ECCA National Cross Country Champs., Parliament Hill

Nick Goolab - a class act to win the U20 National title

Right: Nick Goolab takes the tape
at Parliament Hill. Photo by Steve Wicks.

How conditions for the National Cross can vary. We've faced snowy blizzards, freezing temperatures and rain - but 2009 saw the mildest, spring-like weather we can remember for such an event. Not to say that the "going" was easy though; the run up Kite Hill and other stretches were as slippery as an ice rink as the top couple of inches of ground turned to a sea of liquid mud under the feet of "thousands". The big question of the day was, "What do you reckon - 12mm or 15mm spikes?"

Back in December Nick Goolab just didn't do himself justice in the European Championship, racing when he was ill and should have been home in bed. Since then he's got right back on track, winning an under-20 international in Portugal against tough opposition and subsequently looking forward to racing the "National".

Nick sensibly laid off the pace a little as the field hared up the first hill but before long he was working his way forward until halfway round the first lap he was tucked into the leading group of half-a-dozen. Southend's Ben Hunter, second in the SEAA Champs, was pushing the pace along but Nick looked very comfortable alongside Mitch Goose of City of Norwich with Ronnie Sparke (SEAA winner) from Woodford, Winchester's Phil Bernsten (SEAA 4th) and James Wilkinson of Leeds tagging along at the back. Around Kite Hill and setting out again Nick moved to the front of the bunch, still looking very relaxed. Slowly the group began to split. Going into the loop around South Meadow it was Goose now taking the initiative with Nick on his shoulder and then a gap to the rest ... but minutes later when they next hove into view Nick was on his own and Goose was nowhere to be seen.

The gap to Hunter grew and grew as the Belgrave man turned up the pressure, and loping down the hill to the finish he was a full 150 metres clear. Wearing the broadest of smiles down the finish straight he was able to savour the moment, waving and slapping hands with spectators eager to cheer him in. A fabulous win - and we have the feeling it won't be his last. In fact he'll be eligible for this very championship in 2010.

All credit to Mitch Goose. It seems he was attacked by calf cramp and had to stop to recover. Back into the race but having lost many places, he worked himself through to 6th spot to lead his team to victory.

Junior Men. 1 N Goolab (Belgrave H) 34:09; 2 B Hunter (Southend) 34:27; 3 R Sparke (Woodford GwEL) 34:38; 4 P Bernsten (Winchester &D) 34:47; 5 J Wilkinson (Leeds C) 34:50; 6 M Goose (C of Norwich) 35:32; ... 173 finished.

Belles 21st

Next up for the Bels was the Senior Women's race over 8 kilometres. Unfortunately we were without Catherine Bryson, sadly suffering from an Achilles tendon problem in the middle of possibly her best winter ever. But Sarah Murphy, who knows all about such injuries, was on hand to lead our quartette and give us a good start scoring 41st. Tilly Heaton, Anne Hegvold and Jennifer Beecroft were also in action and together they claimed a very creditable 21st team place from a field of 63.

Senior Women. 1 H Dean (Hallamshire H) 29:34; 2 S Tunstall (Kendall) 29:46; 3 S Samuels (Sale) 30:00; 4 J Potter (Charnwood) 30:07; 5 L Deadman (Havering M) 30:27; 6 M Sikes (Oxford U) 30:35; ... 41 S Murphy 33:16; 121 M Heaton 36:10; 143 A Hegvold W40 36:42; 355 J Beecroft 42:41; ... 546 finished.

Teams: 1 Charnwood 49; 2 Bristol & West 115; 3 Hallamshire H 142; 4 Havering Mayesbrook 220; 5 Woodford GwEL 223; 6 Bingley H 254; ... 21 Belgrave H 660; ... 63 teams closed in.

