Essex Cross Country League, Round 5, Epping Forest, 14 January 2012

Individual victories for Hoseah Gikungu and Alexa Joel in the final Essex XC League fixture held in cold but sunny conditions at Epping Forest on Saturday brought them league individual gold & silver medals in the Under 17 Men & Snior Ladies' events .

Hoseah's victory in the Under 17 Men's event, just a week after lifting the Essex county title, made it a clean sweep in the five league fixtures to win the individual league title. His one minute winning margin was his biggest yet. But only James Kidd (15th) & Nick Shade (21st) joined him on the day and fifth team slot, placed the U17s third in the league stakes.

Alexa's victory in the senior women's race brought her league runners' up spot, after her county silver seven days earlier, and marked a fine end to her league season after a series of injury lay offs. Vicky Smith's sixth place brought her fourth place in the league, and a fine top 20 place from Angie Thompson and a return to action from Megan Foley in 44th brought the team second place, and third in the league table. Juliet Ward (48th) & Bobby Westwood (79th) also competed. 

The final Essex league fixture saw the senior men’s squad achieve their best team score of the season in second place thanks to five athletes placed in the top twenty. They were led home by Grant Twist's great run third place, closely followed by ever present Rob Warner taking a good sixth. Matt Bland was the first veteran home with his season's best placing of 13th. Ian Anthony came home in a very good 16th with Steve Rand not far behind in 19th and veteran Paul Berrett completed the scoring team with another seasons best in 50th; Barry Ward completed the squad in 109th.  Although the team had to concede their league title to Chelmsford, three of the team collected individual league medals. Grant Twist finished second in the senior league, just one point in front of Rob Warner in third - possibly the first time  that the team have ever had two senior men in the top three. Matt Bland picked up the vets silver medal after another outstanding season. 

Lydia Hallam's runners' up spot in the under 15 girls' event matched her best result of the winter and earned her individual league silver, to confirm she is back to her best form. Heidi Surman-Wells (16th), Rebecca Ward (18th) and Louise Lear's 24th spot brought the team into fourth, the same position that they ranked in the league table. Zoe Rudgeley also competed.

Beth Hall's seventh place led home the under 17 women. Isabella Woods placed twelfth and was just outside the league medals in fourth, while Lindsay McLachlan (14th) and 22nd placed Shannon Sullivan completed the third placed scorers, with Lindsey Wiggins 23rd. The team were third in the league table.

The under 13 girls were third on the day to confirm third place in the league. Emily Marshal was first team member across the line in ninth, with Amy Baggs and Gemma Archer-Haley hot on her heels in 11th & 12th, and Jessica Ward the fourth scorer. There were six further finishers from the young team as Rebecca Brown (23rd), Katie Mitchell (27th), Olivia McAlpin (30th), Riva Siggins (35th), non-scoring Sophie Rand (35th) and 40th placed Emily McAllister were part of the ten-strong squad.

The under 15 boys were short-handed as Ed Thompson placed in the top ten but William Hart (19th) and Sam Dell (21st) were the others to compete one short of a quartet, as the fourth placed team were also fourth in the league stakes. The under 13 boys mustered six runners but could make little impact on the top teams as Josh Stevens (14th), debutant Oliver Morton (19th) Aaron Westwood (27th) and George Hart (29th) were the scoring quartet in fifth, with Newcomer Cameron Ashdown (32nd) and Eddie Rudgley (33rd) gave support.

 

 

Link to Full Results League Tables
                                

 

Under 13 Girls: 9th - Emily Marshall 10:58; 11th - Amy Baggs 11:00; 12th Gemma Archer-Haley 11:04; 21st - Jessica Ward 11:41 Team 3rd - 53 pts) 23rd - Rebecca Brown  11:47; 27th Katie Mitchell 11:57; 30th - Olivia McAlpin 12:02; 35th - Riva Siggins - 12:27; 37th - Sophie Rand 12:32 (Non scorer); 40th - Emily McAllister 13:20  Team: 1. Chelmsford 16; 2. Basildon 48; 3. HMAC - 53

League 1. Chelmsford 5; 2. Basildon 16; 3 HMAC 19;

Individual: 8th. Emily Marshall; 11th - Amy Baggs; 14th - Gemma Archer-Haley; 24th - Katie Mitchell

  

Under 15 Girls: 2nd - Lydia Hallam 13:22; 16th Heidi Surman-Wells 14:27; 18th - Rebecca Ward 14:36; 24th - Louise Lear 15:35  (Team 4th - 60pts) 27th -Zoe Rudgley 15:40  Team: 1. Chelmsford 31; 2. Basildon 39; 3. Orion 53; 4.HMAC 60.

