It has been an excellent season for the girls cross county this year. The under 13 girls have won 3 team medals this season – bronze for the Cross Country Relays, Gold at Preston Park Phoenix Run and Silver in the League Competition. It has been fabulous to see so many girls out representing the club at cross country – and all appearing to be enjoying the experience! Well done to all our runners. Our thanks to our John, Peter, Sam and Toni for their enthusiastic coaching.

Cross Country Championships at Stanmer Park – 3^rd January

The cross country championships saw a fantastic run by our under 13s. At the finish line there was a constant stream of red vests as our 6 girls all finished together separated by just 24 seconds!

16^th Holly Turner, 17^th Laura Smith, 18^th Ella Faulkner, 19^th Ella Spurgeon, 20^th Beth Faulkner and 21^st Esther Lutz Davies. An amazing achievement out of a field of 43 runners, with all girls finishing in the top half of the race.

Due to injury and illness there were no under 15s, while in the under 17s Emma Palmer ran an excellent race to finish 11^th in her first run for the club.

Cross Country League Race 3 at Bexhill – 10^th January

Despite freezing conditions seven girls took part in the under 13s race, which was the last league race this season for this age group. An excellent run by all the girls

Under 13s results 11^th Laura Smith, 14^th Ella Spurgeon, 15^th Holly Turner, 16^th Ella Faulkner, 23^rd Beth Faulkner, 24^th Steffi Parskevas, 27^th Esther Lutz Davies

The overall team positions in the league were 2^nd for Brighton A team and 6^th for Brighton B team. Holly Turner, Laura Smith and Ella Spurgeon have been the top scorers in all the races and were presented with their silver medals, all looking noticeably very smart in their bright red club hoodies.

In the under 15s Rachel Titheradge was 17^th and Ellie Woolcott 19^th

In the under 17s Emma Palmer was 12^th

Brighton Schools Race at Waterhall - 14^th January

Brighton and Hove Athletic Club was well represented in the Brighton and Hove Schools Race with our girls featuring in the top positions (two firsts, two seconds and a third)

Year 7 race 1^st Ella Faulkner, 3^rd Steffi Paraskevas, 4^th Beth Faulkner and 6^th Ester Lutz Davies

Year 8 and 9 race 1^st Holly Turner, 2^nd Ella Spurgeon

Year 10 and 11 race 2^nd Rachel Titheradge

While in the Burgess Hill Area race Laura Smith came 1^st in the Year 7 race.

Sussex Schools Race at Stanmer Park 31^st January

Juniors (Year 8 and 9) 15^th Ella Spurgeon and 19^th Holly Turner

Intermediates (Year 10 and 11) 16^th Rachel Titheradge and 24^th Emma Palmer

Seniors (Year 12 and 13) 4^th Grace Geillinger, 7^th Nicola Silsby and 9^th Laura Lambourne.

The girls in the top 20 were all selected to run for Sussex Schools in an inter counties matches which regrettably had to be cancelled due to the snow.

South of England Championships at Hillingdon - 24^th January

Three girls travelled to Hillingdon to compete in the South of England Championship. In the most appalling muddy conditions they all had a great run and from field of about 220 finishers Laura Smith came 108^th and Ester Lutz Davies 113^th in under 13s and Rachel Titheradge 175^th in under 15s.

National Championships at Parliament Hill 21^st February

Three girls represented the club at the Nationals in fantastic sunny conditions

In under 13s from a field of 350 Esther Lutz Davies 240^th and Laura Smith 262^nd

In under 15s Rachel Titheradge 265^th

League Race 4 at Lancing 28^th February

Due a clash with Year 7 and 8 Schools inter counties match most of the girls were in Bexley and just 3 girls competed in this race.

In the under 13s Laura Smith came in 1^st and in the under 15s Rachel Titheradge 16^th and Ellie Woolcott 18^th.

Well done girls for a fantastic season, we look forward to seeing you all running cross country again next year.

Ann Titheradge and Judith Woolcott

Girls Team Managers

The Brighton & Hove under 15 and under 17 boys cross country teams came out on top at the last Sussex League meeting at Lancing on 28^th February.

A smaller field than usual lined up for the non-scoring under 13 boys race due to the inter-county schools race at Bexley taking place on the same day. The league was decided over the previous three meetings. Brighton & Hove boys secured third place at Bexhill last time out. Two Brighton & Hove boys ran the Lancing race Tom Stewart-Green came 6^th of 18 and Harry Sullivan-Jones finished 11^th.

With medals still to be won in the other two junior age groups spirits within the team were high. Due to the combination of scoring at the three previous races all of the four runners in the under 15’s were in with a chance of securing an individual medal. The team had been leading the pack from the first meeting at Goodwood in October and started the race 25 points in front of Eastbourne Rovers in second place.

