Events coming up ...

Above: Phil Wicks in the leading bunch from the very first with James Kelly (extreme left, back of bunch) looking for an early forward position. Photo by Steve Wicks.

South of England AA Cross Country Championships

High drama on the South Downs

Saturday 28 January, Stanmer Park, Brighton. On the glorious South Downs and one of the toughest of cross country courses with hardly a level spot to be found, Aldershot, Farnham & District had the women's 8k team championship sewn up, as is often the case. No less than nine teams were in the hunt for the other podium places, however, and Sam Amend (16), Fee Maycock (63), Tilly Heaton and Nelle Quispell (82) ran brilliantly to collect Belgrave's first ever set of cross country medals at this level.

Race report  |  Full results  |  Cross Country Plate 

The men's 15k event saw Phil Wicks in the leading bunch from the very first. After 5k the group had been whittled down and by half way our man had dramatically broken clear by about 40 metres leaving the initially splintered chasers to slowly coalesce into a chasing bunch of five. Surely he was heading for a historic third win. But racing down the final hill Wells City's Ben Tickner had broken clear of the cluster, was now only 20 metres down and using the slope like a fell runner was absolutely flying.  By the time Phil was aware of the danger, Tickner was on him and such was his momentum as the turn was made into the finish stretch that no amount of gear changing by the Belgravian could match his rival's pace. Silver medal was no consolation whatsoever for a man who was left fuming at the way he had lost.

Great running from James Kelly to place 16th - but sadly no team on this occasion.

Race report  |  Full results  | Cross Country Plate

Sportshall Kids enjoy the final match at Guildford

Surrey County CC Champs - It's oh! so close again

Below: Richard Stannard (centre 125) makes life difficult for everyone by tearing it up at the start.

Picture by Alan Mead

Saturday, 7 January, Denbies Vineyard nr. Dorking.  Above left: After one lap Nick Torry of Serpentine Runners was away and James Kelly (121) was left to battle with Luke Caldwell (Dorking &MV).  It went on like this for another 7k before Caldwell just secured the silver medal with our James taking bronze. Right: New man Daniel Agustus made a big impact by racing to 6th place.

Belgrave comfortably led the team race early on and were still in control after two circuits but a red and black train was on its way and at the very finish four Herne Hill Harriers had moved through together to deny the Bels after the tightest of battles for the second successive year.

Herne Hill were (7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 21) - 74 points. Great runs came from 3 James Kelly, 6 Dan Agustus, 14 Richard Stannard and 19 Will Cockerell while in 22 Captain Richard Ward was a hero in closing in the team and taking his first steps in running kit since he tore a hamstring at the South of Thames Championship three weeks ago; but poor Paskar Owor, expected to be in the top five at least, was out of sorts in 18th after the Christmas break and a flight back from Uganda. So the Bels scored 82. Terrific race once again though!

Full Men's Results  |  Report

Unfortunately we were one short of a team in the women's race but as ever Tilly Heaton, Anne Hegvold and Vicki Goodwin did us proud.

Full Women's Results

At Droitwich Stephen Sharp placed second in the Worcestershire Champs., just three seconds down on the winner, and in the Bucks Champs Samantha Amend was 5th.