League: 1. Chelmsford 5; 2. Basildon & Orion 16; 4 HMAC 18

Individual: 2nd - Lydia Hallam; 9th Heidi Surman-Wells; 20th - Louise Lear ; 24th - Zoe Rudgley

  

Under 17 Girls/ under 20 women:  7th - Beth Hall 17:50; 12th - Isabella Woods 18:29;  16th - Lindsay McLachlan 19:08; 22nd - Shannon Sullivan 22:01; (Team 57 pts) 23rd - Lindsey Wiggins 23:31  Team: 1. Basildon 16; 2, Chelmsford 31; 3 HMAC 57

League 1. Chelmsford 7; 2.  Basildon - 9. 3 HMAC 17;

Individual: 4th - Isabella Woods; 8th - Beth Hall;  14th - Lindsay McLachlan 19:08;

 

Senior Women: 1st - Alexa Joel 22:25; 6th - Vicky Smith 25:21; 19th - Angela Thompson (W35) 28:46; 44th - Megan Foley 30:46  (Team 2nd - 70 pts)  48th - Juliet Ward (W40) 31:13; 79th - Bobby Westwood (W40) 36:39 Team: 1. Benfleet 38; 2.  HMAC -  70; 3. Chelmsford 86.

League:  1. Chelmsford 9. 2. Benfleet 14; 3.HMAC -  16

Individual: 2nd- Alexa Joel; 4th - Vicky Smith 25:21; 14th - Angela Thompson; 29th - Jane Hallam;

 

Under 13 Boys:  14th - Josh Stevens 10:48; 19th - Oliver Morton 10:59; 27th - Aaron Westwood 11:28; 29th - George Hart 11:41; (Team 5th - 89pts) 32nd Cameron Ashdown 12:55; 33rd Eddie Rudgley 13:12  Team:  1. Basildon 19; 2. Southend 45; 3. Orion 50; 4. Harlow - 65; 5 HMAC  89

League:  1. Basildon 5;  2. Southend 13; .3. Harlow &.Orion 18; 5 HMAC  & Braintree 31  

Individual: 15th - Aaron Westwood; 21st - Eddie Rudgeley

Under 15 Boys: 10th - Ed Thompson 12:42; 19th - William Hart 15:24; 21st - Sam Dell - 15:36  (Team 4th - 50-3 Team: 1. Basildon 24; 2. Southend 36; 3. Orion 41;  4. HMAC - 50(3)

League  1. Southend 6; 2. Basildon 13; 3. Chelmsford 17; 4. HMAC - 19

Individual: 9th - Ed Thompson; 14th - Sean Wilson;

Under 17 Boys:  1st Hoseah Gikungu 21:25; 15th - James Kidd 24:29; 21st - Nick Shade 25:59; (Team 4th - 37 -3)  Team: 1. Southend 18; 2. CATS 38; 3. Orion 65; 4. HMAC - 37 (3).

League: 1. Southend 6; 2. Colchester & T 13; 3 HMAC - 15

Individual: 1st Hoseah Gikungu; 14th - Nick Shade



 

Senior Men: 3rd - Grant Twist 25:37; 6th - Rob Warner 26:03; 13th - Mat Bland (M40) 27:22; 16th - Ian Anthony 27:51; 19th - Steve Rand 28:07; 50th - Paul Berrett (M50) 30:29; (Team 2nd - 107 pts)  109th - Barry Ward 36:01;  Team: 1. Chelmsford 59; 2. HMAC 107. 3. Thurrock 191

League: 1. Chelmsford 5; 2. HMAC - 11 3. Southend - 20

Individual: 3rd (2nd Senior) - Grant Twist; 4th (3rd Sen) - Rob Warner; 13th (2nd Vet) - Mat Bland; 22nd Ian Anthony; 37th Neill Collins; 41st Paul Berrett

Link to Full Results League Tables

Photos: (Pete Warner)