COUNTY CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS 2022

Cotswold Farm Park

RESULTS

MU17 (6.3km)

8 William Holyoak 32.21

Senior Ladies (6.5km)

60 Sue Baldwin 39.32 (LV55 3rd)

62 Elaine Vincent 39.42 (LV50 2nd)

64 Carol Cowley 40.28 (LV70 2nd)

69 Suzie Tharme 41.07

71 Sarah Dennis 42.34

81 Sheena Druggan Moseley 48.15

83 Emily Meadows 49.20

84 Laura Kent 51.39

85 Samantha Robinson 51.40

Senior Men (10km)

61 Alec Vincent 46.16

80 Nigel Tillott 50.50

87 Chris Duckworth 54.39

89 Dean Hodges 57.02

94 David Aguirre 1.02.47

96 Wes Reid 1.26.51

TEAM RESULTS

Senior Men Team (6 per team)

9th Tewkesbury RC

Senior Men Veterans Team (3 per team)

12th Tewkesbury RC (A Vincent, N Tillott, D Hodges)

Senior Ladies Team (3 per team)

14th Tewkesbury RC (A)

17th Tewkesbury RC (B)

18th Tewkesbury RC (C)

Senior Ladies Veterans Team (3 per team)

5th Tewkesbury RC (A)

9th Tewkesbury RC (B)

10th Tewkesbury RC (C)

REPORT

It turned out to be Ladies Day at a windswept and wet Cotswold Farm Park on Saturday as a 16-strong team of runners from TRC took to the hilltop course next to the world-famous country venue.

Unfortunately, the club tent was an early casualty of the terrible conditions but unperturbed by this minor setback the girls of Tewkesbury did the club proud as they tackled the undulating course with aplomb.

Leading the ladies A team home was Sue Baldwin who kept up a blistering pace to secure top spot in the race for points in the club's annual "Lady of the Land" off-road series - not to mention finishing in bronze medal position in her age group. Well done Sue!

Following her was the ever-steady Elaine Vincent who gave another assured performance to take silver in her age category and then close behind Carol Cowley, cheered on by husband Richard, captured yet another silver medal to add to her collection of cross country honours.

The first three home for Tewkesbury secured an incredible 5th place for the "A" Team in the overall rankings, the best finish for a TRC ladies team in quite some time. Great team effort girls!

Amazingly, there were still another 6 Tewkesbury ladies still out on course but it wasn't long before they all started to race through the finish line. Not far behind Carol were Suzie Tharme and Sarah Dennis, who both had fine runs and then the ever-present Sheena Moseley completed her race despite having an altercation with a fence post which almost scuppered her chances.

But we all know nothing stops Sheena and by accounts, Adam Henson is now in the process of sending her an invoice for flattening said post...

Shortly behind Sheena and the carnage she left behind was a jubilant Emily Meadows and then Laura Kent finished doggedly alongside Samantha Robinson who kept her woolly hat on just like Pootle from the Flumps...

Combined with the ladies race were the over-65's men and the Under 17 juniors. Amongst the latter was Will Holyoak who ran a great race to finish 8th overall in his category.

Onto the men and yours truly had to put on my trail shoes for the first time in two years to make sure Tewkesbury RC got onto the scoreboard!

Fortunately, we had some representatives a darn sight quicker than me and Alec Vincent was on hand to take top spot for the club finishing well over a course that was advertised as being 8.75km but actually turned out to be well over 10km!!!

But little things like that don't bother Alec as the further and harder it gets the more he likes it! The same can be said of Nigel Tillott - there truly isn't anything stopping the old warhorse who galloped home a few minutes later.

Chris Duckworth made things look ridiculously easy as he charged round in style... well, he looked good when he passed me... plus he had a great finish, overtaking some poor sod right on the line!

Dean Hodges found the going a bit tough - that's cross country for you but he enjoyed his afternoon and was the third man back to complete our veteran's team, who finished in a highly credible 12th place overall in a hugely competitive field.

Dave Aguirre persevered and never gave up to secure the fifth spot for the men's team whilst I myself, plodded round in a mixture of running, walking and stumbling to make sure we had a team result.

As I said earlier, you need 6 in a team to get your club on the "scoreboard" and as we only had 5 I thought it would be a shame to miss out. So, despite the fact I have blood clots in my left leg and basically haven't run at all since being diagnosed 4 years ago, I laced up my trail shoes once again to get us a result.

Thank you so much to everyone for staying and waiting for me, especially to those who ran the last few hundred yards with me. Sorry you had such a long wait - hopefully we can get a team out next time so I won't have to do that again!!!

Thank you also for putting all the stuff and the tent away when I got back, that helped me tremendously! Thanks also to Stuart Ho

lyoak for the brownies, use of your camper van, filming/taking photos and your support.

Oh and thanks to everyone for pushing that ambulance out of the mud at the end... you see all sorts at cross country!!!

The next race is at Pittville Park in Cheltenham on Sunday, February 13th - Valentine's Weekend!!! If entering your partner in a cross country race isn't saying "I Love You!" then I don't know what is...

Cheers everyone!

Wes

Tewkesbury RC Cross Country Secretary