Tonbridge Athletic Club had their best set of overall team results, so far this season, at the fourth Kent Cross Country League fixture. This fixture was held at Footscray Meadows, near Sidcup, in extremely cold and windy conditions and featured races for all the age groups, except the senior women.
The senior men had dominated the first two races in their league this Winter and did the same on this occasion. However, there was a change in the individual winner, as Steve Strange took the lead early on, in the eight kilometres race, to go on and win by about 100 metres from Marshal Smith of Ashford AC. Tonbridge athletes then filled the next four places through Dan Bradley, Ben Murphy, Michael Ellis and Jamie Bryant all in close proximity, as more than 200 finished. Tonbridge won both the four and twelve to score competitions.
Another individual win by a Tonbridge runner came from Jamie MacDonald, who ran with great confidence to win by 38 seconds over the five kilometres course. Angus Currie outsprinted Isaac Arnott for second place, as Tonbridge filled the top three places and took the team victory. Rhys Page was just one second behind these two, but was the second athlete to finish in the under 20s, as they ran alongside their younger counterparts. Tonbridge won the under 20 men’s team competition, with Page supported by Adam Singleterry (3rd) and Henry Bretz (5th).
The Tonbridge under 13 girls (photo) moved up a level to claim their first team victory of the season. Millie Watts ran her strongest race of the season to finish 2nd, just eight seconds behind the winner, Iris Williams, from Cambridge Harriers. With Emily Tayton (5th) and Neve Raymond (9th) Tonbridge scored 16 points to beat Blackheath’s 27.
In the other age group races, Tonbridge placed 4th in the under 13 boys’, under 15 girls’ team and under 17 women’s events, with a 3rd place from the under 15 boys. There were also individual podium places for James Petrie (3rd under 13) and Harrison Fraser (3rd under 15).
Meanwhile, the most prestigious event of the weekend was held at Sefton Park, Liverpool, where the UK Cross Challenge was held. For the seniors and under 20s the races were trials for the Great Britain teams that will feature at the upcoming European Championships. James Kingston had a strong race to finish 17th and just eighteen seconds away from a top six place, in the under 20s, over six kilometres, where Matthew Taylor finished 35th. Katie Goodge finished 40th in the under 20 women’s race.
In extremely strong and competitive fields, the Tonbridge seniors consisted of Nicole Taylor who was 34th in the women’s race, whilst in the men’s, Alasdair Kinloch was 39th, Corey De’Ath 64th, Jamie Goodge 70th and Kieran Reilly 80th.