Photo – Ben Murphy on the opening leg at Mansfield
Tonbridge Athletic Club took multiple teams to the National Cross Country Relay Championships, held at Berry Hill Park, Mansfield, on Saturday. The championships consisted of ten races, ranging from the under 13 age group to seniors, although Tonbridge did not have under 13s competing.
The men’s championship consisted of four legs, each of five kilometres, on the undulating, but reasonably dry course. Ben Murphy led the team off, coming home 29th of 164 starting teams, in 15.35. Jack Higgins moved the team to 23rd with a 15.41 split, whilst his brother Ted picked up four more places to 19th. Then came a tremendous anchor leg from James Kingston, who ran 14.41, which was the second fastest time of the entire race and brought Tonbridge through to 9th, which was only 45 seconds from a top three position. The Tonbridge B and C teams finished 21st and 35th, the latter being the first C squad home. The B team consisted of Will Beeston (15.35), Alex Howard (15.37, Miles Weatherseed (16.10) and Cameron Chambers (16.33)
The women’s team finished 29th of 106 teams, over three legs each of three kilometres. Charlotte Alexander ran 10.18, Katie Goodge 10.58 and Mary Fitzmaurice 13.16.
The under 17 men came closest to a podium position, when they placed 5th over 3 x 3km. Ollie Head ran 9.31, Ewan Prendergast 9.35 and Toby Bawtree 9.15. The B and C teams were both first in their categories, placing 18th and 24th overall, from 92 starting teams.
The under 20 women (Jess Poland, Lily Slack and Polly Moses) placed 19th of 47 starters. The under 20 men’s teams finished 20th and 34th from 83 teams, whilst the under 17 women were 25th of 66 teams. The under 15 boys’ teams finished 15th, 20th and 43rd of 91 teams and the under 15 girls placed 18th of 89 teams.
At the New York Marathon, on Sunday, Ben Cole finished in 2.28.38.