Photo – Jack Higgins in the GB European Cross Country Short Course trial
Tonbridge Athletic Club competitors faced the most testing conditions of the Winter cross country season so far at two locations across the weekend, as Storm Bert brought strong winds and rain to much of the country.
A handful from the club travelled to Liverpool to compete in the trials for the Great Britain teams that will compete in the European Championships, in early December. Jack Higgins came closest to an automatic GB team place when he finished third in the men’s trial for the short course relay, which was just over a mile long. Only two men and two women will be selected for that event and Higgins was just two seconds away from second place.
James Kingston suffered the disappointment of picking up an illness two days prior to the trials, gave the race a go and finished 16th in the men’s under 23 race, whilst Charlotte Alexander ran well to place 8th in the equivalent women’s event. Phoebe Barker was 19th in the senior women’s race and James West 28th in the men’s race, held in conditions not really compatible with his track racing pedigree.
Tonbridge had teams competing in the Kent Cross Country League fixture at Swanley Park, which for the young athletes featured the final event of the four-race series. However, the senior women will have their final race in February. On this occasion, the team placed third in the 3 to score, with Lizzie Owen 11th, Sarah Cronin 15th and Lisa Knight 28th.
The under 17 men packed very well in their race with Will Bachelor (3rd), Ewan Prendergast (4th), Peter Fitzmaurice (5th) and Henry Cleary (6th). This gave them a convincing team win and the overall league title.
The under 15 boys also won their league title, although they placed 2nd to Blackheath on the day. Charlie Warren captured the overall individual league title, with another strong run, placing a close 2nd on the day. He was supported by Joel Graffin, having maybe his best race of the season in 8th and Luca Szumilewicz in 10th.
The under 17 women were 3rd team and once again Olivia Owen was their first scorer home in 4th. On this occasion, the next home was Mimi Marshall, who only took up distance running this season and placed 9th here. Emily Boyd was the final team scorer in 11th.
Isabel Gowing (5th), Aoife Foley (9th) and Purdey Hutchings (12th) gave the under 15 girls’ team a second-place finish.
The under 13 boys won a very close team contest against Blackheath on the day but finished second in the overall league. Ted Vallins, in just his second race for Tonbridge, improved his result significantly to finish 6th, with Zach Ward 9th and Daniel McPherson 10th.
Arianne Launders finished 5th in the under 13 girls’ race, which gave her enough points to finish as second overall in the league. Emily Butcher (9th) and Rika Paterson (23rd) gave the team a third-place finish and second in the overall league standings.