Team spirit and individual success for Lewes AC at Ardingly

Lewes Athletic Club achieved strong individual results and several excellent team placings at the second race of the Sussex Cross Country League, held at Ardingly on Saturday 7th November.

The annual Sussex Cross Country League comprises four races, running from October through to February. The league allows athletes to test themselves against runners from across the county on a variety of scenic cross-country courses.

There was plenty to celebrate for Lewes, not least in the senior men's race, where Josh Burgess claimed overall victory, crossing the finish line in 27:22. Ben Pepler also secured a top-five finish, coming home fourth overall and third in the senior men's category in 28:10. Ben Peters finished 12th overall, taking third place in the V35 category in 29:16. After that, Toby Meanwell crossed the line in 16th place overall and second in the V45 category in 29:28.

The men's A team finished second in Division One with 87 points. The veteran men's competition also saw success, with the Lewes A team claiming first place in the V35–50 category. The club also secured sixth place in the over-50s team competition.

Lewes AC women were equally impressive, with Izzy Bradford leading the club home in sixth place overall in 20:04, taking first place in the V35 category. Charlotte Hurst followed in eighth place in 20:27, finishing second among the senior women. Emma Rollings added another podium finish, taking second place in the V45 category in 22:11, while Florence Hallam completed the club's top four in 22:39.

Their combined efforts earned the Lewes A team fifth place in Division One, with the B team taking seventh. The club also fielded three further teams in Division Two, underlining the strength and depth of its women's squad.

Lewes also saw more individual category wins, with Karin Divall taking first place in the V65 women's category and Lewis Sida topping the V55 men's standings. Chris Gilbert also secured second place in the V50 men's category.

The club's junior athletes also enjoyed an excellent day at Ardingly, with several impressive individual and team performances. Charlie Fawls took third place in the U12 boys' race in 8:16. Elsewhere, Bertie Chapman matched that achievement in the U14 boys' race, also finishing third in 11:12. Ella Bartholomew secured an excellent second place in the U16 girls' race in 16:40. At the same time, the U18 men produced a particularly strong showing, with William Crawford finishing second in 17:30 and Michael O’Connor fourth in 17:36.

The junior team competitions also saw success, with the U18 men's A team taking first place and the U16 girls' A team securing third. The U18 women's A team finished fifth, while Lewes also fielded B teams in several age groups, demonstrating the strength and depth of the club's junior section.

“It was a fantastic team effort at Ardingly, with some outstanding individual performances across both the men's and women's teams,” said Lewes Athletic Club Chair, Philip Westbury. “Josh's overall victory was a particular highlight, but equally pleasing was seeing so many Lewes athletes turning out, supporting one another and contributing to some excellent team results. Cross country is very much a team sport, and it's great to see the enthusiasm we have across the club. Well done to everyone who pulled on the Lewes vest.”

The Sussex Cross Country League continues with two more fixtures before the season concludes in February.

About Lewes Athletic Club 

Established in 1984, Lewes AC supports athletes of all ages and abilities, offering coaching and competition across track and field, cross country, road running, and more. To learn more, visit www.lewesac.co.uk.