Midland Cross Country League, Race Day 4, 9.2.2019
As the tail-end of Storm Eric blew through, CLC athletes made their last trips away this winter season to compete in the tough Birmingham Cross Country League.
The ladies travelled south to Cattle Country to a Division One race hosted by Gloucester AC and made even more challenging by last-minute changes to the course in order to avoid the overnight flooding experienced in the south of the county.
The ladies at Cattle Country (complete with comedy signage), from left to right: Becky Reynolds, Rachel Vines, Helen Knight, Amanda Steer, Cerys Jones and Amelia Mullins.
Across a very muddy course, the ladies were led home by the consistently strong Helen Knight, in 60th place overall as the 14th master in a time of 35:44. She was followed by Rachel Vines who has made incredible strides across the season, finishing in 67th overall as the 18th master in 36:19. Road specialist Rachael Cary came 72nd overall and 20th master in 36:40 and Amelia Mullins bagged 75th spot and 22nd master in 36:57.
Amanda Steer finished in 77th overall as the 24th master, Laura Fletcher was 105th overall, Sophie Longmore was 106th, Cerys Jones was 115th and 44th master, Nicola Weager was 116th and Becky Reynolds was 119th and 47th master finisher.
Overall the ladies finished 12th overall in the league across the season, meaning they avoided relegation from what is an incredibly tough and competitive Division One. While the Masters finished in a brilliant 5th place.
The men travelled the furthest north they’ve been to compete in Division Two across a course in Park Hall Country Park near Stoke on Trent, in a race hosted by Trentham RC.
Will Ferguson at Park Hall Country Park on Race Day 4
Once again, the men’s top six scorers all finished within the top 100 places, no mean feat in the Midland League. They were led home by Will Ferguson in 6th place and a time of 37:46. Will also bagged himself an amazing 3rd position overall in the individual league placings, despite only being able to compete in 3 out of the 4 fixtures.
Next home was the stand-out club cross country performer of the season, Tom Kabala, who once again secured a top-20 finish in 18th place and a time of 38:45. Tom finished in 19th position overall across the four fixtures – a great achievement. Iain – ‘Mountain Goat’ – Porter, came in 39th in a time of 39:55 and Louis Fievet finished in 63rd in a time of 41:37. The remaining first team scorers were Tom Fletcher in 78th place and a time of 42:25 and Will Pearce, just behind in 81st place and a time of 42:37.
Max Baylis finished in 117th, Eoin McQuone in 126th, Andrew Gage in 171st, Tim Brock in 173rd, Mike Speke in 185th and Chris Thomas in 190th.
Overall on the day, the A- and B-Teams both finished in 9th place, the CLC Striders finishing in 10th place overall across all four fixtures.