McCain British CC Challenge & European Trials

Six Young Woodies made the long trip north to Sefton Park, Liverpool, to be greeted with a strong wind and very muddy course.

Highlight for us was a tremendous run from Maxwell Chinn in the Under 11s race over 1.9k. With two excellent Start Fitness Met League runs in recent months Maxwell was hopeful of a good run here, especially as his last competition saw him run 19 mins 38 for 5k in Harlow recently, a new Under 11 record on that course by 3 mins 50 secs. After about 600 metres Maxwell was 15th but he improved as the race progressed and at the turn, with 400 metres to go, he was in a group of four runners, the leading two slightly further ahead. Maxwell gave it his all and finished in 6th place with only 6 seconds covering 3rd to 6th spots.

In the girls race, also over 1.9k, Hollie Mills and Holly Hudson, who are both only 9, also had excellent runs. Hollie, the Year 5 Uttlesford District XC Champion recently, just held off Holly Hudson for 24th to 28th place with only 1 second covering four runners. The winner, Weedall from Vale Royal, was only a minute ahead of our girls.

Sidnie Ward ran in the Under 13 boys race over 3k, and we were hopeful that he would be able to reproduce the form that got him the fastest lap at the National XC Relays a month ago. Unfortunately for Sidnie, although he tried his best, he was down on what he and we were hoping for and finished 28th, although only a minute behind winner Tommy Dawson, who earlier this year had won the National  Under 13 Boys in London. Sidnie has been through a lot recently, what with the loss of his granddad two weeks ago but, on the plus side, he was voted Harlow Young Sports Personality Of The Year 2015 last Tuesday. Sidnie, we are sure, will bounce back from this. He is still only a very young lad.

Canaan Soloman competed in the Under 17 Men’s event over 5.5 k, the course really muddy by now. He got away well but found himself slipping back over the latter part of the race. Although 35th Canaan can take heart from this as he was only 1 mins 20 secs behind winner Tom Mortimer.

Hollie McArdell ran in the Under 13 race over 3k and, in all honesty, she was brave to finish in 99th spot after recovering from a virus.

So a mixed bag of results but all enjoyed the venture despite the wind, rain and muddy conditions under foot. The three Under 11s will go to Cardiff on the 24th January to gain further experience of racing against the best in the UK. I want to once again thank the parents who transported the youngsters to Liverpool, two of whom drove up as well.

Next up there is a wee Start Fitness Met League at Wormwood Scrubs for us all.