Weekend round up Feb 27/28 and March 5/6

These two weekends mark the pinnacle of the cross country season on 27 Feb were the ECCA National finals at Donnington Park and 5 March the ESAA National Cross Country championships. And didn’t we do well.

We came away from Donnington with two out right champions, Nicole Ainsworth (u13 girls) and Josie Czura (u15 girls) and a third place for Lachlan Wellington (u15 boys), but here in lays a tale; what a crazy start line. If you were in the low number left hand pens you had a flat, even slightly down hill start, on the right it was uphill all the way for the first 3 to 400m, and guess where our starting pens were? We made all the right noises to officialdom, as did all clubs disadvantaged by right hand pens, knowing full well there was nothing that could be done at that late stage. I have had feed back since from the course referee that the course was re-measured and we must of suffered an optical illusion, but we were not complaining about distance, still nice to know our gripes were heard even if the answer was to a question no one asked. Do I come across as an embittered old man? Back to the round up.

What was doubly pleasing was that not only were we triple individual medal winners our teams put up a good showing despite not getting on the podium. Perhaps the unluckiest were the u15 boys who finished in the ‘if only’ position of 4th. It was great to see so many of our youngsters travel all that distance and see the Pompey flag fluttering alongside those of the great and good of the athletic firmament.

Sen Men

15 Alex Teuten City of Portsmouth

U17m

232 Kieron James City of Portsmouth 

U15b

3 Lachlan Wellington, 15 Jacob O'Hara, 103 Steven Cross, 124 Harry Moore, 188 Callum Crook, 258 Joshua Goldfinch, 291 Matthew Thomas

U13b

192 Josh Fawcett, 396 Louis Knight

Sen w.

415 Katie Carew-Robinson

U17w

58 Elizabeth Hedley, 97 Elizabeth Rose

U15g

1 Josie Czura, 69 Anya Pigden, 87 Bo Sansom, 285 Katie Simister

U13g

1 Nicole Ainsworth, 52 Charlotte Bullard, 148 Eloise O'Neill, 294 Yazmin Knight, 325 Holly Wilkinson, 394 Phoebe Carlile

The following weekend was the English Schools finals at Woolaton Park, Nottingham. Many of those that competed at Donnington were wearing the red vests of Hampshire schools, but, and it’s a big but, the age groups were different whereas Josie, Nicole and Lachlan were top age for the ECCA championships they were now ranged against the big kids, how would they fare? Well as it turns out very well indeed, Josie won (I’ve said that phrase a few times this year) Lachlan 2nd and Nicole 27th. Lachlan got some idea of where he might have finished at the previous weeks nationals if he’d had more luck with the pen position in as much as he beat the two athletes that finished ahead of him on that occasion.

Subsequent to the race it was discovered that Josie had injured her foot in stepping in a pot hole mid race and it was initially feared she had broken a bone, but it now appears to be soft tissue damage, either way she beat the rest of England’s u15 girls on one leg, if not quite hopping.

English Schools

Intermediate boys.

2 Lachlan Wellington, 31 Jacob O'Hara

Junior boys

198 Callum Crook, 227 Joshua Goldfinch

Intermediate girls

1 Josie Czura, 135 Elizabeth Hedley

Junior girls

27 Nicole Ainsworth, 120 Saffron Moore

For Lachlan and Nicole it helps to have club mates that are pushing you all the way, Jacob O’Hara is never far off Lachlan’s pace and Nicole has swapped places many times through the season with club mate, training partner, school friend and well just friend, Saffron Moore all season. It is that unique blend of rivalry and support that lays behind the individual successes for all the athletes. Our object in future years must be to crowd the medal winners rostrum with our team colours.

Although the cross country season has not quite finished yet there has been plenty of action away from the hills and fields of the east midlands over the past two weeks.

Some of our throwers have been taking advantage of the Winter Throws Series at Swindon to very good affect. Serena Vincent have established herself as the National Indoor Champion earlier in the winter set a new personal best with a shot putt of 12.75m

On the same weekend we had youngsters competing at the Lee Valley Minithon and some representing Hampshire at the South East of England regional Sportshall finals.

Results from Lee Valley.

U13 g 60m

8.9 i Ella-May Sprake

9.6 i Maya Kendell

U11 60

10.1 i Rosa-May Sprake

U13 600m

2:02.2 i Maya Kendell

U11 600m

11 2:17.4 i Chloe Kendell

U13 girls long jump

16 3.33 i Ella-May Sprake

19 3.31 i Maya Kendell

U11 g long jump

2.88 i Rosa-May Sprake

2.55 i Chloe Kendell

U13 shot

7.41 i Ella-May Sprake

 

Olivia East, Polly Heather, Billy Goodridge, Louis Rich and Doggie Ness all represented Hampshire and the girls in particular helped Hampshire to their best ever position silver medallists. It’s always a boost to your confidence to be selected to represent your county and these were well deserved selections. There are quite a few more in our ranks that can feel aggrieved they were not selected.

On the same day one of our not so young athletes Cecelia Morrison was setting a pb in the 60m v70 12.43.at the EAMA inter area veterans match Lee Valley. Nothing particularly earth shattering until you consider Cecilia’s record as an endurance runner holding several national age group records for endurance races. Closer to her long distance comfort zone she also ran 3.40.67 for 800m not so close to a pb this time.

On Sunday 6th it was the chance of our u13 and u15 athletes to represent Hampshire at Sportshall Regional Finals with the added bonus that a win guarantees a place at the national finals. And boy did they take that chance. Amelia Spry u13g, Elliott Evans u13b and Lorna Dockerill u15g will be at Manchester on 16 and 17 April for the national finals.

On Tuesday 8th March were the schools u12, u13, and under 14 championships were held at Gang Warily. From this the Hampshire schools teams will be selected to take part in the intercounties match at Popham on 19th March.

Under 12 results.

6th Olivia East, 9th Hattie Locke, 12th Sophie Newsom

U13 girls

4th Ellie O’Neill, 18th Holly Wilkinson, 112th Lauren-Lily Prentice.

U13 boys

10th Josh Fawcett, 22nd Ben Riggs, 23rd Lewis Shan

U14 girls

1st Nicole Ainsworth, 2nd Saffron Moore, 50th Amelia Stone, 73rd Amelia Spry, 74th Phoebe March

U14 boys

61st Alex Creswell

Olivia, Ellie, Josh, Nicole, Saffron all selected for inter counties match.

Apologies to those I missed very difficult to extract club members when they are recorded by schools district only.

On Wednesday 9th the second of the three match Chichester Corporate Challenge Road Races to place.

The year 7 boys race was won by Josh Fawcett. In the year 9 race Josh Goldfinch came in 2nd with Ben Cross in 8th place. In the year 10 race Adam Kimber 3rd, Harry Moore 4th, Steven Cross 7th.

Girls results. Year 7 Ellie O’Neill 1st, Isabelle Brydon 3rd. Year 8 Charlotte Bullard 1st, Phoebe Carlile 5th, Phoebe March 6th. Year 9 Mia Billins 1st, Bo Sansom 2nd, Jasmine Pennial 3rd. Year 10 Anya Pigden 1st, Katie Simister 3rd, Lucy Moore 8th.

 

Our athletes have been just too busy. I’m sure I’ve missed some results, as usual, please let me know.