Girl Power

While HW's Senior Men put in another solid performance at Beckenham Place Park last Saturday to maintain their runners-up position in the Surrey Cross Country League, Ellen Weir followed up her victory in the County Championships at Dorking by winning the U17/U15 race in the Ladies League on Wimbledon Common. She led the U17 team to victory (her second win in the League) covering the 4km (approx) course in 16:25. Team-mate Georgie Clarke (who won Match 2 on Mitcham Common) finished in fourth place in 17:04. With Niamh Thompson and Albane Fery eighth and ninth in 17:48 and 18:40, HW comfortably took the team honours and with one match remaining look on course to win the overall title.

Girls U17 teams: 1 Hercules Wimbledon 22pts; 2 Epsom & Ewell 42; 3 South London Harriers 72; 4 Croydon 86; 5 Belgrave 92; 6 Guildford & Godalming 93.

Standings after three matches: 1 Hercules Wimbledon 91; 2 Epsom & Ewell 149; 3 South London Harriers 182; 4 Guildford & Godalming 284; 5 Stragglers 312; 6 Walton 339.

In the Men's League, Kent AC have come back strongly after conceding the trophy to HW last season, however the relatively small, but perfectly formed team hit back with the best performance of the season to consolidate second place with one match to go. Jonny Cornish was seventh of the 230 runners in 27:01. Alex Milne and Fred Slemeck were 11th and 12th in 27:15 and 27:23 with Andrew Penney, in his first league race of the winter, 16th in 27:37. Rhys Boorman (20th in 27:52), Finn Johnson (22nd in 27:57), Tom Jervis (28th in 28:09), Dimos Evangelidis (38th in 28:30), Joe Toomey (41st in 28:34) and Joe Clark (52nd in 29:03) completed the scoring team.

Senior Men: 1 Kent AC 159; 2 Hercules Wimbledon 247; 3 Herne Hill 406; 4 Belgrave 431; 5 South London Harriers 474; 6 Thames Hare & Hounds 515; 7 Clapham Chasers 561; 8 Guildford & Godalming 602; 9 Dulwich Runners 700.

Standings after three races: 1 Kent AC 560; 2 Hercules Wimbledon 825; 3 South London Harriers 1214; 4 Thames Hare & Hounds 1268; 5 Herne Hill 1308; 6 Belgrave 1452; 7 Guildford & Godalming 1622; 8 Clapham Chasers 1920; 9 Dulwich Runners 2116.

Back on Wimbledon Common HW's girls were runners-up in the U15 contest. First home for the Club were Lulu Weisz and Millie Thorpe who were third and fourth in 17:32 and 17:33, respectively. Eloise Davies was 10th in 17:49, with Georgia Winter and Bailey O’Leary finishing in 20th and 21st in 18:43 and 18.47.

Sophie Thorpe was first HW athlete home in the U13 Girls race (approx 3km) finishing in 15th place out of 51 runners and leading the team to fifth place. Sophie Conway was 17th in 11:50, Charlotte Conway was 21st in 12:03 and Sophia Anderson 24th in 12:07.

The Senior Women’s team (above right) was ninth out of 30 teams.  Claire Grima was first HW athlete home in 10th place out of 276 runners, covering the 8km (approx) course in 33:57. Jessica Prior was 36th in 35:53 with Gina Galbraith 41st in 36:23, Zoe Pike 64th in 37:35 and Alice McCormack (U20) 90th in 38:49.

In the U13 Boys race at Beckenham first finisher was Ronan McArdle who was 20th of the 53 runners in 13:12, leading the team of Oliver Holden (25th in 13:18), Ibrahim Achchi (27th in 13:24) and Michael Banks (45th in 14:40) to third place.

In the U15/U17B race the sole HW representative, Hector Revill, was 19th in 16:11.

Waltzing to Victory in Vienna

HW's U23 International sprinter, Chad Miller, raced to victory in the ASVO Vienna Indoor Gala last Saturday in a lifetime best of 48.59. It was the first race over the distance for two years for Miller, who only turns twenty at the end of March. 'Racing indoors over 400m and 60m is all part of the preparation for Chad's outdoor season, in which his focus will be on the 200m', says his father and HW sprint coach, Paul.

Results
Saturday 11 January, Surrey Men's Cross Country League, Beckenham  Full results
Saturday 11 January, Surrey Ladies Cross Country League, Wimbledon Common  Full results