Inter-Counties CC Championships
A number of our athletes represented their counties at the Inter-Counties CC Championships at Cofton Park in Birmingham on Saturday.
Young Athletes
On a murky March day it turned out to be an indifferent day of results for our Woodford youngsters. The Cofton Park course was a relief for those who had encountered the thick mud of two weeks previous at Alton Towers, as a much drier, undulating course was contested by approximately 320 in each race.
Our best hope, Canaan Solomon, was unable to finish the Under 13 boys race. He was clutching his stomach early on having had a stomach bug the previous week and withdrew with 800 metres to run in some discomfort lying around 50th. Jamie Dee of Hertfordshire, with whom Canaan has had one or two tight battles this winter, was 2nd in the race. Daniel Rowden ran well for 104th (6th scorer for Essex).
Our best placing came with a good run from Lauren McGregor in the Under 17 ladies race to place a sound 54th and 2nd Essex runner home, a run that pleased her coach Richard Thurston after very limited training since Christmas. Also enjoying an excellent cross country season was Amelia Barrett, a 1st year Under 15, who also ran very well for 61st and 4th Essex runner home.
Sidnie Sales was another to perform well, placing 60th in the Under 20 ladies race to be 4th scorer for Essex. Other runners were: Alicia McAdell 188th (8th Essex) in the Under 13 girls race; and Perry Rowan 154th (4th scorer) in the Under 15 boys race.
To run for Essex in this competition is an achievement in itself and all of our youngsters can take pride on wearing the red vest of Essex.
Seniors
Our three representatives in the Senior Men's race each ran for a different county. The race doubled as the trials for GB's World CC team and was won by Andy Vernon of Hampshire in 35.45. Our first man home in the field of 292 finishers was Hywel Care (1st Merseyside scorer), 73rd in 38.29. We also had Daniel Agustus, Surrey's 3rd scorer, in 86th (38.48) and Martyn Cryer, Lancashire's 6th scorer, 143rd in 40.06.
The women's event was won by Charlotte Purdue of Hampshire in 27.29, while our Kat Gundersen was 143rd in the field of 259 finishers in a time of 32.59, and was Essex's 6th scorer.
Meanwhile, at the high-quality Bath Half Marathon, Bertie Powell equalled his PB of 68mins 51 secs in finishing 16th. Our former athlete Simon Plummer, now running for City of Salisbury AC, was 7th in 66.07.