After the first two laps of the Bowling Green all four of the Brighton & Hove boys were running together in the leading group. As the race developed over the 4.5 K course the team got strung out. Alex Rice crossed the finish line 5^th of the 21 runners in a time of 16:56 followed by Liam Hurley 6^th in 16:58, Jake Elliott 8^th in 17:16 and Tom Wilmot 9^th in 17:26. The ‘A’ team finished with gold winning the league by 34 points. As all four of the boys had scored for the ‘A’ team in at least one race they all received medals. Unfortunately, they all missed out on individual medals. Of all the boys that took part in three scoring races Jake Elliott came 4^th of 15, Alex Rice 5^th, Liam Hurley 6^th and Tom Wilmot 8^th. The two other stalwarts of the under 15’s this winter Charlie and Harvey Noakes were unavailable for the last race of the season but their efforts help with the ‘B’ team finishing the league in 8^th place and the ‘C’ team 15^th.

Tom and Liam with the Under 15 Shield.

As with the Under 15s’ the Under 17 boys had been top of the league all season and started the last meeting 15 points in front of Lewes. It was nearly a full turn out for the fourth race. The only absence being Jonny Crickmore who was busy winning the under 16 British Orienteering Championships at Fordingbridge.

James McCarthy who had been so dominant in the league all season led the field home in a time of 16:50. Kieran Silsby finished 5^th with a time of 17:38, Adam Smith 7^th, 17:54, Will Grey 8^th, 18:01 and Chris Woolcott 11^th, 18:29. The ‘A’ team increased the winning margin to 44 points with James, Kieran, Jonny, Adam and Will scoring in at least one race. The ‘B’ team finished the league in 6^th place of the 12 teams. Individual placings for the boys who finished at least three races were. James McCarthy 1^st of 18, Kieran Silsby 5^th, Will Grey 8^th and Chris Woolcott 11^th.

Adam, Kieran, James and Will with the Under 17 Shield.

The Brighton & Hove boys had an enjoyable time at the National Cross Country Championships on Saturday 21^st February. The club put a total of 15 runners out in the under 13, under 15 and under 17 age groups. Although the weather was un-seasonally kind to the team conditions at Parliament Hill were muddy under foot.

The days events kicked off with the under 15 boys at 11:05. Liam Hurley was the first to complete the 4.5 K course in 60^th place of the 398 finishers with a time of 16:57. Considering Liam is a junior at this level this bodes well for next year. The rest of the boys were Tom Wilmot 129^th in 17:45, Alex Rice 229^th, 18:45, Charlie Noakes 325, 19:58 and Harvey Noakes 331, 20:05. The 'stick with it at all costs' award for the day must go to Charlie Noakes who managed to lose a shoe, spike himself, go back for his shoe and still finish. The team came 28^th of the 47 teams that scored

Next off were the under 17's at 12:20. James McCarthy led the boys home finishing the 6 K race in a time of 22:19, 70^th of the 285 finishers. Second home was Will Gray 112 in 23:07 then Kieran Silsby 153^rd in 23:54 and Chris Woolcott 221^st in 25:06. The team came 18^th of 27.

Of the three races the most drama came from the youngest age group in their 3 K race. The under 13's went off at 2 o'clock. Barry Sides got stuck in traffic on the way to the meet and just managed to get Lewis to the course as the rest of the boys were going down to the start, not the best warm up. Star of the day Tom Poole led the boys over the line 44^th of the 356 finishers in a time of 12:50. James Hobbs lost a shoe at the half mile mark, bit of a theme here, threw it to Pete Wickam as he went past him and carried on. Jamie Oliver followed Tom in 59^th place with a time of 12:58. Tom Stewart-Green came 230^th in 14:23, Lewis Sides 267^th in 14:50, Harry Sullivan Jones 296^th, 15:13 and James Hobs with one shoe finished 325^th in 15:49. The under 13 team finished 22^nd of 42.

For full results go to www.englishcrosscountry.co.uk.

A win for Katy Moore in the womens race over the 7.5 mile course on Wimbledon Common, with the mens team finishing in 6th place.

Sussex Athletics Report | Results

There were fine performances for the Brighton & Hove City AC athletes running in the Hasting's "Centenary Marathon".  A very strong performance from Fiona Powell saw her run a massive pb - finishing in 3.04.51; the first Sussex women and less than a minute behind the womens winner. 

Results:

1 2:36:30 Rendall, Julian (Tonbridge AC)
2 2:37:47 Anderson, Daniel (Hastings AC)
3 2:42:57 Mountcastle, Henry (Hastings AC)

11 2:55:15 Billing, Shaun
36 3:04:51 Powell, Fiona
152 3:24:29 Felton, Richard
163 3:25:13 Ho, Simon
230 3:31:53 Hester, Amanda
261 3:36:08 Armstrong, Julia
289 3:39:20 Christie, Gary
291 3:39:31 Drake, Julie
398 3:49:58 Payne, Simon
433 3:53:37 Mitchelson, Andy
543 4:01:10 Sussman, David
816 4:27:58 Graham, Darryl

The team have raised over £1300 pounds for Macmillian Nurses, who have been supporting fellow Brighton & Hove athlete Chris Moyle.  Donations are still being accepted on their just giving page.

Read the Sussex Athletics Report

See the complete Results List

View a slideshow of Photos

Watch a review video of the race

Visit the Marathon website

 (left to right) Shaun Billing, Julie Drake, Amanda Hester, Darryl Graham, Gary Christie, Simon Ho, Steve Scott and Fiona Powell