Come rain or shine

It was a touch of deja vu for the Senior Men and Boys teams on Wimbledon Common on Saturday, as they raced through rain and mud reminiscent of similar conditions in last year's race. By contrast, just as last year, the Senior Women and Girls teams benefitted from much kinder weather – dry and clear with even a little sunshine – when they raced in the morning on Mitcham Common.

This year a testing new course on Wimbledon Common was plotted by joint race organisers Fulham Running Club and Thames Hare & Hounds, the world's oldest adult cross country running club, which was formed back in 1868 when members of the Thames Rowing Club, based at Putney, decided to keep themselves fit during the winter months by running on Wimbledon Common. First home for HW was Jonny Cornish (above right) who was 9th of the 279 runners, covering the 8.5km course in 27:38. He was followed in by a surge of HW athletes: Fred Slemeck (10th in 27:43) and Finn Johnson (11th in 27:45) – pictured below left – Charlie Eastaugh (13th in 27:49) and Alex Milne (14th in 27:50) – below right, ahead of athletes slithering in the mud on the downhill section of the course. Completing the scoring team of ten were Will Woodcock (24th in 28:10), Joe Toomey (34th in 28:42), Joe Clark (47th in 29:15), Rhys Boorman (57th in 29:37) and Xavier Gruot (62nd in 29:45).

Once again the team finished solidly in second place to Kent:
1 Kent AC 197pts; 2 Hercules Wimbledon 281; 3 South London Harriers 414; 4 Thames Hare & Hounds 418; 5 Belgrave 445; 6 Herne Hill 451; 7 Guildford & Godalming 547; 8 Cambridge & Coleridge 616; 9 Dulwich Runners 726.

Photographs by Guy Gibbons

Team positions after two races: 1 Kent AC 401 pts; 2 Hercules Wimbledon 578; 3 South London Harriers 740; 4 Thames Hare & Hounds 753; 5 Herne Hill 902; 6 Guildford & Godalming 1020; 7 Belgrave 1021; 8 Cambridge & Coleridge 1359; 9 Dulwich Runners 1416.

Above: some of the 31-strong HW Senior Men’s team

Benjy Street led the U13 Boys team to fourth place. He finished sixth of 73 runners, covering the 3.2km in 10:34. Oliver Warbey was 15th in 11:16 and Ibrahim Achchi 24th in 11:26. The Club were unable to complete teams in the U15 and U17 race, however Hector Revill (U17) finished 42nd in 10:41; William Belton (U15) was 44th in 10:43, Adam Hammadi (U15) 51st in 10:50.

Over at Mitcham Jessica Prior was the first HW finisher in the Senior 5.6km race, which finished eighth (below). She was 21st of the 241 runners in 22:47, just one second ahead of Claire Grima in 22nd, who confessed to still feeling the effects of her run in the Frankfurt Marathon a fortnight earlier. Gina Galbraith was 38th in 23:36, Alice McCormack (U20) 70th in 24:46 and Lisa Thomas 71st in 24:47.

The U17 Women's team finished in second, maintaining their position at the top of the league (despite missing Ellen Weir who won the first match). Georgie Clarke was a clear winner over the 4.1km Mitcham course, finishing in 14:24. Niamh Thompson was eighth in 16:04, Alix Baccardax 15th in 17:21 and Selma Hegvold 18th in 17:49.

Lulu Weisz was second U15 finisher in 14:54, followed by Millie Thorpe (eighth in 15:14), Bailey O’Leary (18th in 16:24) and Anya Montgomerie (24th in 16:58). The team finished fourth.

Sophie Thorpe (11th in 12:03) led the U13 team to third place, with Sophia Anderson (17th in 12:30), Miona Ivanovic (18th in 12:32) and Grace Eminson (22nd in 12:49) completing the team.

Results

Saturday, November 9: Surrey Cross Country League: Men/Boys
Saturday, November 9: Surrey Cross Country League, Mitcham Common: Women/Girls