Surrey County Cross Country Champs., Lloyd Park

What a race!

Surrey County Cross Country Champs. goes to the wire

The Bels have been inching towards a team win over the last few years and had a powerful line-up a few days before the race. Then 'flu' and post Christmas niggles ruled out several likely scorers at the last minute - James Fairbourn, Chris Sweeney, Mal Byansi and others - but all clubs face these problems and it was still a strong squad that took on the holders Herne Hill Harriers. We had plenty of fire power up front ... but could we close in our 5th and 6th men high enough? It was going to be close.

At the starting gun Phil didn't blast it quite as dramatically as is occasionally his wont but he was soon in charge of the pack and as the first lap was completed had gained a substantial lead that wasn't going to get any smaller. Our Captain cruised serenely across the mud to his fourth victory in this championship but told us afterwards that it was "hard work this time".

It was a messy scrap for the next six places though, with much chopping and changing as the mud, hills and firm going were traversed and runners played to their own strengths. James McMullen of Thames H&H always looked the pick of the bunch but at half way our own James Kelly looked good and was surely about to launch a last lap blast that would take him to the individual medals. But poor old Jim was suffering and 5th was as high as he could get; like many others he'd been under the weather and when the race was done it was all he could do to stand up and fight off the waves of giddiness that enveloped him.

Herne Hill's Chris Busaileh dipped his bread in the medal trough for a bronze and the Hill had two more in by 9th, but last year's winner Paskar Owor was close behind in 10th and we were just about holding sway. Paskar had only flown back from spending Christmas with his family in Uganda the day before so his effort was much appreciated.

Running to his best ever Surrey placing in spite of fighting off the horrors which attacked him early on in the race, Will Cockerell grimly fought his way round the Park. He was even closing down on Paskar at the end. Yes, it was a very unwell Cockerpillar, but this was no day for a dnf and he excelled himself in spite of everything. Unable to resist the problems hitting him, however, Dave Mason was forced to call it a day on the second lap and was last seen 'heaving' at the side of the trail before wandering off through the woods and making an early and disconsolate trip home.

Mark Humphrey has team medalled for us before in this race but he was unable to maintain the pace this time and Knut Hegvold, gamely running with a tight hamstring, was also unable offer his usual support although plugging away valiantly should we need to call on him.

So it fell, then, to Lander Eguia and Mike Trees to force their way into our 'six'. A terrific run from Lander had him entering the funnel in 23rd - and, incredibly, we still held Herne Hill to 51 points to 53. Mike had made a circumspect start and always had forward momentum in the pack as the race unwound. Belgrave supporters made clear his responsibility over the last 8k - and didn't he respond! Mouth open wide and gasping for oxygen, he was still overtaking opposing runners up the slope to the line, but he ran out of bodies to sweep up ... and those keeping tally knew that we'd just missed out by 5 points, 72 to 77.

We'd certainly have taken a score of 77 beforehand. Well done lads. All of you, scorers or otherwise, ran above and beyond the call of duty bearing in mind individual trials and tribulations. And well done to Herne Hill too.

Men's 12k. 1 P Wicks 40:40; 2 J McMullen (Thames H&H) 41:25; 3 C Busaileh (Herne H) 41:55; 5 J Kelly 42:04; 10 P Owor 43:41; 12 W Cockerell 44:03; 23 L Eguia 45:24; 26 M Trees M45 46:05; 63 K Hegvold M45 49:27; 73 M Humphrey 50:07; 151 A Lang 58:29; 179 finished.

Teams: 1 Herne Hill H (3, 8, 9, 16, 17, 19) 72 pts; 2 Belgrave H (1, 5, 10, 12, 23, 26) 77pts; 3 Thames H&H (2, 11, 20, 24, 27, 36) 120 pts; 4 Hercules Wimbledon (7, 15, 33, 34, 44, 45) 178 pts; 5 Clapham Chasers (22, 31, 43, 59, 74, 103) 332; 6 Dorking & Mole Valley (13, 18, 62, 70, 81, 92) 336; 17 teams closed in.

Women's 8k. 1 E Wicks (Aldershot F&D) 31:27; T Heaton ran as a non-scorer.

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