STRATFORD-upon-Avon Athletic Club’s men’s and women’s senior teams raced in their first cross-country league meetings of the season.
The ladies were first in action in Division One of the Midland Women’s Cross Country League which took place at Betley Farm in Staffordshire.
And some 13 of the club’s female members made the trek to Crewe and produced a fabulous performance overall.
Georgie Campbell continued her fantastic start to the cross country season to come home seventh in 23 minutes 50 seconds and was the second junior across the line.
She was followed by Kate Wright (25 mins 31 secs) who finished as the sixth master’s athlete and 30th overall.
Next to cross the line for Stratford were Emma Bexson (60th, 27 mins 23 secs), Emily Orton (76th, 28 mins 22 secs), Vicky Sharpe (85th, 29 mins 02 secs), Suzie Ross (89th, 29 mins 44 secs) and Bethany Swain (94th, 30 mins 24 secs)
Outside of the top-100 finishers were Kate Barney (102nd, 31 mins 16 secs), Emily Carr (108th, 31 mins 50 secs), Clare Goodwin (116th, 32 mins 30 secs), Pip Bell (129th, 34 mins 43 secs), Rebecca Pridham (133rd, 35 mins 42 secs) and Bridget Richards (143rd, 38 mins 41 secs).
Swain, Barney, Carr, Goodwin, Bell and Richards were all racing in the top division for the first time whilst the latter only joined the club last week.
Elsewhere, the men’s team competed in Division Three of the Birmingham and District Cross Country League with the race also held in Staffordshire at Park Hall Country Park in Stoke-on-Trent.
A 15-strong team of runners raced over the hilly woodland course which comprised of three laps to make a distance of approximately 10k with three juniors competing alongside the senior team for the first time.
And four Stratford runners finished in the top-15 with Alex Pester in fourth, Ned Campbell in ninth, Richard Liggatt in 13th and Taylor Stubbins in 15th with the latter impressing on his senior debut despite taking a tumble.
Further down the field for Stratford was Adam Linforth in 39th with Tim Hutchinson’s 41st place finish completing the A team lineup.
Close behind in the B team was Paul Faithfull in 44th place with Sam Wilks in 52nd place and Dave Teasdale in 53rd place.
Completing the lineup was Peter Sugden in 72nd place, Max Ross in 81st place and John Raby in 88th place whilst debutant Rob Gisbourne secured a top-100 position in 93rd place.
Nick Cooper (108th) and Nick Campbell (120th) were the last Stratford runners to finish.
In total, 254 runners took part in the race across 21 teams with both Stratford’s A and B team finishing in second place on the day with a top-three finish required to achieve promotion.
Stratford host the next meeting at the Welcombe Hills on Saturday, December 3 at 1.30pm.
