Saturday 6th January saw the Cross Country season resume for Kent athletes after the festive break at a very chilly and windswept Brands Hatch. Luckily the rain stayed away.
In the Senior Men’s race, M&M took bronze in both the 6 to score and 12 to score competitions. The team was led by a strong finishing Jamie Walsh (9th) with Ben Tyler (10th) just behind. Anthony Webb (21st) was next for M&M, followed by Daniel St Martin (31st), Tom Collins (32nd) and Justin Lane (37th) completing the scoring team of six. The 12 to score team was completed by Luke Stringer (49th), Jacques Cunningham-Marsh (51st), Alexander Donnelly (52nd), Owen Featherstone (54th), Alex Barber (57th) and Alun Rodgers (83rd).
With no U20 male athletes, the U17 men saw Franklin Shepherd running superbly to finish in the silver medal position (20.18). He was followed by team mates Henry Gibson 12th (21.48), Theo Ronchetti 19th (22.32) and Dominic Wright 31st (28.42). With 4 to score in this age group, the team picked up a bronze team medals.
The U15 boy’s four to score team, racing over 4400 metres, was led home by Freddie Gibson who took the individual bronze medal in 15:20. He was followed home by Louie Gear (23rd in 17:05); there was a three way battle for the remaining two scoring places, Connor Cousins (34th in 18:19) and Declan Tighe (35th in 18:23) edging out Alfred Moisan (36th in 18:31) for the honours. They were supported by Cameron Davis (51st in 22:13). The U15 boys missed out on the team bronze by a mere 4 places.
The U13 boys four to score team, racing over 3050 metres, was once again led home by Daniel Kershaw who continued his league form to finish in 10th place (11:46). Logan Smith was next home in 38th (12:52), closely followed by Jack Gregory in 40th (12:56) and Jacob Welton in 43rd place (12:59). They were supported in close order by Sebastian Smit 61st (14:28), Ethan Miles 62nd (14:37) and Cameron Drake 63rd (14:40). The team finished in sixth place overall.
The Senior Women saw Charlotte Young running strongly over the 8100m course to finish in 6th position (33.41). Emily Hale 24th (36.56) and Taryne McPherson 48th(39.23). Karen Cudmore did not finish due to a hip injury. The 3 to score team finished in a respectable 6th place.
The U20 women competing over 6100m saws ran Ella Webb runnng a tactically strong race to take a deserved silver medal (23.38). She was supported by Abigail Royden 5th (24.23) and Lily Crossley 6th (24.44) which meant the team finished in the gold medal position. Further support from Lola Sutton 7th (25.00), Annabel Young 9th (26.14), Ingrid Linn (28.22), Sharne Elphick 18th (30.32) and Ciara Harrop 19th (30.36).
The U17 women saw another strong run from Amber Matthew to achieve a deserved bronze medal (23.59). Support from Iris Crossley 7th (25.33) and Abigail Hawkes (26.39) meant the team also achieved bronze team medals . Further support came from Beth Palmer 16th (26.53) and Heidi Hughes 17th (27.21).
The U15s girls team was led in by Rose Crossley 5th(18.27), Sofia Cudmore-Smith 8th (18.53) and Olivia Baker 27th (21.23). The girls also achieved bronze team medals. Further support from Amelie Guthrie 33rd (23.11) and Matilda Moisan 34th (23.58).
