Lewes athletes strike gold at Sussex road relays

The event signals the change from winter to spring which puts cross-country races to bed. For Lewes AC an attraction is that the whole range of running ages – from under-11s to over-60s – is brought together.

This year a calendar clash moved the event from its usual venue at Christ’s Hospital in Horsham to Preston Park.

Lewes AC on cross country gold rush.

This was nearer home and resonated as the old stomping ground of the Sussex running icon Steve Ovett – even if parking can be troublesome.

With relays, the already challenging role of the team managers and coaches includes getting the right number of eligible club runners out for each race.

A club can have more than one team for an age category but it is tricky getting exactly the right number of people on the starting and changeover lines on the day.

Athletes enjoy day in countryside.

The trouble, however, was worthwhile as Lewes AC secured two gold, one silver and two bronze team performance awards.

Lewes AC’s girls and senior women had been outstanding in winter cross country running events and were well represented in the relays.

The U13 girls fielded two teams, and both the U15 girls and senior women had three teams in contention.

Of these the race-hardened trio of Grace Tueday, Esme Stephenson and Ava James took silver in the Under 15s Girls category.

This was then topped by the gold for the combined Women U17/U20/SW team of Emma Navesey, Emily Proto and Lizzie Keep.

Both the F40 Lewes team of Ellen Brookes, Charlotte Bennett and Emma Rollings, and Lewes F60 team of Anita Amies, Heather Bennington and Karin Divall took bronze awards home with them.

Charlie Wright (in the middle) ran fastest lap time of Lewes AC runners (10.01 minutes for two miles).

With the men, the well-established and often successful U17 team of Charlie Wright, Gabriel Penrose and Archie Guppy found themselves competing with the U20 as well as U17s, so the eighth place was understandable.

Wright could be consoled with his 10.01 time for his two-mile leg which was the fastest time for any Lewes AC runner on the day.

The M40 team of Toby Meanwell, Andrew McLennan and Vesa Lindbreg was squeezed out of a medal despite a searing opening leg by Toby Meanwell.

The M50 team of Chris Gilbert (above right), Colin Bennett and Lewes Sida dispelled any possible argument about the quality of their gold performance by posting the three fastest individual leg times for the M50 age category on the day.