The ladies led the way as HMAC teams opened their 2008 account with a string of good results in Saturday's Essex Cross Country Championships at Basildon.

Eleanor Bounds continued her unbeaten streak from the Essex League to win individual gold and lead the strong team to victory in the U15 girls' event. She had a ten second winning margin, and Sidnie Sales ran well to be just outside the individual medals in fourth, with Rachel Sadler (7th) and Amber Turner (16th) completed the winning four. Rebecca O’Neill (20^th), Emma McAuliffe (34^th) and Michelle Lovell (40^th) provided strong support.

The near full strength senior women's team swept aside all opposition to dominate the race and strike team gold, battling their way through two sets of hills, on the demanding 8km course. Faye Fullerton and Alexa Joel were neck and neck for most of the race with the eventual winner and defending champion, Jo Wilkinson. Both had to give way in the latter stages but still claimed individual silver and bronze medals ahead of international Jess Sparke. Lauren Deadman also had a superb run in fifth, beating Woodford's U23 International Linzi Snow and Debbie Appleton's excellent eight place completed the scoring ‘A’ team. For the first time in many years the club could also boast a ‘B’ team thanks to the commitment and determination of the athletes who won the ‘B’ team event and came sixth overall, thanks to the efforts of Robyn Matson (12^th), Sara Luck (15^th), Vicky Smith (34^th), Jo Sullivan (34^th) and Angie Thompson (65^th). Jo Sullivan might have finished much higher had she not unselfishly stopped to help a competitor who was in some distress and unable to breathe.

A powerful front running performance from Georgie-Lou Sales held the lead for much of the U17 women's race, but she was eventually overhauled by Essex League leader Laura Condron and had to settle for a well deserved individual silver medal. Zoey Littlechild ran hard to come in ninth but there were no other athletes to complete what could have been a medal winning team.

The U13 girls put in a determined performance to place a creditable third to win bronze, facing the full complement of Basildon's testing hills for the first time.  Rebecca Stanley chased the medal winning trio to come fourth with the resolute support of the rest of the team. Amanda Blaxland (14th), Shannon Sullivan (16^th) and Avril Loynes (17^th) completed the scorers, with Hannah Bloy 28^th and Jessica Fazakerley 29^th.

Once again the picture was not so rosy for the male teams. 

A senior men's team, depleted of many of their leading athletes through injury or other commitments, managed a creditable fourth led by Rob Warner who returned to his best with a scintillating run in 10th place on the tough 12km course. The improving Peter Coates was next home in a great 19^th with strong running Mat Bland not far behind in 24^th. Steve Rand shook off the effects of a heavy cold to gamely finish a good 30^th. Rob Dickenson battled well in 55^th just ahead of Paul Berrett's 58^th place to complete the scoring six. The seven athletes who toed the  line - Russ Middleton pulled up injured on the second lap - received good support around the course from many of the team's walking wounded.

Grant Twist's individual silver in the  U17 Men's event provided the high spot and only medal for the younger male age groups.  His extra work in training, which showed up in his Boxing Day Handicap run, transferred to county level as he beat the top two from the Essex League in winning silver. Thomas Shanney won the battle between the Shanneys, as he placed 17th to edge out twin Daniel by one place but there was no fourth runner to provide team medal opportunities.

The U13 Boys did start with a team but Tyler Bennett twisted a knee on the final hill and pulled up. Thomas Davis had a god run in ninth and Finbar Smyth (31st) and Luke Overton (39th) were the others in the incomplete team.

Just two turned out for the U15 Boys who had fielded no fewer than 13 runners in the opening league fixture in October. Jamie Buckley-Stanton was suffering from the effects of flu and faded to finish 25th, compared to an expected top six finish while Dean Leftley was one place back.

Boys' team manager Mike Munson was disappointed by the poor turn out in all three boys' age groups, as some of the absentees did not alert him they would be missing. A much improved turn out is needed in next Saturday's final Essex League fixture so that the teams come away with league medals.

Under 13 Girls: 4th - Rebecca Stanley 15:11; 14th - Amanda Blaxland 16:30; 16th - Shannon Sullivan 16:44; 17th - Avril Loynes - 16:46 Team 3rd - 51 points. 28th - Hannah Bloy 18:04; 29th - Jessica Fazakerley 18:05

Under 15 Girls:  1st - Eleanor Bounds 17:31; 4th - Sidnie Sales 18:01; 7th - Rachel Sadler 18:43; 16th - Amber Turner 19:47 (Team 1st - 28pts) 20th - Rebecca O'Neill 20:03; 34th - Emma McAuliffe 22:32; 40th - Michelle Lovell  23:05

Under 17 Women:  2nd - Georgie-Lou Sales 20:10;  7th - Zoey Littlechild 22:32

Under 13 Boys: 9th - Thomas Davies 14:28; 31st Finbar Smyth 16:31; 39th - Luke Overton 17:53

Under 15 Boys: 25th - Jamie Buckley-Stanton 17:25; 26th - Dean Leftley - 17:27

Under 17 Men:  2nd - Grant Twist 17:09; 17th - Thomas Shanney 18.49; 18th - Daniel Shanney 18:50

Senior Women: 2nd  - Faye Fullerton 31:48; 3rd - Alexa Joel 35:06; 5th - Lauren Deadman 33:220; 8th - Debbie Appleton - 34:08 56; (Team 1st - 18 pts) 12th - Robyn Matson 35:59; 15th - Sara Luck - 36:25; 34th - Vicky Smith 39:33; 47th - Jo Sullivan - 41:16 (B Team 6th - 108 pts) 65th - Angela Thompson 45:48

Senior Men: 10th - Rob Warner 47:46; 19th - Peter Coates 49:29; 24th - Matt Bland 50:14; 30th - Steve Rand 51:19; 55th - Rob Dickenson 53:35; 58th - Paul Berrett 53:59 (Team 4th - 196 pts)