UK Cross Challenge Meeting Four, Cardiff
Two winners in UK Cross Challenge
Belgrave supporters were treated to some fine running at the main UK event of the weekend, the UK Cross Challenge, in Blackweir Park, Cardiff.
The 4 km race saw three Belgravians sprinting for forward placings at the start and occupying these positions to the halfway point where Birchfield's Tom Payn was making the running with Jonathan Blackledge and Rob Birchall (Notts AC) no more than a stride in arrears and Aldershot's Chris Bolt and our own Alasdair McLean Foreman and Shukri Omar completing the leading bunch. Payne and Bolt got away during the next kilometre, the gap to Jonathan going up to perhaps 30 metres at one point. But if there's one thing we've learned, JB never gives up hope. Feeling confident that he could close the leaders down, the gap shrank during the final stages of the race and just before the turn into the 150m finish stretch he burst into the lead - and then survived a renewed attack from Chris Bolt as the finish was reached. Both were given the same time.
Maybe twenty runners fought for the head of the field in the 9 km race, Stephen Sharp and Darren Gauson being among them. For perhaps 3000m it remained thus, but when Highgate's Ben Noad upped the pace no-one could respond and as the field stretched, Stephen found himself fighting to retain a top ten place with Darren just outside the dozen. It was good to see both of them committing themselves in this high standard race.
Last race of the day was our first chance to see young Greg Billington in action. He had won both of his previous outings in the UK Challenge but as there had actually been three races, he was headed in the points table by Cwmbran's Ieuan Thomas. Almost immediately these two broke away from the field and when the first of the three laps were over it was obvious that the winner must come from this pair. The loping stride of Thomas contrasted with the quicker cadence of the Belgrave man who looked so confident as he waited for the challenge to subside. Into the second lap and Greg was away. Five metres became twenty, and as the final circuit was tackled the lead had grown to 120 metres and was still growing as the race ended. This guy really is something else - and we can't wait to see him in action on Parliament Hill in a few weeks.
Senior Men's 9 km. 1 B Noad (Highgate) 27:15; 11 S Sharp 28:02; 13 D Gauson 28:04.
Senior Men's 4 km. 1 J Blackledge 11:25; 4 A McLean-Foreman 11:35; 8 S Omar 11:48.
U17 Men's 6 km. 1 G Billington 18:31.
Restored from the club's earlier website, belgraveharriers.com, and published here as originally written.