Cream of cross-country get season off to flyer at Goodwood

Luckily for the athletes the torrential rain forecast for much of the day did not materialise and it was only the under-15 boys who unluckily had to battle through the worst of the weather.

Not only were league individual and team positions important but even at this early stage of the season, places in the southern inter counties team were at stake with the first five in each race securing automatic qualification.

Georgina Warner, with a fourth place in the under-15 girls’ race, had the honour of being the equal highest-placed Chichester athlete on the day.

With the leading pack for the first mile, Warner had to let the two leaders go clear but was in with a chance of third place for much of the race before having to settle for a well-deserved fourth, her best result to date.

Hannah Croad had an excellent finish for 14th in her first serious cross-country for the club while fast-improving Nicola Mead was close behind in 18th, shaving a staggering three minutes from her performance of last season.

With a team total of 36 points, Chichester hold third team place.

Earlier, Rose Ellis had also secured an inter-county place in 31st. In the senior women’s race Jenni Harley led the team home in 16th with her team-mates bunched in the middle of the pack.

Under-17 Isobel Brown, who has made her mark over the summer in high jump and heptathlon, is using the winter cross-country season as a fitness and conditioning base and was pleased with her 54th place, just ahead of veteran Amanda Godfrey in 55th and Kirstin Ogilvy 56th.

Team-wise this puts Chichester in fourth place in division two with a 40-point gap to one of the two automatic promotion places.

In the men’s and boys’ events James McKenzie had the best individual run in the under-15 race while the under-13s put in the best team performance.

McKenzie had previously set the fastest time in his age group in the relays but had to give way to an inspired run from Rawbin from the Body Works Tri Club in Eastbourne and was involved in a three-way battle with Collier from Horsham and White from Phoenix.

McKenzie was just pipped into fourth with Harry Leleu an excellent tenth in his first year in the age group.

These two were backed up by Joe Delaney-Stone, who outsprinted Thomas Ackerman for 27th, and reserve Victor Gulyas (36th).

With the teams well-bunched Chichester are a close fifth on 41 points.

Good packing from the under-13s resulted in second place in the team standings with Ed Gerwat leading the rest home in eighth, closely followed by Harry Lyne in 12th and Casey Keats 13th.

With good depth in this age group the B team lie in eighth overall with Brodie Keats 25th, Ewan Willis 27th and Dexter Bergman 34th, while the C team is 15th with Callum Bergman 36th, Tim Mead 46th and Callum Strowger 47th.

Two of Chichester’s stars in their summer track team turned in good performances in the under-17s with Ollie Smith gaining stamina for his 800m track season in 11th and pole vaulter Jamie Moore three seconds behind in 12th.

In the senior race Jo Corbett led the team home in the absence of James Baker, followed by John Leonard in 41st, Martin Barwood 47th, James Pennicott 49th, veteran Dave Dorning 55th and James Woodward 79th.

With a team total of 288 points, Chichester are sixth out of the eight clubs in the first division, well clear of danger from relegation but needing an improvement in the next match at Plumpton College on November 27 to challenge for a team medal placing.

Chichester’s B team on Saturday comprised Dan Turner in 84th, Tom Blaylock 99th, Chris Benham 116th and Tony Cooley 117th with reserve Graham Lyne 126th.

PHIL BAKER