It’s that time of the year again

West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League (WMYACCL)

Fixture 1

Walsall Arboretum

Report – Angela Williamson.

A foggy, damp and cool day for Round 1 of the West Midlands Young Athlete Cross Country League at Walsall Arboretum on Sunday 13 October but with no rain, wind or mud, the athletes were unanimous that conditions were ideal for racing. 

One excited spectator felt the fog created a “good atmosphere and made it more epic!”  The only dampener was that many of our runners had competed in Schools XC the previous day, an unfortunate bit of scheduling which hopefully won’t be repeated? 

All in all, an excellent and very successful first match for the Club, with some brilliant individual and team performances and no fewer than fourteen athletes making their debuts. 

It was fantastic to see so many challenging themselves and overcoming understandable first-time nerves to complete their races, doing themselves, their parents and their Club proud.  The after-race buzz around the tent suggests they’ve caught the XC bug and will be back for more!  

A corker of U17 Women’s race set the tone.  Race leader Olivia McGhee ran, as ever, at a blistering pace but Marijke Tear-Verweij looked smooth and assured, keeping herself in touch and in contention as the race developed.  Annie Silvers and Brooke Rossney found their consistent strides.  Marijke came into sight at the long finish area in a fantastic top five position but jostling for position.  Eating up the incline and navigating the tricky 180 turn well, she found the strength for a fabulous sprint finish, holding off a determined Grace Hendy (Wolves & Bilston) to take a magnificent 4^th place (14:42). 

The drama didn’t end there! As Marijke had a well-earned ‘sit down’, a sizeable gentleman official, walking backwards, tripped over her leg and toppled on to her like a sack of spuds.  Poor Marijke admitted later that she had no idea what was happening, finding herself being scooped up by each arm and escorted to the medic.  Thankfully she was later all smiles in the tent, thrilled with her race and result.  News is that she’s a bit sore but hopes no serious injury, fingers crossed for a full and swift recovery.

Teammate Annie was happy with her start to the league (18^th; 16:26), Brooke a little disappointed with her time compared with last year but rightly pleased with the way she had dug in and completed the race (44^th; 18:33).

Issac and Theo Scott, Jamie Cassells, Max Loom and Bertie Hovell all completed their debut race in the U11 Boys race, contributing to a strong SuAAC team, along with Rafe White, Oliver Hollis, Simon Zawada and Lewis Cowley.  Rafe, running brilliantly in his new high viz go faster spikes, placed an excellent 11^th; 5:59, with Simon gaining several places in the closing stages to take 43rd; 6:28, both well up on their 2024 result, with Henry Cotton in 58^th, 6:38.  Indeed all of the boys found that little bit extra for a thrilling sprint finish!

Sam Lambert.  The man, the Myth.  Victorious in the U17 Men’s race, beating none other than the legendary Archie Lane (Leamington C&AC)!  It was a fast start, and Sam wisely sat just off the lead pace as the race unfolded, in about 4^th or 5^th place.  Tom Fisher was the next SuAAC runner, followed by Will Hovell, Arthur Williamson and Joel Ledgard, nudging each other along as a team of three.  Racing into the finish area Sam had moved into second place, sitting just on Archie’s shoulder.  Powering up the incline, he turned the corner, got the bit between his teeth and found another gear.  Archie couldn’t respond and Sam took a historic win (1^st; 14:14).  How the crowd cheered! And then whispered, in awe, “he’s beaten Archie!’.  It was a good team effort too, with all athletes finishing strongly, Tom 12^th;15:39, Will 18^th;15:58, Arthur 21^st; 16:13 and Joel 23^rd: 16:17.

Banishing nerves and proving they were up to the challenge, Nell Wheeler, Florence Andrews, Penelope Waldron and Elizabeth Atkins all successfully completed their debut race in the U11 Girls. 

Saskia Atkins paid back an impressive last minute sprint relay to retrieve her number by David Jones and Paul Hawkins, in the best way possible, with an excellent 11^th; 6:25, a huge improvement on her 2024 result.  Nell was just behind, outstanding in her debut race, 12^th; 6:30, followed by Florence Andrews, 34^th; 6:53, Marnie Short, 35^th; 6:54, Indigo Ogilvie-Putt 60^th; 7:24, Quinn Lancaster, 66^th; 7:28, Penelope Waldron, 74^th; 7:39, Imogen Jolly, 76^th; 7:45, Ella-May Williams, 81^st; 7:52 and Elizabeth Atkins 100^th; 9:58.  Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Elsie Pipitone, who unfortunately had to withdraw due to injury.  

Both of our runners in the U15 Boys showed great grit and determination to complete the 3200m course, Laurie Hovell (68^th; 12:46) making his debut along with teammate Max Rossney (78th; 14:19).

Yet more debuts in the U13 Girls race, by Annabel and Lara Ryan-Gill and Florence Rowlands.  It takes courage and fortitude to take these races on and each and every one of the girls should be so proud of themselves.  It was brilliant to see so many yellow SuAAC vests.  Amelie Marshall, 29^th; 9:44, was the first home, followed by Annabel, 37^th; 9:50. Annabel was closely followed by Emily Lambert who ran her usual determined and gritty race. It was then Poppy West, 47^th; 10:03 and Sara Clewer, 63^rd; 10:35.  Lara, 101^st; 11:42, Florence, 102^nd; 11:46, Eliza McLeod, 109^th; 12:41 and Layla-Rose Sparrow, 112^th; 13:24 all showed great determination and resilience to complete the race, which should give them all confidence to take into the next match.

A team of four in the U13 Boys.  Charlie Cassels was the first home, 20^th; 8:56, followed by Tobias Freeman, 59^th; 9:42, then Toby Ledgard, returning from injury, 62^nd; 9:48, closely followed by Dexter Sharpe, 63^rd; 9:50.

For once the U15 Girls, who usually face a pretty churned up track, got to race on grass, not mud!  Making the most of it, in an excellent debut run, was Eve Ashley, our first finisher in 29^th; 13:00.  Jasmine Mothershaw acquitted herself well having moved up to the older age group, 57^th; 13:45, followed by Rachel-Marie Sparrow, 62^nd; 13:55, Elle Weir, 71^st; 14:13, Rosa Pipitone, 82^nd; 14:46 and Georgia Sharpe, 95^th; 15:51.