Tough outing for the G’s Seniors at Surrey League match 2… but a second place finish for Evie
Words by Mark Tennyson, photos by Danny Easton (@___dnny___)
Surrey Cross-Country League Fixture 2 – Beckenham Place Park – Saturday 9th November 2024
Sixth place for the Men and fifth for the Women (fourth ‘A’ team) meant both of the G’s Senior cross-country teams slipped a place or two from the positions achieved in the opening fixture at Wimbledon 4 weeks prior.
4 weeks is a long time in athletics – long enough for squads to regroup and come out fighting at the second time of asking.
Senior Women
At a ‘dry’ Beckenham Place Park the race timetable reverted back to the traditional 3pm start for Senior Men with the Senior Women starting their race one hour beforehand. In the absence of Suzie Monk who had finished second overall at Wimbledon, it was time for the younger team members to compete against their experienced Surrey rivals. Evie Warren stepped up to lead the women home. Evie who was fourteenth at Wimbledon made light work of the ‘firm’ undulating course to finish in 2nd place – a brilliant result. She was joined by Eloise Hudson (30th), Annabel Wallond (38th), Violet Isaacs (44th) and Eleanor Harrison (45th) in finishing fourth ‘A’ team (of 15). Eloise, Annabel and Violet were the first three U20’s across the line.
The G’s ‘B’ team of Alice Batchelor (89th), Beatrix Lafreniere (2C) (116th), Christine Robinson (124th), Alicia Nizet (125th) and Abi Southwell (U20) (154th) finished sixth and were ably supported by Susanna Harrison (2nd W60) and Rachel Stevens.
Senior Men
John Sanderson and Daniel Wallis again led the way for the G’s, finishing 14th & 17th respectively. Both John and Daniel finished in the top ten at Wimbledon, emphasising the enhanced quality of the opposition on this occasion. The first 25 contestants finished within sixty seconds of race winner Stuart McCallum. Tom Foster (48th) on a run of 22 consecutive division one ‘scores’ was next home. Tom was followed by Robin Wallond (57th) and Nick Lightfoot (62nd). The G’s final five ‘A’ team scorers – Will Ford (76th), Adrien Royer (77th), Andrew Welch (79th), Matt McDaniel (81st) and Ed Dixon (83rd) closed within seven places and nine seconds – a sequence of brilliant teamwork resulting in a solid mid-table performance.
Only one place and one second behind Ed, Charlie Pickett (84th) led the G’s 11th to 20th scorers to 5th in the ‘B’ team competition. Callum Job (96th) and Colin High (101st) finished either side of the top one hundred. Mike Alwin (157th), Ollie Gosden (159th) and Agusti Isun (169th) were next. The next three G’s were from our Masters contingent; Mark Tennyson (M60-2) (228th), Ian Acreman (M50-8) (230th) and Guy Holcroft (M55-1) (231st), before U20 Sean Marcus (237th) closed the ‘B’ team.
The ‘B’ team were well supported by Terry Booth (M55-2) and David Williams (M60-3), both of whom will be competing at the home international cross-country match in Belfast, Northern Ireland next weekend. Gavin Everson, Philip Pryke, Charlie Alger, Andrew Flanagan and Adam Poole completed the G’s contingent out of the total of 317 contestants.
G&G are hosting the next Surrey League match at West Horsley Place on Saturday 11th January 2025. Before then, at the same venue, they are hosting the South of Thames ‘five’ mile race on 23rd November 2024.
MTNov2024