Unlucky for some - but Phil Wicks shines

And so to the men. There had been a time when we felt we might be able to challenge for medals - and failing that the possibility of lifting the nine to score trophy (where the medal winning teams are ruled out). But we lost a few engine-room men in the last days before the race. Richard Stannard had been targeting the National but badly twisted his ankle two days beforehand - and then one of our master blasters, Simon Jones, was so delayed on his return from racing in Ireland on Thursday that he failed to get home in time to set out for the National. Nevertheless, we had thirteen men lined up in the starting pen, and still hoped that we might squeeze into the top ten.

Mal Byansi (6172 in picture) set out like a scalded cat and headed Phil Wicks and Russell Dessaix-Chin on the initial climb, but things sorted themselves out by the time they reached the top where pre-race favourite Frank Tickner (Wells City) had claimed a few metres over Steve Vernon (Stockport), Andy Vernon (Aldershot) and our own Phil.

Silver medallist last year, Phil had had a troubled couple of weeks one way and another and even on race day, thanks to car parking problems, had struggled to get to the venue in plenty of time, but he soon settled into the top ten. Russell on the other hand was having a nightmare. A sure bet for a top 15 place and the possibility of a run in the World Cross for Australia in a few weeks if he excelled, Russ was in big trouble. His spikes were pushing painfully into his feet with every step and half-way round the first lap he ripped off his shoes and ran the next 9 kilometres with only his bare toes to grip the morass. Not surprisingly he slipped and slithered as scores overtook him and he drifted back through previously unthinkable positions.

James Kelly is no lover of the mud but he plugged away well, dreaming of the road and track events to come. The Cockerpillar was as solid as ever and considering that Mal had taken weeks out of training with the flu - he was having a great run. But then poor Pete Willis was struggling big time, running well over 100 places lower than we might have expected.

All was going pretty well up front though. Over the second lap Steve Vernon had gained a 10 metre advantage and Phil was slowly gaining on the leaders. The Beagles' Keith Gerrard had been closing him down but as the race drew to a conclusion, Gerrard began to sag and then Moumin Geele fell away from the front and into Phil's range. Our man was into 4th while Tickner again took over at the front. And so it remained to the finish. A great run from Phil Wicks to place in the top four in two consecutive years; and just like Nick Goolab - his "National" story is far from over.

So, 13th team at six to score and 11th at nine. It could so easily have been considerably better - maybe 500 points better, but hey! How many years were we in the 50's, 60's ... even placing 105th on one occasion. Thirteenth on an "iffy" day ain't so bad!

Well done to the Beagles who took the team title for the first time since 1901 - when Alf Shrubb was individual winner. Commiserations to Bedford & County who came so close ... and to Leeds City who after three years at the top, slipped to third.

Senior Men. 1 F Tickner (Wells City H) 38:02; 2 S Vernon (Stockport) 38:10; 3 A Vernon (Aldershot F&D) 38:29; 4 P Wicks (Belgrave H) 38:41; 5 M Geele (Newham &EB) 38:44; 6 B Whitby (Windsor SE&H) 39:05; ... 72 J Kelly 42:07; 151 W Cockerell 44:21; 186 R Dessaix-Chin 44:58; 201 M Byansi 45:18; 324 P Willis 47:20; 331 K Hegvold M45 47:27; 342 L Eguia 47:37; 438 T Fordyce 48:54; 564 M Humphrey 50:46; 754 A Luce 53:28; 831 T Hadfield 54:40; 1356 D Anderson M50 1:06:26; ... 1455 finished.

Teams: Six to score - 1 Newham &EB 214; 2 Bedford &C 224; 3 Leeds City 303; 4 Aldershot F&D 359; 5 Notts AC 407; 6 Tipton H 456; ... 13 Belgrave H 938; ... 112 teams closed in.

Nine to score - 1 Newham & Essex Beagles; 537; 2 Leeds City AC 619; 3 Bedford & County AC 650; 4 Notts AC 1097; 5 Tipton H 1330; 6 Aldershot F&D AC 146; ... 11 Belgrave H 2049; ... 46 teams closed in.

Restored from the club's earlier website, belgraveharriers.com, and published here as originally written.