Home » Latest Club News »
Lewes AC takes on Snape Wood as it defends East Sussex Sunday Cross Country League title
Thirty-two members of Lewes Athletic Club took on the challenging Snape Wood course on Sunday, 23 November, in the second fixture of the 2025/2026 East Sussex Sunday Cross Country League (ESSCCL). The club continues its strong defence of last season’s league title.
Snape Wood’s route, near Wadhurst, is a demanding, hilly two-lap course with mud, puddles, tree roots, slippery leaves, and narrow tracks. Heavy rain and wind cleared before the race, leaving blue skies, a light breeze, and cool 10°C temperatures.
Standout Individual Performances
Senior Men
- Theo van Well (M45) – 12th overall and 1st M45
- Jonathan Burrell (M60) – 1st M60 in 36:29
- Ben Hodgson (M50) – 3rd M50 in 39:03
- David Prince-Iles (M70) – 1st M70 in 45:14
Senior Women
- Emily Hague (SF) – 42:24
- Stephanie Crespin (F50) – 47:45
- Jennifer Daley (F40) – 49:07
Lewes AC athletes delivered a strong set of age-category victories, highlighting the club’s depth and experience across the senior squads.
Other Lewes AC participants included: Philip Westbury (M45) – 40:21, Dominic Osman-Allu (M60) – 43:57, Mark Stainthorpe (M50) – 44:55 , Gerard Dummett (M65) – 48:13, Carl Sykes (M60) – 48:54 , Richard Bailey (M50) – 50:17, Gary Loughlin (M55) – 50:56, David Foster (M60) – 51:54, Robin Edwards (M55) – 52:59, Tatiana Nedialkova (F45) – 53:32, Peter Miller (M55) – 53:45, Bob Hughes (M70) – 54:42, Poppy Pittock (SF) – 54:58, Claire Hawes (F50) – 55:47, Julie Deakin (F60) – 55:49, Emma Gardner (F55) – 56:12, Claire Raitt (F45) – 59:56, Emma Hodgson (F50) – 1:00:00, Dawn Lancaster (F40) – 1:00:23, Patrick Donovan (M55) – 1:00:30, Catriona Wheeler (F35) – 1:00:31, Richard Rudd (M60) – 1:04:02, Adrian Thompson (M65) – 1:05:10, Camila Supervielle (F50) 1:08:38 and Peter Kennedy (M70) – 1:12:36
Team Standing After Fixture Two
Following the Snape Wood race, Lewes AC currently holds 3rd place overall in the league standings, with Eastbourne Rovers/Team Bodyworks in 1st and Crowborough Runners in 2nd.
With four fixtures remaining, the team remains firmly in contention as it continues its campaign for the 2025/2026 title.
Club Chair Philip Westbury praised the turnout of the runners: “Snape Wood is always a true test of grit. The commitment, teamwork and determination displayed by our members were fantastic. We’re proud of every runner who took on the mud and hills, and we remain firmly in the chase as the season progresses.”
Want to Improve Your Running Performance with Lewes AC?
Lewes AC offers various training sessions to help boost your performance at road and trail running events:
- Strength and Conditioning: Join our coaches on Monday nights to improve core strength and stability. Sign up here.
- Track Sessions: Fine-tune your technique, pacing, and endurance on with distance based track sessions Thursday evenings, or time based track sessions on Saturday mornings. Sign up here.
- 10k/Half Marathon Training: Get help feeling confident and hitting PBs on race days with our new dedicated Saturday morning track based training sessions. Sign up here