PRESS RELEASE
10th November 2015
ALLEN LEADS THE WAY AS R&N MAKE STRONG START
TO BIRMINGHAM CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE
Jacob Allen takes second place at season-opener in Leamington
Jacob Allen was the star of the show for Rugby & Northampton at the weekend, finishing second among a record turnout for the club, as the Men’s Birmingham Cross Country League got under way in Leamington.
Allen secured a superb second place, completing the 10-kilometre Newbold Comyn course in a time of 33 minutes and 51 seconds, and the 21-year-old had back up from the youngest ever R&N squad on their way to an impressive sixth spot overall.
Teenager George Goodwin finished 20th in 36:07, William Gardner – the oldest runner at just 22 – was 10 seconds adrift and Robert Male achieved his highest ever position, claiming 62nd in 38:09. There was also a league debut for 17-year-old Jack Bond who ran well to record a time of 38:48 and 76th spot, while Luke Robinson rounded off the scoring by finishing 112th in 40:42.
The sixth-place finish for the team was the club’s best result for eight years, and just the third time in 45 races they have made the top six.
The ‘B’ team duplicated that position, being led home by Brendan Moen in 114th place (40:49), followed closely by fellow veteran Iain Botheroyd, who was just seven seconds further back in 118th. Completing the top 12 were Pete Belfield (127th – 41.28), Alistair McDonnell (139th – 42:05), Joe Lantsbery (143rd – 42:17) and veteran Vince Carroll (171st in 43:13).
The weekend also saw the first fixture of the Midland Womens’ Cross Country League, which was held over 6km on the same course.
Gabby Moriarty, in her first senior race since re-joining the club after her return from University, was in good form and led home R&N in 44th place with a time of 27:13.
Making her debut was Emma Bond, twin of Jack, who also put in a good performance to finish in 59th spot with a time of exactly 28 minutes, which placed her as the 16th Junior in the race. Just two seconds behind and in 61st was another junior, Leisha Mulvey, and completing the team was veteran newcomer Tamara Hardman, who finished 87th in 28:58.
The result saw the team place 12th overall on the day, but it gave them an impressive second place in Division Two.
In the veteran competition, Hardman’s efforts earned her 23rd, followed by veteran International Angela Copson in 40th (30:21) and Helen Jones (68th – 32.29) to give them 10th in the team race. Tilly Lea, in her final year as a junior, recorded 31:47 for 150th.
The 10 ladies from R&N were completed by Lorna Latimer (168th – 32.20), Minerva Chesser (246th – 35.21) and Alison Cobb (247th – 35.22.)
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