Belles storm to silver at South of England XC champs

The Belles took silver in the South of England Cross Country Championships while the Bels settled for 10th place.

With a hard fought fourth place, Abbey Brooke led the Belles to well deserved silver medals in the four to score team event. She was backed up by Alex Barbour, Ruby Whyte-Wilding and Lara Mangan with another six runners taking part.

Beckenham Place Park has now become the home of the Southern Championships after many years being held at Parliament Hill Fields, now restricting it's use to just two races a year. The park offers a true cross-country venue; a tough undulating grassy course, with good facilities for the athletes and spectators. After the recent rain, the going was at best soft, at worst very muddy. 

Abbey came into the race very determined after her excellent recent 33:16 10km in Valencia and gave it a real go. She even led the race as the runners entered the final long lap, but unfortunately, she was overhauled and had to settle for fourth finishing just 24 seconds behind the winner. 

Alex Barbour had a very strong race too, gaining confidence from her fine second place in the recent league meeting, she worked through to 11th place in this very strong field. Ruby Whyte-Wilding had also run a very good 10km in Valencia, and although finding the soft ground and hills not to her liking, she still finished just inside the top 20.

Ruby finished just ahead of Lara Mangan in what must be Lara's best ever cross-country performance. Lara has worked hard to  overcome her summer hip injuries, and on this course certainly benefitted from having done regular hill training. She even produced a blinding sprint finish to pass an Aldershot runner at the end to snatch 23rd place.

Despite a very good team performance, outright victory in this race continues to elude the Belles, having finished second in 2025 and 2023, and third in 2024. Here they were beaten by a very strong Aldershot team who had three runners in the top ten, but just 45 points to 57. The Belles were however, a very long way ahead of the next two teams; Highgate and Herne Hill who scored 106 and 108 respectively. 

Another six Belles supported the club with Kristina Popadich gaining fitness again after a snowbound Christmas in Canada in 33rd. Eilidh Hide, busy marathon training finished in the mid forties, and Billie McCosky in 68th.

Then Sam Munday ran well for 102nd, and Sara Ridmy turned out once again for the club in 125th.  Lauren Liversidge was just outside the top 150 out of 335 runners who completed the race. 

Abbey Brooke

Credit: George Parker

Sam Sommerville had a fine run leading the men's team home 25th in a very strong field. He was supported in the six to score team by: Conall McNally in 57th, James Preston in 82nd, Andrew Johnstone 92nd, then just outside the top one hundred; Jonny Neville in 101st and Daniel Wolff in 111th. They finished 10th in the team race.

Belgrave men had a strong turnout with Jonny Scott finishing in 113rd, Tom Lole 159th, Ben Scott 190th, Matt  Edgar 202nd, Conor McGoldrick 205th and Ruport Talfourd-Cook 301st.