By Barry Warne
A fleet-footed squad of Peterborough and Nene Valley AC members avoided getting bogged down during the English National Cross Country Relays last weekend as they enjoyed some strong results.
The under-17 girls’ team finished in an excellent 22nd position out of 49 teams, as they took on the nation’s finest at a swampy Berry Hill Park in Mansfield last Saturday.
In the muddiest conditions seen on the course in living memory, Flo Brill ran the opening 2.5km leg in a time of 9.57.45mins, handing over to Molly Peel who clocked 10.00.25mins – moving the team up from 32nd to 20th.
Hannah Knight then ran 10.49.75mins on the final leg.
Under-15 Harry Hewitt provided one of the highlights of the meeting for the newly-funded Embankment based club, recording the seventh fastest time of the day out of 252 athletes who made up the 84 teams.
Hewitt covered the course in 6.53.25mins as his team finished in 50th position.
In a race with a disappointingly low 27 team entries, the junior ladies’ finished 25th.
Ellie Piccaver was the pick of the bunch, covering the 2.5km course in 10.32.60mins.
The club fielded two teams in several age groups, and the senior ladies’ A trio placed a pleasing 44th with a B team 79th out of a 127 strong field.
Chloe Finlay ran the opening leg for the A team in 11.59.70mins, handing over to Sarah Caskey who covered the 3km circuit in 12.25.70mins.
Charlotte Lydford clocked 13.42.45mins on the final leg.
Ruth Jones, meanwhile, is making steady progress after a lengthy spell injured.
Despite still being someway short of her best, Jones ran 12.56.05mins for the B team.
The senior men’s relay was the final race of the day, and the 16 teams had the toughest test – running their 5km legs with the course at its churned up worst.
Alex Hampson, with 17.34.45mins, ran the speediest leg as the A quartet finished 41st.
Dom Watson, Simon Fell and Kirk Brawn provided solid support.
The B team finished 87th, with Mark Popple running the quickest leg of 19.49.80mins.
The two under-13 boys’ teams closed in 46th and 74th.
Felix Bowling, with 7.36.95mins, was fastest for the A team and Noah Fell who covered the 2km course in 8.56.15mins was quickest in the B squad.
Two under-13 girls’ teams also completed the race, finishing 53rd and 72nd out of 86 trios.
Evie Hemmings, with a time of 8.45.35mins, ran the quickest 2km leg for the A team with B team runner Ffion Perkins crossing the line in a speedy 8.56.70mins.
Charlotte Cullen, in a time of 8.02.00mins, and Aoife Glaswell and Chelsie Bole with 8.39.45mins and 8.54.90mins respectively, saw the under-15 girls take 35th place out of 98 teams.
Lottie Hemmings with a time of 9.00.00mins was quickest 2km leg runner for the B team.
Scott Oakley led the under-17 boys to 40th place out of 82 with 10.03.10mins.
