Storm Darragh. No Problem.

West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League Match 3

Pingles Stadium, Nuneaton. 

Sunday 8 December 2024. 

Report – Angela Williamson

Storm Darragh meant an early course inspection for this fixture.

Despite fallen trees and debris very close to the track, race officials provided timely confirmation that the event could go ahead.

Pingles being mostly flat, the key challenges would come from soft, slippery ground, an undulating rise and fall section along one short end bank of the stadium and some tight turns. 

We are, of course, a tenacious bunch, so it was unsurprising to see a good turnout despite the continuing rain, gusting wind, cool temperatures and, of course, mud.  

Wearing only the lightest armour of vest and shorts, our athletes showed their mettle in doing battle with each other, themselves and the conditions.  Anyone who thinks we don’t “make ‘em like we used to” should watch these races.  Stoicism, strength, sportsmanship and not a smart phone in sight, it was inspiring to watch.

We fielded a strong team of U11 to U17 athletes and counted 48 finishers, including full teams in six out of the eight races, showing impressive commitment and support from the competitors and their families, particularly given the conditions.

The running order is the same for each match, first up being the U17 Women, who would benefit from the best ground conditions, though it was already slippery.  Foot perfect Olivia McGhee (Rugby and Northampton AC) led the way, winning comfortably in 14:31.  Our own Annie Silvers ran an efficient and assured race to finish 23^rd/ 17:07, followed by Brooke Rossney, who coped well with the turns and undulations, 36^th/18:51, Martha Peters 41^st/19:53 and Hannah Wilkinson 46^th/21:28.

SuAAC vests peppered the field in the U11 Boys, with an excellent total of eight athletes in the race.  First to finish was Henry Yates, 36^th/7:15 in his debut race, closely followed by Dexter Sharpe, 39^th/7:17, Rafe White 42^nd/7:22 and Lewis Cowley 44^th/7:26, running XC for the first time!  Oliver Hollis finished 51^st/7:30, followed by Jacob Thomas 66^th/7:49, Reuben Wheeler 76^th/7:59 and Simon Zawada 77^th/8:01. 

U17 Men faced a gruelling three full laps of the circuit.  All acquitted themselves superbly, as ever.  Tom Fisher and Will Mayes were mistakenly and frustratingly held back at the start by an official who presumably miscounted our runners (five are allowed in the front row).  Both recovered and ran well once into their stride.  Sam and Zak finished 3^rd and 6^th in 16:17 and 16:47, followed by Will Mayes 18^th/17:27 and Tom Fisher 20^th/17:40.  James Mayes took 38^th/18:41, closely followed by James Day 41^st/18:45.  It was great to see Joe Lewis in his first club XC for several years.  He and Josh Davies dug deep to finish 50^th and 51^st in 19:31 and 19:39.

We had a fabulous turn out, once again, in the U11 Girls, with ten athletes.  Elsie Pipitone did brilliantly, especially in the conditions and just getting over a cold, to finish 12^th/7.27.  Saskia Atkins took 25^th/7:50, Marnie Short 38^th/8:10, Poppy West 42^nd/8:17, Matilda Hutchings 58^th/8:36 and Indigo Storm Ogilvie-Putt 65^th/8:54.  Our tough trio of Ella-May Williams, Quinn Lancaster and Imogen Jolly showed their staying power and determination to take 70^th/9:14, 71^st/9:17 and 73^rd/9:19.

Will Hovell led the charge for the U15 Boys.  By now conditions were getting very muddy and unfortunately Will slipped and took a fall on the first of two laps of the circuit, surrendering his lead.  He worked hard to get back on terms and finished a strong and very creditable 4^th/11:33. Next SuAAC vests were Joel Ledgard 6^th/11:48, who looked assured and efficient throughout, followed by a steadily returning to form Arthur Williamson 11^th/12:03.  Aran Cooper took an excellent 25^th/13:12, followed by Sam Plumb 37^th/13:43 and Max Rossney, resolute and persevering, did brilliantly in his club XC debut to complete his race in 60^th/17:20, rounding off an excellent team result.
 

Meanwhile…back at the tent…conditions were almost as damp and muddy as out on the track but fortunately the cupcakes, albeit in ever decreasing numbers, were being kept high and dry…

Onto the U13s, unfortunately we didn’t quite manage to field a full team in either the girls or boys events, but our athletes acquitted themselves well in ever deteriorating conditions.  In the U13 Girls, Amelie Marshall ran a brave, determined race, finishing 11^th/10:12.  Emily Lambert took 33^rd/10:45, followed by Jasmine Mothershaw 34^th/10:45 and Eliza McLeod 37^th/ 10:47.

In the U13 Boys our first finisher was Reuben Joyce, in 37^th/10:23, followed by a Toby Wilkinson 41^st/10:34, who seemed impressively cheerful given the conditions, and Toby Ledgard 50^th/10:57.  The winner, Zak Rush (Solihull & Small Heath), 8:14, fell twice, demonstrating both how difficult the ground had become and how important it is to keep racing until the finish line.

I’m sure we all felt for the U15 Girls who, having waited patiently as ever, faced the worst course conditions of the day.  And still it rained.  Remarkably sure-footed Marijke Tear-Verweij finished 10^th/13:52 followed by Lois Ford 24^th/14:46, who coped brilliantly with the undulations and slippery sharp turns, occasionally grabbing the fence to pivot!  Elle Weir took 39^th/15:56, Rachel Sparrow 48^th/16:21 and Georgia Sharpe dug deep to finish 55^th/17:07.

We’re in a strong 5^th position on both the day and in the overall team standings going into Match 4, so let’s have a good turnout and field full teams in January!