larking Gowen Norwich Half Marathon.
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