Surrey County Cross Country Championships, Lloyd Park
Silver medals in Surrey Cross Country Championships
Alan Mead reports.
Another fine performance from Sarah Murphy; she was fourth last year and occupied the same position in 2010 but this time was much closer to the medals. Dropping back a little in mid race, Sarah rallied towards the end and closed to within one second of the bronze medal as the final crest to the finish was reached.
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Mike Trees was tipped off that he would probably be sixth scorer for the men's team and with a smile he took the hint: "Ok, I'll not go off at my normal pace then."
One man who did start fast was Serpentine's Nick Torry, winner of the Metropolitan League the previous week. With a mile gone the first four runners were strung out with our own Paskar Owor in fourth but at the end of the opening lap Torry, McMullen (Thames) and Rogers (Aldershot) had come together with Paskar about 6 metres off the pace.
Soon it was Rogers pushing on and then as the second circuit came to a close it was Torry stretching them out again with Paskar now in second but 10 metres adrift. He's come back before in these circumstances (chasing Michael Coleman at Coulsdon before Christmas) so hopes were high.
All this time James Fairbourn was making waves, some 40 metres clear of Lander Eguia who was in turn putting pressure on Will Cockerell. Herne Hill seemed to be home and dry in the team stakes but the battle for the lesser medals was much less clear cut with Hercules Wimbledon AC, Thames and ourselves all in with a shout.
"Runners in sight!" The call rang out around the finish area - and it was indeed Paskar, now clearly ahead. Somehow our man seemed intent on doing a fourth lap and as officials called out to put him right, Torry closed, but in the end he was safe enough. James had maintained his high position and had proved to be a key man for us - as was Lander, just two places behind and fighting off a desperate Cockerpillar. Mal Byansi was fifth man in and veteran Mike Trees' plan had proved well worth while for he finished strongly over the last lap and our hoped for set of medals proved to be "silvers".
Nice work! It's been a bleak time for the men in the County Champs. - a series of seven incomplete teams being followed by 7th in 2006, and then 5th, 4th, 3rd and now 2nd. We missed Phil Wicks, winner for the past three years but troubled in 2010 by a knee injury. Second last year, James Kelly too was uncharacteristically absent, thinking ahead to the National race the following week; but Paskar's victory keeps the champion's cup in Belgrave hands and the streak now exceeds the run of Sweeney, Staines and Tadesse '95 to '97.
As the Belgrave team made their way home the fun was not over for our team manager, who managed to persuade a very obliging Herne Hill outfit to push his car in an effort to get it started. Having won the team race they still had plenty left!
Men's 12k. 1 P Owor (Belgrave) 40:15; 2 N Torry (Serpentine) 40:22; 3 P Rogers (Aldershot F&D) 40:38; 14 J Fairbourn 43:26; 16 L Eguia 43:41; 18 W Cockerell 43:50; 30 M Byansi 45:44; 37 M Trees M45 46:24; 58 R Norville 49:13; 108 finished.
Teams: 1 Herne Hill H 87; 2 Belgrave H 116; 3 Hercules Wimbledon AC146; 4 Thames Hare & Hounds 154; 5 Epsom & Ewell H 250; 6 South London H 274; 8 teams closed in.
Women's 8k. 1 S Morris (Windsor SE&H) 30:32; 2 L Kipling (Ranelagh H) 31:24; 3 K Ellison (Herne Hill H) 31:31; 4 S Murphy 31:32; 19 M Heaton 35:44; 68 finished.
Teams: 1 Ranelagh H 63; 2 Herne Hill H 67; 3 Thames H&H 76; 7 teams closed in, the Belgrave team did not.
Restored from the club's earlier website, belgraveharriers.com, and published here as originally written.