R&N athletes lift Charity Cup

Rugby & Northampton Athletic Club celebrated regaining the Kettering Charity Cup on Saturday as the senior men’s team struck gold at Wicksteed Park over 10km.

The six strong side of John Gercs (11^th, 38.58), Stephen Marks (12^th, 39.02), Brendan Moen (13^th, 39.28), Iain Gillam (23^rd, 41.57), Terry Egan (25^th, 42.13) and Nigel Roberts (26^th, 42.24) ensured R&N scooped the prize for the first time since 2010.

It was another medal-laden performance from the Sixfields club, who won team gold in the under 11 boys, under 11 girls, under 13 boys, under 13 girls and under 15 girls to add to the senior men’s winning performance.

The under 11 girls and under 13 boys led the way with clean sweeps of the podium – Holly Walker (1^st, 7.09), Gabriella Pack (2^nd, 7.13) and Amelia McMurtie (3^rd, 7.24) doing the business for the girls, with Adam Searle (1^st, 9.29), Joe Musgrove (2^nd, 9.39) and Matthew Rushton (3^rd, 10.02) taking the honours for the boys.

Mac Ryder (2^nd, 6.41), Noah Bennett (4^th, 6.55) and Harry Boynton (5^th, 6.57) were all in-form in the under 11 boys on their way to the top of the podium, as were Poppy Carmichael (1^st, 10.13), Amy Walker (3^rd, 10.35) and Olivia White (4^th, 10.53) in the under 13 girls, who narrowly missed out on a team one-two-three.

Emer Wintsch (2^nd, 17.44), Lily Carmichael (3^rd, 17.52) and Georgia Willix (7^th, 19.08) ensured the under 15 girls kept up the gold rush, while a fine run from Kirsty Goddard saw her win the under 17 women’s category in 20.45.

The four-man over 35s men’s team of Brendan Moen (13^th, 39.28), Terry Egan (25^th 42.13), Scott Andrew (33^rd, 43.18) and Neil Willsher (38^th, 45.00) also claimed a place on the podium in the NAA County Masters Champs, finishing third.

R&N also saw two of their athletes take the overall race wins in the senior men’s and senior women’s – a time of 36.27 was enough for Ben Sutherland to take victory in the men’s while a time of 20.13 meant Emily Waugh became the proud winner in the women’s over 5km.

The results are the perfect build-up to a busy weekend for the club and their athletes. This Saturday sees the men’s team in action in the Birmingham Cross Country League, while the women’s team take part in the Midlands Women’s Cross Country League.

On Sunday, R&N will look to cement their position at the top of five age groups of the West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League, as they head to the home ground of main rivals Halesowen.