CROSS COUNTRY: Club's young runners second out of 21 clubs with best turnout so far

Rugby & Northampton AC’s turnout to the West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League at Nuneaton was the best so far this season.

The relatively flat, narrow and muddy course around the Pingles Leisure Centre and track - returning to the venue after a six-year break - was less suited to the hard-core cross country runners but meant fast times for many.

Rugby & Northampton AC scored well across the eight events and were pleased to be placed second out of 21 clubs over the day in Round 4 of the top Midlandscompetition.

Following the usual schedule, the under 17 women’s 4km race was first. The course was fast with Georgina Campbell from Stratford upon Avon AC winning in 15:50.

Sophia Hill (15th) was first from Rugby & Northampton to finish, followed by team-mates Megan Stenhouse, Lucy Van Uem, and Hannah Grocott.

The single lap under 11 boys’ 1.6km race was once again won by Fred Jones from Wolverhampton & Bilston, Fred is currently unbeaten in this series.

The R&N team placed third in the team competition, they comprised Jake Clarke (11th), Abbas Hazra (21st), George Bell (22nd), Joseph Boyle (25th), Connor Darcy, Charlie Cook, Charlie Gercs, Emilio Fernandez, Isaac Bryan, Thomas Leeson, Jenson Hill, Taylor Berwick and Nate Tilt.

The under 17 men’s three long-lap race was won by Dudley & Stourbridge Harriers runner William Kay in 17:25.

The Rugby & Northampton team took 2nd place in the team competition - Lewis Panter (3rd), Finlay Ward (8th), Jake Louis (14th), Tom Tyler (15th), Matthew Everett (23rd), Ethan Compton (32nd), and Ben Leugs (37th).

The under 11 girls’ team also took second place in the team competition.

The Hutchins-Morant twins Esther and Merryn were the first back for the team followed by Claudia Terrell, Isabelle Knight, Catherine Gibbons, Hope Berwick, and Eleanor McClements.

The race winner was Tessa Parkin from Stratford upon Avon AC.

First home for the R&N under 15 boys team was Oscar Delgado-Major (14th) in his first series race.

Jasper Cooper (22nd), Dominic Evans (30th), Jenson Buttrick (31st), Benjamin Carroll (33rd), Ned Gilford (35th), Nicholas Marsh (45th), Jack Main (47th), George Rogerson (48th), and Oliver Carroll (51st) made up the ten-strong team.

The race winner was once again Alex Adams from Stratford upon Avon AC in 12:17 for the 3.2km race.

The under 13 girls’ 2.5km race was won by Isobelle Jones from Wolverhampton & Bilston.

Rugby & Northampton put in a valiant effort, as the course was by now very muddy and torn up. Georgia Gercs was first back for the team in 18th position, followed by Sophie Hancock, Ava Rogerson, Rebecca Eaton, Isla Lacey, Shannon Blundell, Amelie Budd Beynon, Tamara Cave, and Tabitha Kimberley.

Nuneaton Harriers’ Travis Scrivens narrowly won the under 13 boys’ 2.5km race in 9:35.

The Rugby & Northampton boys narrowly missed out on third placed team in the team competition.

Arthur Tilt was first of the R&N AC boys back (6th), followed by Oliver Bell (14th), Dominic Eversden (21st), William Gower (30th), Isaac Hutchins-Morant (37th), Archie Campbell , Noah Unwin, Theo Clements, Charlie Gibbs, Darshan Kannan, and Lyall Lambert.

As the tents were packed away, the under 15 girls toed the line for the final race of the day. Isabelle Price from Wolverhampton & Bilston won the 3.2km race by a comfortable margin in 13:50.

The Rugby & Northampton AC girls team was Grace Darcy (9th), Madeleine Jacks (13th), Elspeth Unitt (20th), and Hannah Tilt (38th) in a fantastic day’s racing.

For more information about Rugby and Northampton AC, contact [email protected] or visit https://randnac.org/