Rugby and Northampton AC hosted the second match of the West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League at Newbold Revel on Sunday 10th November. As they did in the first match, the club’s young athletes performed with great determination on a muddy course. Across the age groups R&NAC had an incredible 97 finishers.
The under 17 Women finished in third team place, with Olivia McGhee dominating the race , just as she did in the first match. She was well supported by Rebecca Eaton in 13th place, and Joanna Mulreany in 35th position.
Thirteen runners represented the club in the under 17 Men’s event, with the team gaining fourth place. The team were led home by Nathan Lamb in 7th place, with Freddie Harris in 10th and Stanley Sage in 21st as the the three scoring runners. Dylan Mander made a welcome return to competitive running in 25th position.
The under 15 Girls team all competed with great determination as always, gaining a well deserved third place in the team competition. Jess Lamb was first home for R&NAC in 12th place, with Amelie Heron 15th, Merryn Hutchins-Morant 22nd, Esther Hutchins-Morant 23rd and Claudia Terrell 29th completing the scoring team. Jemima Spiller showed great improvement, finishing in an excellent 36th place.
The under 15 Boys came home in 5th team position. They were ably led by Jamie Styring, who had a superb run to finish in 9th place. Thomas Leeson finished in 25th place, with the ever improving Benjamin Spence in 32nd, Charlie Gercs in 47th position and George Smart in 48th closing out the scoring five for the team. James Newey made his cross country debut for the club, finishing in a creditable 57th place.
The under 13 Girls were outstanding, with their team storming to first place, and Bella Lamb giving another dominant performance to take victory in the individual race. The scoring team had four runners in the first eight, with Bella in 1st, Freya Carty in 6th, Elsie Rudkin-Wilson in 7th and Mollie Diplock in 8th. R&NAC’s fifth scorer also made the top twenty, with Amelia Lee running her best race of the cross country season so far in 19th place. Eighteen RaNAC athletes took part in the under 13 Girls’ race, demonstrating great strength in depth.
Strong running from the under 13 Boys saw them take second place in the team race, with top twenty places for Miles Taylor in 15th, Isaac Brierley-York 16th and Alfred Bartup 20th. Jan Hemmington in 26th position and David Allen in 29th completed the scoring team.
Seventeen R&NAC athletes finished the under 11 Girls’ race , and they all ran with tremendous commitment. The team finished in an excellent third position, led by Lena Holmes in a superb 10th place. She was well supported by Mara Hamilton in 13th, Ella Felstead 30th, Ella Plenderleith 35th and Matilda Woods 44th to complete the scoring team.
The under 11 Boys grabbed second place in the team competition, and Rex Nicklin gained a superb second place individually. The scoring team was completed by James Hancock 11th, Samuel Hayward 23rd, Ozzy Nicklin 31st and Ewan Nicol 44th. R&NAC had eighteen youngsters complete the under 11 Boys’ race, an excellent effort from all.
At the end of a wonderful day of racing, R&NAC emerged victorious in the overall team competition, which also means that after two fixtures R&NAC is the leading club overall. We look forward to the third fixture of the league, being held at Nuneaton on 8th December.
