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Buckinghamshire Under 13 Boys Team Left to right - Robert Sutherland (Wycombe Phoenix), Sam Redding (Milton Keynes), Michael Goddard, George Gillingwater, Andrew Stenning, Keiron Wye (Windsor SEH) and Dan Barraclough. Insert - Jack Dutton |
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This venue is one of the best in the country for both athletes and spectators alike. Weather conditions were good and the course was at its best for racing with race times much faster for all categories. Once again Sky Sports viewers were treated to the full 4½ hours of excellent live cross-country action, and the athletes (and spectators) were able to spend Sunday looking for glimpses of themselves on video recordings. There were over 3000 athletes taking part and more than 9000 spectators in attendance.
This event is a big attraction for TV with the best runners in the UK representing all the English counties plus Area teams from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. With most races having over 300 starters the standard of competition was high and the Senior and U20 races were being used for selecting the World C-C teams.
Although Chiltern Harriers had 16 athletes selected a number of senior and young athletes were absent for various reasons but they still had 11 athletes representing Buckinghamshire covering most age groups.
There were 5 in the U13 Boys 3k race and they helped secure the best Bucks team performance of the day by placing 5th out of 43 teams. First year Michael Goddard led the team home with another fine run to place 22nd out of 300 finishers in a time that was 10 seconds faster than the previous year's winning time. There was a very brave run by Jack Dutton, who collapsed just after crossing the finishing line with very painful heel. He finished in 24th place just a couple of seconds behind Michael to round off an outstanding winter of competition. Dan Barraclough, although not happy with his run from 4th in the pen, finished in a very respectable 73rd place. George Gillingwater (171st) and year 6 schoolboy Andrew Stenning (204th), both making their County debuts, had extremely good runs from the back of the pen. The other members of the team were first year Keiron Wye (Windsor SEH), an outstanding run into 49th place, County champion Sam Redding (Milton Keynes) in 68th position and first year Robert Sutherland (Wycombe Phoenix) finished 166th. This was very good team performance by a Bucks team beaten only by Kent, Greater Manchester, Surrey and Yorkshire, traditionally strong counties. With half the team eligible as U13's next year, including Michael Goddard and Keiron Wye the County can look forward to next winter's cross-country season with optimism.
U15 Dan Loach was enjoying his run following a late call up to the team until pain from the knee he bruised in a fall at school earlier in the week flared up and forced him out of the race. Ironically he had been called up in place of County champion Alex Watson who had injured his back in a skate-boarding accident.
Matt Bennett, a first year in the Senior Men's age group although still only 19, was satisfied with his run over 12k after a very successful winter especially in road races. He was 4th Bucks finisher in 176th place out of well over 300 runners.
First year U13 Girl Ellie Jones enjoyed her county debut placing 240th out of 300 and 5th placer for Bucks after starting at the back of the pen. First year U17 women Dymphna Murphy (237th) and Abigail Taylor (239th) also enjoyed earning their first County vests. Judith Orr placed 238th in the Senior Women's 8k race.
The U13 boy's team in 5th place was the big success of the day along with the U15 girl's team which finished in 10th place.
Gary Howells