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CC: BUCS; Herts Schools; SE England Schools

BUCS CC

In the Women’s short course of 6000 metres on the challenging Horsenden Hill course, Louise Gilbert had a brilliant run. Racing for Leeds University, Louise placed an excellent 9th from over 400 runners, less than a minute behind the winner, Gadsby, running for St Mary’s. Last month Louise set two excellent PBs over 600m and 800m indoors, and her next race is the BUCS indoors in ten days' time. It’s also worth noting that Louise placed 109th in this event two years ago.

In the Men’s short course race over 8k, and running for Cambridge University, Tom Adolphus showed he is on his way back to his best form by placing 82nd from a field of over 500. Tom was unlucky to twist his ankle in the December Met League but is now returning to his best. This Saturday Tom is racing for his university again in the Hyde Park Road Relays.

Hertfordshire Schools CC

The course for these championships, at Westminster Lodge in St Albans, was a new one. It was well laid out with lots of twists and turns. The going was good following the recent dry spell, with just one muddy stretch in the wooded sector of the course.

In the Year 7 girls race over approx 2.8K we had two starters. Autumn Le-Chevallier Jones and Jasmine Hall, both running for Herts and Essex School. In this race the first twelve home will be invited to represent Hertfordshire in the National Primary and Year 7 race at Market Harborough at the end of March.

Autumn and Jasmine faced the talented Georgia Tongue from St Albans who was 32nd in the Southerns the weekend before, and who was an easy winner of the Hertfordshire U13 XC Champs last month. The girls got out well and refused to let Georgia get away. At the end of the first lap Tongue held a 25 metre advantage over our runners, with another St Albans runner in close proximity. Over the longer second lap the two girls hung on well to their forward placings and, although Tongue held on to win by 10 seconds, Jasmine and Autumn had shaken off the attentions of the other St Albans runner. They crossed the line virtually together in 2nd and 3rd to gain selection for Hertfordshire. Both girls ran their hearts out and their aim is to place highly in the National event next month.

We had three girls in the Inter/Senior Girls race, where the first five in each category won automatic selection for the English Schools with a further three athletes selected thereafter. The race was a combined affair over roughly 4.7k. Meisha Trend-Evans ran a blinder. Having placed seventh last month in the Hertfordshire XC Under 17 champs, this time Meisha got out well and was always well to the fore. She held on well, putting runners behind her who had beaten her last month, and placing an excellent 2nd, not far adrift of the winner India Frost. This will be Meisha’s first English Schools at Tonbridge and she should now relish the occasion. Behind Meisha in 7th was Tilly Major, who was probably one of the youngest in the field. Although finding it tough, Tilly would always give her best and she placed 7th and must wait to see if she joins Meisha.

In the Senior Girls race Jessica Adams was given strict instructions not to set out to fast and that paid off as she placed 8th, and we hope she will join the others at Tonbridge.

South East of England Schools Inter Counties

This event, attracting twenty from each county, was held on the famous Reigate course which is a tough one over the undulating North Downs.

In the Inter Boys race over 5.4K we had Reuben Fabian and Nathan Wright representing Essex. Reuben had a really good run; he was always well up there and he held onto 27th place to be 6th scorer for Essex. Just two places ahead of him at the finish was Nathan Wright. After finding himself at the back of the field 400 metres after the start, he stormed through the field in convincing style to place 25th and was 5th scorer for Essex. The boys now wait to see whether they will grab the final two spots for the English Schools in the Inter Boys catergory. In recent weeks both lads have worked hard in training and fully deserved these results.

In the Junior Girls race Molly Sherrin got a good start over the 3.6K course to run strongly throughout to place 33rd and be 3rd home for Essex. This was a good, solid run from Molly. Matilda Frith, in her very first Inter County race, did not disappoint one bit. Matilda has been working closely with coach Joe Everitt in recent weeks and put many county runners behind her with 68th place. Well done Matilda!