ECCA National XC – Parliament Hill Fields – Saturday 22nd February 2025. Words: Mark Tennyson
Like last month’s ‘Southern’ Cross-Country Championships at Beckenham Place Park, the English National Cross-Country Championships, held on Parliament Hill Fields, Hampstead Heath on Saturday 22nd February was another fantastic day of racing.
The National XC was first run in 1876 in Epping Forest. This race was declared ‘null & void’ as many of the contestants managed to stray off-course. The event was then staged for seven consecutive years (1877 – 1883) at Roehampton Vale on Wimbledon Common. How fortunate we are in the Surrey Cross-Country League that we get to compete on the same ground used for the National Cross-Country well over a century ago.
The National is the pinnacle of the cross-country season, racing against the best in the country. The only way to fully appreciate what this means is to toe the line with them.
Parliament Hill again did not disappoint, providing an extremely challenging course for all the races in unrelenting mud and over hilly terrain. There were many lost shoes and fallers during the day.
Senior Women – 92nd Championships – 8km
Last season’s overall Surrey Cross-Country League winner Suzie Monk had a fantastic race finishing in a superb 18thplace. Suzie was joined by Christine Robinson (277th), Rebecca Brennan (391st) and Michelle Collins (707th) from 830 finishers, to help the G’s finish 44th of the 82 teams.
This season’s Surrey League winner Herne Hill’s Lucy Jones finished fourth overall, which is very encouraging for the London clubs.
Senior Men – 137th Championships – 15km
The men had their best result in recent memory, finishing 20thof the 112 teams. Cam Reilly (87th) led the way, followed by Colin High (141st), Adrien Royer (164th), Will Ford (250th), Callum Job (275th) and Nick Tearle (515th) to complete the scoring six.
These six, together with James Adams (598th), Ollie Gosden(662nd) & Terry Booth (763rd), placed 19th in the nine-to-score team event.
The G’s were backed up by Ian Acreman, Ben Gilmore, Ethan Kendall, Lee Lintern, Ian Davies, Peter Marshall, Gerard Swinley, Mark Tennyson and Marc Woodall.
The trophy for the scoring six is the ‘Frank Wynne Cup’ and was won on this occasion by Bristol and West AC. They also went on to win the nine-to-score event for the ‘Charles Otway Memorial Cup’.
There was a new challenge this time for the Senior Men and Women – promoted by new sponsor Sportsshoes – with the introduction of a ‘King and Queen of the hill’. It came with the stipulation that to win the ‘polka dot’ award, the competitor also had to finish the race. The hill was the first one overlooking the lido start line, lined in anticipation with the usual mix of spectators, club tents and colourful banners. The ‘Queen of the hill’ was won by Hester Hill (236th) of local club London Heathside – you could not make this ‘up’!
The next National XC in the south will be in 2028. Before then it will be hosted by the north and then the midlands. It is an event not to be missed. Make an entry in your diary.
