RUGBY & NORTHAMPTON STORM TO EMPHATIC SUCCESS IN WEST MIDLANDS CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE

PRESS RELEASE

8^th December 2015

 

RUGBY & NORTHAMPTON STORM TO EMPHATIC SUCCESS

IN WEST MIDLANDS CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE

 

Club pick up multiple team victories in Round 3 of the competition

 

Rugby & Northampton produced a phenomenal team performance over the weekend to emerge victorious in Round 3 of the West Midlands Cross Country League, held in Warley Woods.

 Team triumphs came for the under-11, 13 and 17 girls, as well as for the U-11 boys and U-15 boys, contributing to a mammoth 533-point victory over their nearest rivals, Wolverhampton & Bilston.

 Emer Wintsch led the way for the U17 girls, taking individual glory in 16 minutes and 41 seconds, and Ella Rose Bromley (5^th – 16:56) and Lily Carmichael (13^th – 17:55) ensured the team took first place.

 Two top-10 finishes from the U11G group contributed to their success, with Olivia Williams (5^th – 7:42) and Anna Farrow (7^th – 7:51) leading the way, with Elspeth Unitt, Alice Bennett and Lucie Caulfield completing the scoring. Their achievement was matched by the U13s, with Molly Williams starring with a second-placed finish in 10:10. Neve Satchwell finished seventh in in 10:45, and the rest of the team secured top-20 finishes through Holly Walker (13^th – 10:58), Amelia McMurtrie (15^th – 10:58) and Grace Hughes (19^th – 11:02).

 The club’s dominance continued into the boys’ races, with Louis Buttrick leading the U11 team to victory. Buttrick finished as runner-up in 6:41, and was soon followed over the line by Henry Woodward, who was fourth in 6:47. Lewis Gurney took 10^th in 7:08, and Arthur Tilt and Finlay Heard rounded off the triumph with times of 7:13 and 7:15, earning respective finishes of 12^th and 13^th.

 The U15 boys’ race was a close-fought battle, with Adam Searle being pipped to the post to first place, but he was one of three R&N runners in the top four. Searle (2^nd – 11:34) was soon joined by clubmates Adam Caulfield (3^rd – 11:44) and Joe Musgrove (4^th – 11:56). First place for the team was secured courtesy of Muss-Ab Hassan (10^th – 12:27) and Rhys James (13^th – 12:36).

 There was individual glory too for Amy Walker, who stormed home as the U15G winner in 13:41 with the team placing second overall, and Joshua Lay replicated that success, crossing the line in 17:28 for first place in the U17M.

 The club were also in action at Cofton Park, Birmingham, where junior athletes Emma Bond and Rebecca Leadbeater impressed in the Midland Womens XC League.

 Bond was the first scorer home, coming 23^rd in 24:45, and Leadbeater next over the line for R&N in 25:26, finishing 39^th overall. Gabby Moriarty produced a strong run of 25:47 to take 44^th place, and Sarah Bennett was 62^nd in 26:45, making her return from a lengthy injury lay-off. The team took first spot in Division 2, courtesy of a fantastic fifth-placed finish which saw them place above seven teams from Division 1.

Elsewhere, R&N were also out in force at Cheltenham, taking part in the Birmingham XC League at Pittville Park. Stephen Marks secured his highest placing of 81^st, in 34:55, and junior runner Jack Bond also impressed in 98^th, with a time of 35:29. The team finished 15^th on the day, leaving them 10^th overall, while the ‘B’ string were eighth, leaving them fifth in the competition – junior athlete Tom Charteress grabbed his best finish of 152^nd at the event, in a time of 37:45.

 

– Ends –