Essex Cross Country Relays
Last weekend saw the Essex Cross Country Relays take place at Weald Park, Brentwood. On an undulating 3km course, six SSA teams acquitted themselves extremely well against the best athletes in the county.
First off at 9.30 were the U13 and U15 girls, and the U17 women. A strong first leg from U13 A team runner Fleur saw her first back for SSA in a time of 12.47 and placing the team in 3rd place U13 girl's team. Next back was Anais for the U13 girls B team with a good opening leg of 14.01 to place the team in 5th place. Our final athlete was Annabelle for the U15 girls who was a late call up, but did herself and the club proud with a time of 15.31 to position the team in 14th.
Our second leg athletes took off down the opening hill and tackled the course with determination. U13 A team member Katie Carver extended the gap to the teams behind with a solid leg of 13.16 to keep the team in bronze medal position. In her first competition for SSA, year 7 Claudia Window ran an excellent leg of 14.57 and maintained the teams 5th position. Annalise Burrows was the third athlete back, running the 8th fastest time by an U15 on leg 2 and gaining places on other athletes on the climb before the finish.
Last leg athletes gave it there all to bring it home for their respective teams. Sadie Owen ran an excellent anchor leg to be the second fastest U13 on leg three in 12.42 and helped bag a well deserved bronze medal for the SSA U13 girls A team, behind Brentwood Beagles and Chelmsford. Clara Wilson also produced a fine last leg to finish in 14.26 and consolidate the B teams fifth position. A great show of strength within the club to have two teams finish in the top five in Essex. Dakota Sladden brought it home for the U15 girls
The boys races were off next and this saw more fast times from the SSA athletes. Leading off for the U13 boys A team was Samuel Brown, and despite being one of the youngest in his age group, produced a fine run to finish the leg in 11.33 and put his team in 2nd place. Equally impressive on leg one for the U13 boys B team was another year 7 up against his elders in Ben Bleakley, who produced a sparkling time of 13.15 to put his team in 9th place and completing the first leg with another year 7 was Ryan Birnie for the U13 boys C team who was close behind Ben with a time of 13.30 for 11th position.
Taking over on leg two for the A team was Charlie Lee who kept up the good work of his team mate Samuel, to produce the fastest time for the U13 boys on leg two with a time 11.44 and creep slightly closer to Chelmsford who were in the lead. New member Teddy Mullin, in his competitive debut for the club, ran a speedy 13.03 to pull the B team up several positions and close in on the top 5. Completing the second leg athletes was another younger member of the SSA Endurance Group Euan Ayers-Rist, who ran a determined leg to finish in 14.39 and lift the C team up a place into 10th.
On to the final and leg three saw Charlie Smith, he of the heel with no skin (ouch!), removed during the previous weekends cross country at Hainault, show his normal grit and resilience to bring the A team home with a well earned second place silver medal with a time of 12.37. Scorching round and taking places all the way to the finish was Dexter Haynes who ran 12.43 and lifted his B team to a brilliant fifth place finish and in doing so, equalling the U13 girls achievement of having two teams in the top five. This was a mighty show of strength in depth which we currently have at the club. Consolidating the work of his C team member Euan, Tom Layton ran his leg in 14.15 to confirm a good tenth place finish for the C team and conclude a superb morning of cross country running by the SSA athletes against the back drop of Weald Park with it's wooded areas, open fields and undulations making it a perfect cross country venue.
Next up in the cross country calendar is the second round of the Essex Cross Country League at Gloucester Park on Saturday the 26th October.